Are we tourist friendly ?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 13, 2014 -

In a welcome development, State Cabinet, in its sitting on Wednesday, has given green signal to setting up of 'Manipur Tourism Development Society' as an undertaking of the State Government to give the much needed boost for development of tourism sector in the State.

Even if there are various areas that need to be looked after on priority basis, this development has shown the real intend of the Government towards harnessing the vast potentials for development of tourism industry available in the State, which unfortunately have remained untapped all these years, despite giving lip service at every possible forum from time to time and here and there.

Even though the Government of Manipur has a separate Department to look after the development of its tourism sector since August, 1972, it has not been able to do anything much to sell the State as a touristic destination, both for the domestic as well as International tourists.

So, the idea of entrusting the task of exploring the areas which needs to be given special impetus for development of tourism industries in the State to an autonomous Society to be run on grant-in-aids from the Government/Planning Department and other funds to be collected from work agencies, instead of the Tourism Department could be seen as an indication that there would be less of bureaucratic hassle and interference in carrying out the assigned task.

It is also equally good to hear that the Society, to be headed by the Chief Minister, who is also in charge of the Tourism portfolio as Chairman and Parliamentary Secretary in charge of Tourism and Principal Secretary of Tourism Department as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Executive Committee respectively, would be giving due importance to publicity campaign and marketing required for development of the tourism sector.

In fact, apart from the shortfall in identification and development of potential tourist spots and circuits, publicity and marketing are the two areas that need to be given more emphasis for development of tourism in any place. But Manipur has always woefully lagged behind in this count.

Having said that, we should not lost sight of the importance of ensuring development of proper infrastructure including lodging and transportation facilities for the visiting tourists to come and stay and visit places freely. For this enhanced connectivity in terms of road and communication facilities is also a must.

Development of all these, of course, would require proper co-ordination among the various Government Departments and machineries.

Last but not the least; we should remember that tourism is just about visiting beautiful tourist spots to see and admire, but the warmness of the local people that made the visitors to feel like coming again and again.

So, when the Government has pulled up its stocks for the task of harnessing the tourism potentials of the State, which would generate not only more employment opportunities for the people but also income for the State, are the people of Manipur who are ready to cry bandh and blockade at the drop of a hat ready to make the visitors feel at home?

This is a question for which all of us should find an answer.