31-October-2026
The main sessions of the 14th International Tourism Mart concluded in Tawang on 30 October, including a regional meeting of tourism ministers. The official programme brought renewed attention to the tourism potential of the North Eastern states and opportunities for business engagement.
The next test begins after the delegates leave.
Tourism promotion can generate interest quickly. Converting that interest into dependable livelihoods requires patient work: bookable accommodation, trained guides, reliable transport, fair commercial agreements and protection of the destination itself.
The Hotel Times believes that local enterprise must be central to the region’s tourism development. Homestay owners, small hotels, transport operators, craftspeople and food producers should participate as businesses with bargaining power.
Their contribution cannot be reduced to cultural decoration around an externally controlled tourism product.
The Hotel Times questions how business leads generated at the Mart will be followed up. How many will become contracts? What share of visitor expenditure will remain locally? Will smaller operators understand commissions, cancellation terms and payment schedules before committing?
These are more useful measures than publicity alone.
The Hotel Times recommends a practical follow-up mechanism involving state tourism departments and industry associations. Participating local businesses should receive help with quotations, digital booking, safety standards and commercial negotiation.
Growth must also respect water availability, waste handling, road capacity and community preferences. A destination damaged by unmanaged demand loses the very qualities that attracted visitors.
Hospitality companies can contribute through local procurement and training partnerships. Public authorities must ensure that destination infrastructure serves residents as well as tourists.
The North East deserves sustained commercial attention, delivered with respect for its people and landscapes.
Judge tourism promotion by the local livelihoods it strengthens and the destinations it protects. Publish the business outcomes after the event, not merely the photographs taken during i
