World Tourism Day was being celebrated in Assam on Tuesday with a focus on attracting more visitors to this northeastern state as the sector was taking off after a pandemic-induced lull. ?

The main celebration organised by the Assam government was held at Kaziranga National Park, while events to mark the occasion were also arranged across the state.

“Blessed by Maa Kamakhya, adorned with pristine nature, dotted with traces of a wealthy past, rich cultural heritage & diversity, Assam is a paradise for tourists,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted. He also extended a welcome to everyone to visit and explore Assam.

State Tourism minister Jayanta Malla Baruah took to a micro-blogging site to mention “Tourism day is observed to create awareness on the importance of tourism in influencing the socio-cultural, political and economic values of the international community.”

He said how the state experiences heavy footfall of religious tourists during Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple, while others come to Assam to enjoy nature and wildlife. “This year the theme is 'Rethinking Tourism' and therefore let's rethink tourism and work towards promoting sustainable tourism for building a better world,” Baruah added.

Talking to reporters, the minister, who attended the programme at Kaziranga, said “After the pandemic, we are having a re-look at tourism and it is the theme of this year’s celebration too.?“We have organised a seminar and a public meeting on this theme here to discuss the matter,” he added.

After participating in a cycle rally at Kokrajhar, Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) chief Pramod Boro emphasised the role of tourism on the environment as many activities in this industry are relatively safe and do not cause pollution.?“There is tremendous potential to enhance tourist experience in BTR. We are working overtime to promote tourism and draw more visitors to the region,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)