Kaziranga National Park to be centrepiece of 12th edition of ITM in Assam

PTI, Nov 23, 2024, 9:23 AM IST

New Delhi: The Kaziranga National Park (KNP), home to the world’s largest one-horned rhinoceros population and which has practically maintained its pristine natural beauty over half a century, will be the showpiece of the latest edition of the International Tourism Mart (ITM) slated to be held in Assam from November 26 to November 29.

The chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are scheduled to attend the mega annual event that will also showcase the “gastronomical diversity” of the eight states or “Astalakshmi” that form the northeastern region, a senior official in the tourism ministry said on Friday.

Mugdha Sinha, Director General, Tourism, told reporters at a pre-event briefing that India’s emphasis on green and sustainable tourism will be “amplified” at the 12th edition of the ITM as was done during last year’s G20 Summit under India’s presidency.

Tourism has figured in the ongoing UN climate talks in Azerbaijan’s Baku, she said.

The inclusion of “Climate Action in Tourism” in the UN Climate Change COP29 Action Agenda for the first time, under the presidency of Azerbaijan, represents a “milestone for an important economic sector such as tourism”, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said in a statement on Thursday.

During the briefing held at the ministry’s headquarters here, Sinha shared details of the event’s itinerary, saying the ITM this year goes into the “heart of Assam”.

The event will take place from November 26 to November 29 at Assam’s Kaziranga and the iconic KNP will be its “centrepiece”, she said.

This year is a “golden period” for the sector one can say, as the ITM is happening months after Moidams — the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in Assam — in Charaideo district was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and when the KNP has completed 50 years.

Moidams was inscribed on the coveted list during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) that was held in India in July, making it the first cultural property from the northeast to get the tag.

The ITM takes place in a region renowned for its diverse topography, rich flora and fauna, vibrant ethnic communities, ancient traditions, festivals and abundant arts and crafts, the ministry said.

The KNP, a world heritage site and home to the majestic one-horned rhinoceros, adds to the allure of this event, it added.

Located in Golaghat, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam, the KNP was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The park has an area of 430 square kilometres and lies between the Brahmaputra river and Karbi (Mikir) hills, according to the website of Golaghat district. It was declared a national park in 1974.

“The Kaziranga Proposed Reserve Forest was created with an area of 232 square km on June 1, 1905 and with the enactment of Assam National Park Act of 1968, it was declared as a national park,” according to the website.

The sprawling park is a protected area rich in natural beauty and diversity of flora and fauna.

“In the heart of Assam, this park is one of the last areas in eastern India undisturbed by human presence. It is inhabited by the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds,” says the UNESCO website.

The park’s contribution in saving the Indian one-horned rhinoceros from the “brink of extinction” at the turn of the 20th century to harbouring the single-largest population of the species is a “spectacular conservation achievement”, it adds, highlighting its Outstanding Universal Value that merited the UNESCO tag.

According to official figures shared by the ministry, the total number of visitors to the KNP in October stood at 29,579. From November 1 till date, 1,004 foreigners have visited the site.

The ITM is organised by the Ministry of Tourism, designed to highlight the tourism potential of the northeastern region for both domestic and international audiences.

The event serves as a vital platform, bringing together tourism businesses and entrepreneurs from the eight northeastern states — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim — to foster collaboration and interactions among buyers, sellers, media, government agencies and other stakeholders.

It is expected to be attended by nearly 400 participants, including international and domestic tour operators, hoteliers and homestay owners, tourism service providers, influencers and opinion makers, senior officials from the Centre and state governments, media and international students, the ministry said.

Many influencers from various countries, such as Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, are also slated to take part in the event, Sinha said.

The three-day event will feature a variety of activities, including presentations by state governments, B2B meetings, panel discussions, food demonstrations, cultural evenings, live music, a Northeast Bazaar and technical visits to significant sites, such as Charaideo Moidam, KNP, Hathikuli Tea Estate and the Orchid and Biodiversity Park.

The ITM in Kaziranga will “exemplify a strong commitment to sustainability, aligning with the “Travel for Life” initiative of the tourism ministry. The event will be organised with a focus on “minimising environmental impact”, employing energy-efficient practices and the elimination of single-use plastic, the ministry said.

The previous two editions of the ITM were held in Shillong (2023) and Aizawl (2022).