Assam unveils 5-year tourism master plan after attracting six crore visitors in a decade

Guwahati, July 16 (AHN) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the state is preparing to scale up its tourism sector through a comprehensive five-year Tourism Master Plan after recording nearly six crore visitors over the last decade.

In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister said the state has witnessed significant growth in tourist arrivals over the past ten years and asserted that the next phase of development would focus on expanding rural tourism, creating livelihood opportunities and ensuring sustainable growth.

"Awesome Assam is only getting bigger. Six crore visitors in the last decade is just the beginning. Our five-year Tourism Master Plan will accelerate rural tourism, generate local livelihoods and power sustainable growth. The best is yet to come," CM Sarma said.

The proposed master plan is expected to strengthen Assam's tourism ecosystem by promoting lesser-known destinations, improving tourism infrastructure and encouraging community participation in tourism-related activities.

The government has been placing increasing emphasis on showcasing Assam's natural beauty, wildlife, cultural heritage and spiritual destinations to attract both domestic and international visitors.

Officials believe that greater investment in rural tourism will help diversify the state's tourism offerings while generating employment in villages and boosting local entrepreneurship.

In recent years, Assam has undertaken several initiatives to improve connectivity, upgrade tourist facilities and promote festivals and cultural events as part of its strategy to position the state as a leading tourism destination in the Northeast.

The Chief Minister has repeatedly highlighted tourism as one of the key sectors capable of driving economic growth, particularly through eco-tourism, heritage tourism, river tourism and wildlife tourism.

The latest announcement comes as the state government continues to focus on sustainable development by balancing infrastructure expansion with environmental conservation and community welfare.

With the new five-year roadmap, the government aims to build on the momentum generated over the last decade and further strengthen Assam's image as an emerging tourism hub, while ensuring that the economic benefits of the sector reach rural communities across the state.