Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt Gen K.T. Parnaik (Retd) on Sunday, 27 September 2026, called for building a comprehensive GIS-based tourism platform and deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) for visitor forecasting, multilingual assistance, personalised itineraries, feedback analysis and destination management — with the goal of positioning Arunachal Pradesh as a leading smart and sustainable mountain tourism destination.

The Governor was addressing the World Tourism Day celebration held at Itanagar, where he also conferred the annual state tourism awards on deserving individuals and organisations.

Tourism as More Than Economics

Framing the occasion with a broad vision, Governor Parnaik said tourism reflects the personality of a state and extends well beyond an economic activity. 'It creates livelihoods, empowers local communities, preserves cultural heritage and strengthens national integration,' he said. He highlighted Arunachal Pradesh's Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) — pristine natural environment, rich biodiversity, living tribal heritage, vibrant festivals, spiritual traditions and breathtaking landscapes — as assets that make the state a natural fit for responsible and experiential tourism.

A Diverse Tourism Ecosystem

The Governor emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh must develop a wide spectrum of tourism verticals, including eco-tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, spiritual tourism, rural and homestay tourism, agro-tourism, wildlife tourism, wellness tourism, border tourism and festival tourism. He said the state's unique advantage lies in offering all these experiences within a single destination.

He called for integrated tourism circuits that combine eco, cultural, adventure and heritage dimensions to encourage longer stays and distribute tourism benefits more widely. The vision, he said, must reach every district, valley and community — not just a handful of popular destinations.

Community and Youth at the Centre

Emphasising community participation, the Governor said every suitable tourism village should offer quality homestays where visitors can experience local cuisine, agriculture, crafts, folklore and traditional lifestyles. He envisioned youth becoming trained guides and entrepreneurs, while women could lead homestay operations, food enterprises and craft-based tourism initiatives.

Universities and colleges were urged to support tourism through research, documentation of oral traditions, biodiversity studies and visitor-behaviour analysis. Governor Parnaik also called for an annual festival calendar and authentic cultural presentations as part of a distinctive 'Arunachal Model of Tourism' grounded in community participation and personalised visitor experiences.

Technology and Infrastructure Push

On the infrastructure front, the Governor stressed the need for quality hospitality along travel routes, affordable transportation, reliable information systems, professional tour operators and skilled manpower. He called for scientific visitor management through carrying-capacity studies, advance booking systems, seasonal distribution of tourist flows and active promotion of lesser-known destinations.

On the occasion, Governor Parnaik launched the Tourism Department's online service portal, developed under the Ease of Doing Business initiative. He also released a book titled 'Homestay Tourism in Arunachal Pradesh' authored by Dr Tashi Lungtan Kee and Dr Sankar Thappa.

Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Integration

As part of the World Tourism Day celebrations, the state Tourism Department organised various competitions to promote tourism activities. The Department of Tourism, the nodal agency for the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) initiative in Arunachal Pradesh, introduced participants of the EBSB programme and the Dekho Apna Pradesh tour.

Participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya — states paired under the EBSB initiative — jointly showcased India's cultural diversity and unity through a collaborative cultural presentation. With the new online portal live and a growing policy framework taking shape, the next phase will test whether Arunachal Pradesh can translate its ambitious tourism vision into measurable ground-level outcomes.