On a day meant to celebrate travel, Arunachal Pradesh made it clear — the future of its tourism is digital, responsible, and very much alive.
Itanagar, September 27 — When Governor Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik (Retd.) walked into the World Tourism Day event on Saturday, it wasn’t just a ceremonial appearance. It was a statement. Arunachal Pradesh, one of India’s most breathtaking yet underexplored states, is done waiting on the sidelines of the tourism conversation — and the government is finally putting its money where its mountains are.
The Department of Tourism, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, organised the event in line with this year’s global theme — “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism” — and the occasion turned into a showcase of ambition, recognition, and a quiet but determined resolve to protect what makes this state special.
The event was more than award night glam. The Governor inaugurated exhibition stalls put together by various non-governmental organisations actively working in the tourism sector — a reminder that it’s not just the government driving this story. Communities are in it too.
There were moments that felt genuinely human amid the official proceedings. Awardees in the Best Homestay and Best Tour Operator categories shared their experiences and spoke about their work in promoting tourism in the state — people who’ve bet their livelihoods on Arunachal’s quiet appeal. Hearing them speak hits different when you consider how much untapped potential still lies in these hills.
The programme also featured the screening of winning entries from a video competition and highlights from the Tourism Marathon, bringing some energy and colour to what could’ve easily been another stiff government function. It wasn’t.
One of the more significant moments came when Governor Parnaik, as part of the government’s Ease of Doing Business initiatives, launched the Department of Tourism’s online services — aimed at facilitating tourism-related services through digital platforms. That might sound bureaucratic, but think about what it means practically: easier licenses, faster clearances, smoother pathways for small operators and homestay owners who’ve long navigated a maze of paperwork just to serve a handful of guests.
He also released a book titled Homestay Tourism of Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting the role of homestays in promoting community-based tourism and providing visitors with local experiences. It’s the kind of initiative that doesn’t make the flashiest headline but carries real weight. Homestays are where travellers actually experience a place — not through a hotel corridor, but through the smell of someone’s kitchen and the warmth of a family’s living room.
Participants of the “Dekho Apna Pradesh” tour were also introduced during the programme — a nod to the growing movement of encouraging locals to explore their own backyard, which, in Arunachal’s case, is an extraordinary one.
The Annual Tourism Awards were presented across multiple categories, including Best Tourism Officer, Best Homestay, and Best Tour Operator, among others.
The Governor emphasised Arunachal Pradesh’s tourism potential and the need to ensure sustainable and responsible growth of the sector while leveraging technology and digital platforms.
That word — responsible — is the one that should stick. Arunachal Pradesh has landscapes that most of the world hasn’t even seen yet. The question has never been whether tourists will come. The real question is whether the state will be ready — and smart enough — to welcome them without losing what made them want to come in the first place.
Saturday’s event suggested the answer might finally be yes.
