Guwahati: The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) organized a milestone session in its flagship initiative, “ICC Guest of the Month,” at the NEDFi Conference Hall, Guwahati.
Focused on sustainable and accessible tourism, the event featured Dr. John Berchmans Ekka, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development, Tea Tribes Welfare, and Tourism, Government of Assam, as the keynote speaker.
Dr. Ekka highlighted Assam’s potential to become a global tourism hotspot, emphasizing government incentives, sustainability strategies, and collaborative approaches.
The session, themed “Advancing Sustainable and Accessible Development,” explored diverse tourism opportunities, including eco, cultural heritage, rural, wildlife, culinary, music, film, health, wellness, adventure, and sports tourism.
Key discussions revolved around promoting Assam’s cultural and culinary heritage, marketing textiles, encouraging adventure tourism, and enhancing homestay options through dedicated portals. Delegates proposed integrating eco-tourism with community projects, elevating wildlife and heritage tourism, and leveraging international platforms to boost Assam’s visibility.
Innovative ideas such as medical tourism, golf tourism, road trips, and cycling tourism were also explored, alongside the proposal to develop Umrangso as a festival hub.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Suhale Nadeem Quddus, Sr. Assistant Director, ICC, who acknowledged the contributions of session partners Pushpak Air Travels, Konoka Village Resort, and Mystic Mayong. Building on its success, ICC reaffirmed its commitment to bridging the gap between stakeholders and policymakers, fostering Assam’s transformation into a premier global tourism destination while ensuring inclusive growth for local communities.
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