Tourism Ministry steps up promotion, infrastructure development and air connectivity across the eight North-Eastern states

Key Highlights

• International Tourism Mart has been promoting North-East India to domestic and international markets since 2013.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, SASCI and Challenge Based Destination Development are supporting tourism infrastructure.
• Tourism RCS routes have been introduced to strengthen air connectivity to key destinations.
• North-Eastern states recorded significant domestic and foreign tourist visits in 2025.
• Government-backed fairs and festivals are creating additional opportunities for cultural, food and experiential tourism.

The Government of India is stepping up efforts to strengthen tourism in North-East India through destination promotion, tourism infrastructure, cultural festivals and improved air connectivity, with the Ministry of Tourism highlighting a series of initiatives aimed at expanding the region’s domestic and international tourism potential.

In a reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat outlined the measures being undertaken to promote the eight North-Eastern states—Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

International Tourism Mart continues to promote North-East

A key initiative is the International Tourism Mart (ITM), organised by the Ministry of Tourism in the North-Eastern Region since 2013.

The annual event brings together tourism businesses and entrepreneurs from the eight states with buyers, sellers, media, government agencies and other tourism stakeholders. The latest edition was held in Gangtok, Sikkim, from November 13-16, 2025.

The Ministry is also using the revamped Incredible India Digital Platform, social media campaigns, promotional content and live sessions to showcase destinations and tourism products from the region to domestic and international audiences.

Tourism infrastructure gets support under multiple schemes

Tourism infrastructure development in the North-East is being supported through schemes including Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development, Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) and Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD).

The Ministry has revamped Swadesh Darshan as Swadesh Darshan 2.0, with a focus on sustainable and responsible tourism and a destination-centric approach.

The government is also implementing cleanliness and tourist-awareness initiatives through the Swachhta Action Plan. During 2025-26, 200 activities were conducted through IITTM, Central IHMs, State IHMs and FCIs, covering tourist, student and stakeholder awareness.

Air connectivity emerges as a key tourism enabler

Improving accessibility remains another focus area. Under the RCS-UDAN scheme, the Ministry of Tourism has collaborated with the Ministry of Civil Aviation by extending Viability Gap Funding under the Champion Service Sector Scheme to strengthen air links to tourist destinations.

Tourism RCS routes in the North-East include Dibrugarh-Dimapur, Dimapur-Imphal, Agartala-Aizawl, Dibrugarh-Imphal, Hollongi-Guwahati and their corresponding return routes.

Better regional connectivity could make multi-destination travel across the North-East more accessible, particularly for leisure, adventure, cultural and experiential tourism.

North-East records strong domestic tourism base

Government data shows that the region attracted substantial domestic tourist traffic in 2025.

Assam recorded 9.05 million domestic tourist visits, followed by Meghalaya with around 1.85 million, Sikkim with around 1.65 million and Arunachal Pradesh with over 913,000 visits.
Among foreign tourist visits in 2025, Sikkim recorded 68,992, Assam 33,858 and Tripura 27,320. Mizoram recorded 11,484 foreign tourist visits during the year.

For January-June 2026, Sikkim recorded more than 2.35 million domestic tourist visits and 43,734 foreign tourist visits, while Assam recorded more than 4.60 million domestic and 32,471 foreign visits during the period.

Festivals strengthen cultural and experiential tourism

Government financial assistance for fairs and festivals is another important component of the region’s tourism strategy.

Supported events include Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, Wangala and Nongkrem festivals in Meghalaya, Orange Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, Anthurium Festival in Mizoram, Red Panda festivals in Sikkim, Neermahal Festival in Tripura and Sangai Festival in Manipur.
The supported calendar also includes events focused on traditional food, folk music, cultural fairs, adventure, music and tourism, providing an additional platform for local experiences and regional products.

Impact on hospitality, food, travel and tourism

The government’s focus on North-East tourism could have a direct impact on the region’s hotel, restaurant, food, beverage and travel sectors.

Hotels and accommodation: Rising tourist arrivals and improved air connectivity can support higher occupancy, particularly around major festivals and seasonal tourism periods.

Food and beverage: Festival-led tourism creates opportunities to showcase indigenous cuisines, local ingredients, traditional beverages and regional food experiences. Events such as Nagaland’s traditional food and folk music festival underline the potential for culinary tourism.

Travel operators: Expanded Tourism RCS routes could enable tour operators to design more accessible multi-state North-East itineraries combining cultural, adventure, nature and experiential tourism.

Experiential tourism: Government support for festivals and destination development can strengthen community-based tourism, cultural experiences and event-led travel.

Destination development: The emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 could encourage the development of tourism products beyond conventional sightseeing, creating opportunities for boutique stays, homestays, destination dining and curated local experiences.

Bottom line

The latest government update signals a multi-pronged push for North-East tourism, combining digital promotion, destination infrastructure, festivals, cleanliness initiatives and air connectivity. With domestic tourist volumes already substantial in states such as Assam and Sikkim, the next opportunity for the hospitality industry lies in converting growing visitor traffic into longer stays, higher local spending and richer food, culture and experience-led tourism products.