IMPHAL,August 4 : The Union Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has selected Imphal as the venue for 5th International Tourism Mart (ITM) for the North East Region which is scheduled to be held November 23-25 this year.
Stating that official delegates, cultural troupes, tour operators and entrepreneurs from all the North Eastern States would be participating in the upcoming Mart which will also see the participation of 3 delegates each from 35 countries, Secretary Tourism of Manipur Nidhi Mani Tripathi on Friday said that besides, Haryana Tourism has invited Manipur tourism department to be a Theme State in the forthcoming Soorajkund Craft Mela next year .
Secretary Tourism Nidhi was speaking to media as part of the ongoing media interaction organised by DIPR Manipur at Moirangkhom in Imphal on Friday.
She said the Department is exploring possibilities of private sector investment in Ropeway Project at Loktak Lake between Sendra and Chaoba Ching for which the tender a fresh tender has been floated after the private party which bagged the initial tender backed away from implementing the project citing personal reasons.
“The Government of Manipur seized Rs 50 lakh deposited by this party as security amount for not keeping up its part of the deal,” she clarified. “The Department will also be presenting a concept note for this cable car project at Incredible India Investors Summit in New Delhi in September.”
The department is initially concentrating on sites which have the maximum potential to attract tourists both domestic and international. One of these key sites is the Loktak Lake together with Keibul Lamjao. As part of this venture the Tourism department will take up construction of resort and cottages at Sendra, Restaurant at Ombaching with Public Utilities etc.
As part of this circuit, she informed that the department is also constructing tourism huts, along with establishing Yoga and Spa Centre and Lake Cruise at Ningthoukhong and Phubala under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism.
The department is also concentrating on developing the Khongjom War Memorial Complex which has great historical significance for Manipur. The complex was inaugurated by President of India in April this year. Another key area the department is eying to develop is the Moreh ,India’s the gateway to South East Asia countries.
She however assured that her department will have two ways approach by developing sustainable tourism and inviting investors for bigger projects to the needs of tourists.
Cashing on the fact that Manipur is the birth place of the modern game of Polo, efforts have been made with quite a fair degree of success to attract polo players and enthusiast from across the globe by organizing the Manipur Polo International Tournament every year as part of the Sangai Festival.Apart from this, the Department in association with All Manipur Polo Association organised the 1st Manipur Statehood Day Women’s Polo Tournament 2016 at Mapal Kangjeibung, Imphal,she said.
