Key Highlights

• International Tourism Mart will highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets
• The delegation will include students from across the country as part of a study tour under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

Presentation by State Governments and discussions on several aspects of tourism and unique tourism products in the North East Region and their potential will also be part of the event.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is organising the annual event, “International Tourism Mart” (ITM) at Kohima, Nagaland from 27 November to 29 November 2021 with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, Minister of State for Tourism & Defence, GoI, Shri Ajay Bhatt and MLA & Advisor Tourism, Government of Nagaland Shri. H Khehovi Yeputhomi will jointly inaugurate the event. Other dignitaries from Central Ministries and the North Eastern States will also be present on the occasion. This event is in continuation to the Tourism & Culture Ministers’ Conference of North Eastern Region held during September 2021 in the state of Assam, which was an effort to deliberate and discuss the way forward for tourism in the North-Eastern region.

This edition of the Mart will put the spotlight on “Domestic Tourism”. Besides deliberations on the promotion of tourism in the North East Region in general, the Mart will also give a platform for promoting cultural ties, providing enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region with other parts of the country.

The three-day event will be attended by over 300 delegates including government officials, industry stakeholders, and local participants. The event is also going to be attended by the High Commissioner, Brunei Darussalam, High Commissioner, Malaysia, Ambassador Extra Ordinary, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Ambassador, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, amongst others attending dignitaries and diplomats. Other high-ranking officials from participating Ministries/Government bodies are also going to be part of the event. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the delegation also includes students from across the country who, as part of a study tour, will be interacting with local students and immersing themselves in the region’s rich heritage and culture.

The event has been planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Around 50 buyers from different regions of the country will be participating in the Mart and will engage in one-on-one meetings with 75 sellers from the North East Region. This will enable the tourism product suppliers from the region to reach out to domestic buyers, to promote tourism. Domestic Buyers will be engaging in business-to-business meetings with sellers from the North Eastern Region as well.

In addition to these, the event also includes presentations by state governments on their tourism potential and a vibrant exhibition by State Tourism Departments from the North-Eastern region to showcase the tourism products of the respective participating states. Various engaging discussions on several aspects of tourism and unique tourism products in the North East Region and their potential are also a part of the event.

To further enrich the experience of the participants, the Ministry has organised a visit to Kisama Heritage Village, Kisama War Museum and Morungs, Khonoma Village, and Kohima World War II War Cemetery. The visiting delegation will be familiarised with the local community, local art and culture, and the rich heritage of Nagaland.

The International Tourism Marts are organised in the North Eastern States on a rotation basis. Nagaland is hosting this Mart for the first time. The earlier editions of this mart have been held in Guwahati (Assam), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya), Gangtok (Sikkim), Agartala (Tripura), and Imphal (Manipur).