He further said, “We are in talks with state tourism department on using the government-run resorts and lodges for accommodation of tourists. Like West Bengal, we will soon sign an agreement with tourism department for using government resorts.”

Sarovar Hotels and Resorts plans to open two hotels in Guwahati and Tezpur, in Assam.The Guwahati property will have 70 rooms and Tezpur will have 50 rooms. Sarovar manages and franchises 56 hotels and resorts across 39 cities in India and overseas under Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, Hometel, Park Plaza and Park Inn brands.

Pradeep Kalra, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said “The success of two properties in the north east - one in Gangtok and the other in Siliguri has enthused us and this is one of the reasons for expansion here besides the place lacks quality accommodation. Our hotel in Siliguri got to a flying start. With things improving the place is going to become paradise for international and domestic tourist in the years to come. Growth will be northward in the north east.”

To promote hotel industry in the region, Regional planning body, North Eastern Council (NEC) has formed a committee with the Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) for identification of viable public private projects (PPP). There is a corpus through which feasibility study, marketing of the project is done and bids are invited.
   
Under IL&FS-NEC arrangement, already, Taj group has set up a budget hotel (Ginger brand) at Agartala in Tripura and Guwahati. Agartala Ginger hotel construction is completed in 12 months. To increase viability of the project, NEC gave a grant of Rs 90 lakh to the project.

Financial institution, North East Development Financial Corporation (NEDFi) is financing at least three five star category hotels one each in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. Each hotel will come with an investment of Rs 100 Crore to 150 Crore.

The region is witnessing increase in the number of tourists. North east India has registered growth of 6.90 percent in the foreign tourists’ arrival during 2010 against 2009 whereas all India growth during the period was just over one percent. It has witnessed growth of 8.09 percent in domestic tourist segment during 2010 in comparison 2009 while all India growth was about 7 percent. The number of domestic tourist has increased from 5704250 to 6166269. Tourism ministry has invested  in Rs 153 Crore in 2009 and Rs 186 Crore in 2010 in the region.

Union ministry of tourism has come up with new brand entity of “clean and hygiene” Northeast India for aggressively promoting the eight states of the region in the domestic and international circuit.

The ministry plans to aggressively market brand Northeast and will rope in bollywood biggies and local talents as ambassadors. The ministry has engaged Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to chalk out the roadmap for revitalizing the tourism scene of the region.

Union tourism minister, Subodh Kant Sahai said, “Tour operators in Berlin and Britain were enquiring as how to reach Northeast India. Northeast has not been marketed and this is one of the reason as to why it has not attracted much tourist.”  
           
The ministry will launch skill development programme, set up hotel management institutes and prepare a film on Northeast India. Prominent personalities of the region will roped in as brand ambassador.

Sunaina