State chief secretary, J. Alam on Friday, advised the department of tourism to be “industry-friendly”, to have the tourism guides registered, to calculate the total industry output and see to the feedbacks of tourists.
According to a DIPR report, he was speaking at the departmental review meeting of Tourism and Youth Resources & Sports in the chef secretary’s conference hall, Secretariat Kohima.
Addressing the officers and staff of the tourism department, the CS also asked them to come up with a policy to encourage entrepreneurs for vehicle tourism with better luxury vehicles, provide more publicity to boost tourism and see what the people want.
At the meeting, Youth Resources & Sports, director Akumla Chuba informed that the department has been working on promoting sports and develop sports infrastructural facilities, conduct tournaments, coaching camps, talent search, participation in regional, national, and international levels and nurturing young talents in the field of sports.
She said the department also played a role in channelising the energy of youth for development of the state which includes promotion of Music and Arts (TaFMA), adventure program, outdoor learning, personality development, youth festivals, etc.
Akumla Chuba pointed out that the department has been functioning with inadequate manpower and was struggling with budget constraints.
CS said talent hunt for good sports players was important and that the department should have connections with the youth to carry out projects and maintain a system to facilitate them after completion of their course for job maintenance.
He also asked the department to maintain transparency, equality and not have nepotism among sports players.
Alam said the distribution of sports equipment in villages was another way of promoting sports to the youth and that the department’s financial issues had been noted. Highlighting the department’s activities and visions, commissioner & secretary of Tourism, Kitto Zhimomi said strategies of the department were to identify and export all key tourism products, develop quality infrastructure and facilitation services, create enabling environment for local tourism stakeholders, etc.
He explained that the upcoming projects and initiatives were the state institute of hotel management, ropeways, investment opportunities, IRCTC, off-road capital of the country, CSR opportunities and Homestay and capacity building/skill development.
Kitto Zhimomi also disclosed that many district officers and staff in the state were functioning without offices and land owner issues were hampering their progress.
CS advises tourism deptt to be ‘industry-friendly’
