The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern States, inaugurated the 14th International Tourism Mart in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on October 29, 2026. The three-day event (October 29-31, 2026) aims to showcase the tourism potential of the eight North Eastern States and strengthen business engagement with domestic and international tourism markets.
Union Tourism Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized that the mart has evolved beyond a promotional platform into an important avenue for tourism partnerships and business opportunities. He highlighted the region's rich biodiversity, cultural heritage, spiritual traditions, and natural landscapes as distinctive opportunities for adventure, nature-based, and experiential tourism. The Minister particularly emphasized the potential of adventure tourism, music festivals, and concert tourism to attract new visitor segments and generate economic opportunities for local communities.
The event recorded the highest-ever international buyer participation with 43 buyers from 22 countries, along with 42 domestic buyers from 16 States and Union Territories and 81 sellers. Domestic tourist visits to the eight North Eastern States showed significant growth, increasing from 95.65 lakh in 2019 to 1.51 crore in 2025, representing approximately 58% growth.
The government has sanctioned substantial infrastructure projects for the region, including 16 projects worth ₹1,309 crore under Swadesh Darshan 1.0, 17 projects worth ₹564 crore under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, nine projects worth ₹139 crore under Challenge Based Destination Development, nine projects worth ₹790 crore under SASCI, and nine projects worth ₹258 crore under PRASHAD. Additionally, the Ministry has supported ten tourism routes in the North Eastern Region under the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN.
The event features tourism presentations by all eight North Eastern States, structured B2B meetings, and a Regional Meeting of Tourism Ministers of the North Eastern States on October 30, 2026, to deliberate on tourism development, regional cooperation, and tourist facilitation. A North East Bazaar showcasing traditional handicrafts, handlooms, and cultural offerings of the region was also inaugurated as part of the program.