Tourism will get a boost in Northeast after COVID-19 pandemic: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI): Union Northeast Development Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday expressed confidence that the region will get a major tourism boost post-COVID-19 pandemic.
"On this world tourism day I can dare to declare this that in the coming times, post the coronavirus pandemic, tourism in the Northeast will get a major boost because domestic tourists will realise its easy accessibility and pristine nature," he added.
The minister further added, "Six years ago when PM Modi handed me the responsibility of looking after Northeast, I was ignorant of the region. I only heard people saying do something to get Northeast closer to rest of India but never heard bring rest of India closer to Northeast."
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that northeastern culture is the jewel of Indian culture and without northeast, India and Indian culture are incomplete.
"Without the northeast, India and Indian culture are incomplete. Indian culture can't be completely imagined until the northeastern culture meets that of India because the northeastern culture is the jewel of Indian culture," Home Minister said while inaugurating Destination North East 2020 fest via video conferencing.
Shah said that the Modi government is committed to the development of northeastern states.
Chief Ministers of the northeast states joined the inauguration event via video conferencing.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of World Tourism Day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "UP is not only the largest state in the country in terms of population, but I believe it also has a lot of potential in terms of tourism-for not only religious but also eco-tourism. Delighted that Forest Dept in Gorakhpur has released a documentary on eco-tourism."
"There are several spots in UP, which can be developed for eco-tourism. Tourism not only brings us closer to nature but also provides employment opportunities. So, this year's theme of World Tourism Day is Tourism and Rural Development," he added. (ANI)