How Bengaluru could unlock Arunachal Pradesh’s border tourism boom

Dibang Valley (Image: X/@BjymDibang)

Arunachal Pradesh has set its sights firmly on Bengaluru as a major source of potential tourists. At the India International Travel Mart, held in the city on Thursday, the state’s tourism minister, Pasag Dorjee Sona, underlined the importance of engaging travellers from southern India to boost visitor numbers.

Dorjee was cited by TOI as emphasising, “Bengaluru is a huge market, that’s why we are here. We have not been exploring this side, we have come here for that. We get tourists from Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Assam. We get people from the southern part of India also, but not as much as we expected. I think this exhibition will create a lot of visibility for our state.”

The three-day event has brought together over 800 exhibitors from 25 Indian states as well as 20 international destinations, all aiming to showcase a rich tapestry of travel experiences – from cultural pilgrimages to adventure and wildlife tourism.

While Arunachal Pradesh periodically makes headlines due to border-related tensions with China, Dorjee was cited by TOI as saying that there are no issues with safety or law and order for travellers. He asserted, “It’s a very normal thing, you know. It’s not like it’s creating any kind of law and order issues or national security concerns. It is very, very safe. And that should be another USP because people want to come and visit the border, like how we have seen abroad also, visiting the Demilitarized Zone. It becomes a big tourism product.”

Such comments have further fuelled interest in what some now call ‘Border Tourism’, positioning the frontier regions themselves as attractions for visitors seeking unique experiences.

The event’s international flavour was enhanced by the participation of delegates such as Kanchana Fernando, a travel agent from Sri Lanka. Fernando, as cited by TOI, observed that Bengaluru’s diverse culture and abundance of activities made it an attractive destination for Sri Lankans: “Bangalore has a kind of culture similar to Sri Lanka and there’s a lot of activities and wildlife as well. Like we have heritage sites as well along with amazing wildlife. If you want urban life, that’s also there, that’s why we choose Bangalore.”

With Bengaluru airport firmly established as an international gateway, participants highlighted that further improvements in connectivity could revolutionise tourism. Rohit Hangal, convenor of the exhibition, noted, “The distance is 40 km now and it still takes an hour. Hope Metro connects to the airport soon. It’ll be a game changer to improve connectivity out here.”