Minister highlights Mizoram’s responsible tourism progress

Mizoram is making headway with a responsible tourism policy that came into force from August 2020, state sports minister Robert Romawia Royte said.
The policy, which was one of the political planks of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) in 2018, envisages a sustainable development strategy, coordination, strengthening institutional framework and skill development, he said. The policy also focuses on making tourism a tool for development of villages and local communities, eradicating poverty and providing livelihood for the local population while upholding the principles of economic, social and environmental responsibilities, he said.
The Mizoram Registration of Tourist Trade Act 2020 was also enacted to introduce proper regulatory framework for suitable development of the tourism sector, he said. The Act provides for registration of tourism service providers within the state. At present there are 70 registered hotels, 63 homestays, 10 tour operators, 40 travel agents, 657 registered restaurants and tea stalls and 22 catering units in the state, he said.
According to the minister, the state tourism department generated a revenue of Rs 297.67 lakh during 2022-23 fiscal, nearly 50 per cent more than what it earned in the preceding fiscal. The tourism department’s revenue in 2021-22 was Rs 149.79 lakh, while it was Rs 38.39 lakh in 2020-21 and Rs 305.70 lakh in 2019-20.