Assam re-opens national parks, sanctuaries with focus on domestic tourists

Assam has re-opened its national parks and wildlife sanctuaries with renewed focus on domestic tourists looking for "new locations" following withdrawal of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have re-opened their doors from Saturday with each chalking out new steps to project their wildlife and exotic locations around them to attract more domestic tourists.

"We have launched an online booking system this time for Manas only. We have also opened a Manas Heritage centre for the tourists," director of Manas National Park, Vaibhab Mathur told DH. Royal Bengal tigers, rhinos, Asian elephants and Hoolock Gibbons are the major attractions for the wildlife lovers visiting Manas situated on the mesmerising river Manas, flowing down the hills of Bhutan.

The parks remained closed for tourists since May due to the Monsoon and the flood.

Although the rhinos continue to be the mascot for wildlife tourism in Assam, officials in the state tourism department says that they are trying to prominently project the Vaishnavite cultural centre, Majuli, tea gardens and the rural lives of Assam for the tourists looking for a "different experience."

"Kashmir and Kerala have always attracted the maximum number of tourists. But according to a survey, domestic tourists are looking for something new within the country as they still hesitate to go out of the country due to the Covid-19 fear and concerns. So we are trying to project our exotic locations more strongly to attract more domestic tourists," said an official in Assam tourism department.

Shadguru of Isha Foundation and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited Kaziranga National Park recently and talked about promotion of tourism without much exploitation of nature. Shadguru and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a jeep safari inside the park on September 24 evening. Although the safari created a controversy, Sarma hoped that the visit of the two popular personalities would attract more tourists to Kaziranga. "Both of them have lakhs of followers and I hope their visit would encourage their followers to visit Kaziranga this time," Sarma said recently.

In 2021, Kaziranga recorded 2.75 lakh domestic tourists, which was the highest footfall in 12 years. The park, which is the home to the largest number of one-horned rhinos (2,613 as per the latest census) is trying to attract more tourists.