World Tourism Day was observed in Assam’s Sivasagar district in a solemn way on September 27, Sunday, following the COVID-19 protocol.

The function was organized by the district tourism department.

At the onset, assistant tourist information officer Madhab Das briefed the present audience and stakeholders about the World Tourism Day celebration.

He enlightened the audience about the significance of celebrating the day and gave a brief history of it and explained its significance through a PowerPoint presentation.

It is worth mentioning here that since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.

This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted.

The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism.

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.

The theme of the day was "Sustainable Tourism", in 2017.

In 2018 the theme was "Tourism and the Digital Transformation" and in 2019 the theme is "Tourism and Jobs: A Better Future For All".

At its 12th Session in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 1997, the UNWTO General Assembly decided to designate a host country each year to act as the Organization's partner in the celebration of World Tourism Day.

At its 15th Session in Beijing, China, in October 2003, the Assembly decided the following geographic order to be followed for World Tourism Day celebrations: 2006 in Europe; 2007 in South Asia; 2008 in the Americas; 2009 in Africa and 2011 in the Middle East.

The late Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi, a Nigerian national, was the one who proposed the idea of marking September 27 of every year as World Tourism Day.

He was finally recognized for his contribution in 2009.

The colour of this particular day is Blue.

This year the day was celebrated with the theme ‘Tourism and Rural Development’.

Gyandeep Borgohain, one of the resource persons of the day’s programme dwelt at length about this year’s theme.

Borgohain is associated with KITE MANJA, a Travel & MICE Destination Management Organization for India specialized in North-East and the Himalayan regions.

Borgohain highlighted the importance of tourism with respect to rural development.

He stressed on how tourism can promote rural development, especially in the Northeast.

Another resource person, senior journalist Asif Ibrahim talked about how ethnic food of the Northeast can promote tourism and enhance rural development.

He highlighted how the north-eastern cuisines which are exotic in their own unique way are highly under-rated in mainland India, let alone the rest of the world.

Ibrahim also focused on the variety of freshwater fishes found in the Northeast that add lustre to the various cuisines of numerous tribes of the Northeast.

He also stressed on how the local brews of various tribes of the region can be promoted as part of food tourism, thus boosting rural development.

District Information and Public Relations Officer Syeda Hasnahana moderated the open session in the day’s programme.

She exhorted the stakeholders to focus on visuals to promote rural tourism.

She stressed on the aspect as to how a photograph or a video can impact or impress tourists to visit places.

She also exhorted the tourist guides of the district to explore the lesser-known rural places of the district that have huge potential as a tourist attraction, thereby promote socio-economic development of those places.

The tourist guides and the tour operators present at the programme exuded confidence that they will work towards promoting Sivasagar as a tourist hotspot with a new zeal once the COVID-19 scare gets over.

Biswajit Borbaruah, a resident of Bokotial Gaon of Sivasagar was felicitated on this occasion for rendering shelter and hospitality to a young cyclist of Spain, Spaniard Manuel Arribas Rodriguez for over seven months during the lockdown period.

Biswajit Borbaruah while being felicitated

The programme ended with a soulful rendition of Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s song by Sapon Nath.