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Port Blair, Jan 7: A perspective policy for overall development of the Andaman and Nicobar Island tourism has been evolved. The policy, which is a long felt need for development of tourism in the island, is first such kind of attempt by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration since the inception of the Directorate of Information, Publicity and Tourism decades back.
The launching of the tourism policy is scheduled to coincide with the inauguration ceremony of the 2009-10 edition of the Island Tourism Festival-the only annual event for islanders to showcase and rejoice their cultural lineage, ethnic plurality and the rich bio-diversity of the place.
The attempt to draw-up a draft tourism Policy was started in late 2008. The draft was publicized/hosted in the website and comments were invited from general public and stakeholders. Thereafter it underwent several changes and modifications following rounds of meetings with Tourism trade practitioners, officials, and department heads of the Administration.
The process of preparation of the policy got a boost-up when the Standing Committee of the Island Development Authority also endorsed the need to have a policy for development of tourism in the island.
The peculiarity of the policy lies in the benchmarking of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with similarly placed island tourism destinations in the world that have made significant strides in positioning themselves as top-market island tourism destinations in terms of visitation and growth. Taking inputs from those acceptable tourism practices, the policy identifies areas of priority to work with, and set targets both in short term (within two years) and long term (within five years) for future development of tourism in the Andaman and Nicobar Island .
Being a bio-diversity hotspot, the policy also points out the regulatory scenarios prevalent in investor/entrepreneur perspective, within which one has to work his way forward.
The policy envisages creation of two committees, -one Steering Committee comprising of Administrative Secretaries under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary and another Advisory Committee comprising of Tourism Trade practitioners, industry stake holders, tourism academicians under the Chairmanship of Secretary(Tourism) for synchronized action.
Development of a 50 Unit Yatch Marina at Viper island,-the first in the Country, introduction of Canopy Walk in the biological park at Chidiyatapu in South Andaman-another such novel venture, Renovation-Maintainance-Operation and transfer of seven departmental guest houses/vacant sites on PPP mode, purchase of luxury boats, sea-plane, refurbishment of Dolphin Resort - Havelock, introduction of Sound and light show in Ross island, upgradation of Sound and Light show in Cellular jail-Port Blair are some of the short term priorities.
In the long term, 36 beach sites identified by the Government of India will be developed for eco-tourism activities besides introduction of a subsidy scheme of creation of infrastructure in accommodation in the islands.
Both Hindi and English version of the Policy will be available in the Administration website www.and.nic.in under announcement. |
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