Itanagar, Apr 4: As part of the Centre’s ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative, 41 members of the Yuva Tourism Club from five schools in the border districts of Arunachal Pradesh undertook a study tour to Meghalaya from March 29 to April 4, officials said on Friday.
The tour, organised by the department of tourism, aimed to foster cultural exchange, promote national integration, and enhance awareness about tourism among young students.
The students were from the border districts of Taksing (Upper Subansiri), Anini (Dibang Valley), Shi Yomi, Anjaw and Longding.
During the week-long programme, the students visited some of Meghalaya’s most iconic destinations, including Cherrapunjee and the Living Root Bridges in Nongrait, among others. They also participated in interactive sessions on eco-tourism, community-based tourism, and sustainable tourism practices, a release said.
The initiative provided students with first hand exposure to Meghalaya’s tourism potential, cultural richness, and heritage. Educational sessions with local guides, tourism stakeholders, and tour operators helped the participants understand the nuances of tourism management and hospitality, the department said.
The state tourism department said such exposure tours play a vital role in youth empowerment and nation-building by encouraging mutual appreciation of India’s cultural diversity.
The students expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating that the experience broadened their understanding of Meghalaya’s tourism sector and helped build stronger connections between the two states.
The tour concluded on a positive note, reinforcing the objectives of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, which aims to promote cultural, educational and tourism exchanges between partner states.
Arunachal’s designated partner states under the scheme are Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh.
