Editor,

Maybe in our state it is only the Tourism Department where there is a huge shortage of manpower, compared to other departments. Many districts are without a regular district tourism officer (DTO), and a good number of tourist information officers’ (TIO) posts are also lying vacant.

In Arunachal Pradesh, it is only the Department of Tourism which earns forex, apart from revenue for the state’s treasury. People should understand that posts of DTO and TIO are technical posts. People who have studied tourism are only recruited to these posts. Vacancies in technical development must not remain unfilled.

Arunachal has tremendous tourism potential and, apart from established tourist destinations such as Ziro, Tawang, Anini, etc, many new tourist destinations are coming up, the best example being the newly started speed water boating in Dollungmukh in Kamle district. Other districts, such as Pakke-Kessang, etc, are also attracting domestic tourists.

With the improvement in road communication infrastructure, more and more domestic and international tourists will explore Arunachal. But alas! In spite of such being such an important department which contributes to the state’s GDP, our state government does not bother to recruit DTOs and TIOs, and in many districts, the Tourism Department is being managed with DTOs in-charge.

But the government does not forget to fill up vacancies of lesser important department than Tourism every year through the APPSC.

Degree and diploma of unemployed tourism youths are rusting, and nobody is there to speak for us. Even the AAPSU and other student unions have no time for us. Sometimes it comes in our mind that we have made a blunder by studying tourism, for we are being neglected and getting step-motherly treatment from our own government.

All we want is the advertisement of vacant posts of DTOs and TIOs without any more delay.

Therefore, since our own state government and the Tourism Department has no time for us, I, on the behalf of unemployed tourism youths, appeal to all the student and youth unions to stand with us and help us to serve in the Tourism Department. We promise that, with our technical and expert knowledge, we will make of beautiful state one of India’s and as well the world’s most loved tourist destinations.

Max Gamin,

Polo Colony, Naharlagun