ZIRO, 6 Jul: The Ziro Tourism Organisation (ZTO) launched a tourist information centre during the Dree festival here in Lower Subansiri district, which ran from 1 to 5 July.
Operating out of the Hanoko Dree ground in Hong, the initiative marked a major step forward in making one of Arunachal Pradesh’ most cherished celebrations more accessible and welcoming to visitors.
The project was the result of team effort, bringing together the ZTO, the district tourism office, the District Information and Public Relations Department, and the Hapoli Forest Division. Together, they turned the five-day festival into a seamless experience for guests, providing warm hospitality, real-time travel logistics, and safety guidance to domestic and international travellers alike.
A major highlight of this year’s celebrations came when Rajya Sabha MP Tai Tagak officially released the Ziro tourism digital directory. Built as a thoughtful, digital-first roadmap by the ZTO, the directory serves as an all-in-one guide to the area’s local homestays, hotels, guides, transport services, and hidden gems. It is designed to take the guesswork out of trip planning, making it easier than ever for visitors to connect directly with the local Apatani community and experience their legendary hospitality.
The real test of the new initiative came from the weather. Heavy monsoon rains triggered severe flash floods that heavily disrupted traffic along the crucial Potin-Poosa road. Yet, despite the travel hurdles, the spirit of the festival remained untouched. More than 100 independent and group travellers successfully registered at the new information centre, in a testament to Ziro’s growing reputation as a bucket-list destination.
While Dree has always been a deeply spiritual and intimate agricultural festival for the Apatani tribe, the ZTO is working passionately to share its beauty on a larger stage. Thanks to recent improvements in regional road, rail, and air connectivity, Ziro valley has opened up to the world. By introducing structural support like the information hub and the digital directory, the ZTO aims to nurture this growth responsibly, ensuring that tourism directly supports local livelihoods while protecting the delicate ecosystem and pristine heritage of the valley for generations to come. (DIPRO)
