Guwahati: Assam must pursue conservation-led tourism instead of competing for higher tourist footfalls, forest minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said, citing Manas Tiger Reserve as an example of tourism and wildlife conservation working together.The state recorded more than six crore tourist arrivals between 2016-17 and 2025-26, including over 2.4 lakh foreign visitors, Mallabaruah said. Wildlife remains a major draw, but cultural heritage, rural tourism and homestays are also becoming important parts of Assam’s tourism economy.“Tourism is not simply about how many people visit. For Assam, the more important question is what visitors leave behind — jobs, stronger conservation, greater awareness of our natural heritage and sustainable opportunities for communities living alongside our forests,” he said.Manas, which is scheduled to reopen for the 2026-27 tourism season on Oct 2, recorded 63,723 tourist arrivals in 2025-26, up from 52,962 in 2021-22. International visitors rose sharply from 45 to 4,951 during the same period.The increase has made regulated tourism and better visitor management essential in ecologically sensitive areas, the minister said.“Controlled access and proposed limited premium routes can let visitors experience the wilderness while reducing pressure on sensitive habitats,” Mallabaruah said. Online ticketing and regulated stays could improve monitoring and carrying-capacity management, he added. Night stays inside the core area are not permitted.The minister also called for a shift from safari-centric tourism to community-led experiences in forest buffer areas. Subankhata, Bhutan Chowki and Bogamati could be developed for guiding, homestays and cultural tourism, he said.“Local youth are central. When they become guides, drivers, hospitality providers and conservation partners, tourism becomes both a livelihood and a reason to protect the landscape,” he said.Responsible, rule-compliant tourism would give local jeep-safari associations and licensed operators a direct stake in protecting forests and wildlife, Mallabaruah said.He highlighted Interpretation Centre at Mothanguri, Visitor Centre at Bansbari and the proposed Manas Heritage Centre at the upper Forest IB overlooking Beki River.“Manas is a landscape of wildlife, rivers, forests, communities and history,” he said.The minister proposed developing the wider Assam Duars as a conservation and tourism circuit covering Manas, Raimona and Sikhna Jwhwlao national parks, as well as Barnadi and Chakrashila wildlife sanctuaries.He said tourism should be distributed across destinations rather than concentrated in a few high-pressure sites.“The objective is not unlimited visitors, but intelligently distributed tourism that respects ecological limits,” Mallabaruah said.He also referred to the grass nursery established at Bansbari in May 2026 using native species for habitat restoration and species recovery. Such initiatives could strengthen ecosystems while creating local employment, he said.“A healthy forest attracts visitors. Visitors create demand for guides, drivers, homestays, food and local services. These livelihoods give communities a direct stake in maintaining healthy forests,” he said.Assam’s tourism narrative in 2026 should be about changing the nature of tourism, not merely increasing footfalls, Mallabaruah said.“Tourism must not come at the cost of conservation. It must become one of its strongest partners,” he said.
