1. Tourism, Growth and Employment Generation: A Comparison of Guizhou and Assam
Dr. Sriparna Pathak Raimedhi
Associate Fellow,
Observer Research Foundation, Kolkata,
West Bengal, India

2. Introduction Migration, Northeast India, Southwest China
Importance of the two regions- BCIM and BIMSTEC
Tourism as a tool for revenue generation
Fastest growing segment of the traditional services sector
Field trip to Guizhou

3. Similarities Yan-Gui: frontier zone
Full integration in the Chinese empire predated 18th century and marketing system-imperfect up to 20th century
Form of agriculture practised: slash and burn; fertiliser- ashes; ignorance regarding manure, soil depletion
Assam: Ahom rule replaced in 1819 by the Burmese, later replaced by British rule in 1826
Late integration into the system\Economy: agrarian. Jhum cultivation

4. Guizhou’s experience with Poverty Reduction and Tourism
Mountainous province; capital- Guiyang

5. Graph 1: Guizhou’s Gross Regional Product, 2004-2013 Unit: 100 million Yuan

6. Graph 2: Guizhou’s Gross Regional Product as Compared to Other Provinces in Unit: 100 million Yuan

7. Reliance on agriculture and tourism to prop the economy
Poor infrastructure- hindrance to the development of the manufacturing industry
Projects in pipeline
Top companies in the region and why they are worthy of mention
Kewichow Moutai: from over 20 billion Yuan, the industry contributes to GDP, base liquor accounts fro more than 90 per cent of the local financial income- bolstered packaging and logistics industries
Maotai- employment in 1951 versus now
Tourism in 2014: 44.7 million Yuan
Challenges

8. Tourism promotion plans in Guizhou
2006, Guizhou Tourism Administration’s Guzhou Rural Tourism Development Plan
Strategic guidance for development of tourism
Identification of forms of tourism
Bank finance
Increasing transport facilities
Tourism promotion through the interwebs
Tourism reception facilities
Challenges

9. Assam’s experience with Poverty Reduction and Tourism
Reliance of Assam on agriculture and oil

10. Graph 3: Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product, 2004-05 – 2014-15 Unit: Rupees (in lakhs)

11. Graph 4: Assam’s Gross State Domestic Product as Compared to other Northeastern States in Unit: Rupees Lakhs

12. Tourism Plans in Assam Tourism in Assam: essentially nature based
Directorate of Tourism, Assam: tourist attracting components have been categorised
Identification of tourist circuits and linking plans
Infrastructure development
Incentives for private investment in tourism
Sustainable development of tourism

13. What has been achieved so far?
Similarity with Guizhou in execution of plans
Case of Majuli Islands
Targets unmet
, out of six projects of the Assam State Tourism Development Corporation, only three were completed; none were completed

14. Conclusion Poverty reduction much more rapid in Guizhou
Recognition of the potency of tourism in both the places at the same time
Differences in what the plans in the two places have achieved so far
Guizhou: better employment generated/ infrastructure created
Assam: sustainable development of tourism/ more foreign revenues as number of foreign tourists higher

15. Thank You