Infrastructure boost helping unlock Northeast's tourism potential: Report

Improved road infrastructure, enhanced rail networks, and a doubling of airports in the Northeast are helping boost tourism in the region and aid branded hotel room supply.

 

According to a new report by HVS Anarock titled Northeast India: A Hidden Gem for Tourism Potential, from expanding road networks that cut through rugged mountains to developing airports, railway lines, and inland waterways, the government’s focus on creating a multimodal connectivity ecosystem is expected to reduce travel time, lower transportation costs, and unlock the region’s vast tourism potential.

 

“Given the region’s strategic importance and economic potential, the government has prioritised rapid highway development. Major programmes and dedicated funding are driving improvements in both intra-regional and inter-state road links, significantly reducing travel times,” it stated.

 

 

For instance, the driving time between Itanagar and Guwahati — which, just about a decade ago, took around 10–12 hours due to narrow roads and frequent disruptions — has now been reduced to approximately 5.5–6 hours, with the construction of new roads, widening of key highway stretches, and development of bypass routes.

 

Similarly, the pace of railway projects in the region has “significantly accelerated in recent years”, the report said, outlining examples such as 1,728 km of new tracks laid in the area, averaging 172.8 km per year, compared to 333 km (averaging 66.6 km a year) between 2009 and 2014.

 

Meanwhile, operational airports in the region have more than doubled to 19 in 2024 from nine in 2013, while passenger and cargo traffic has risen by 113 per cent over the last decade.

 

“Air traffic in the region rebounded strongly post-pandemic, registering an impressive growth of 52 per cent in 2022 and 54 per cent in 2023. By 2024, air traffic had reached an all-time high of approximately 11.2 million passengers,” the report added.

 

“This remarkable growth has been fuelled by enhanced regional connectivity through government initiatives, expansion of airline networks, and improved airport infrastructure, which have collectively opened up the Northeast to greater tourism and business travel,” it added. 

 

However, the Northeast accounted for only 0.43 per cent of India’s domestic tourist visits (DTVs) and 1.17 per cent of foreign tourist visits (FTVs) in 2024.

 

Government policy intervention, the report said, will help boost these numbers.

 

To cater to the growing number of tourists, branded hotel room supply is also increasing in the region.

 

The region is expected to nearly double its branded hotel supply by 2030, with more than 3,000 new rooms in the pipeline — Assam getting the lion’s share of 2,000 branded hotel rooms by 2030, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with an addition of 660 rooms.

 

As of June 2025, the Northeast accounted for over 3,400 branded hotel keys, representing just 1.7 per cent of India’s overall branded inventory of approximately 202,000 rooms, it pointed out.

 

“The expansion of hotel accommodation will be a very important component of a holistic tourism development plan contributing to inclusive growth. The plan is most welcome news for Northeast tourism,” said M P Bezbaruah, secretary general, Hotel Association of India, and former secretary, Ministry of Tourism.

 

“The Northeast stands out as one of India’s most stunning and culturally vibrant regions, known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich traditions, and immense variety in culture, cuisine, wildlife, and geography. Such variety makes the Northeast an ideal destination for new-age tourists looking for fresh and sustainable experiences. Yet much of it remains unexplored — and the Ministry of Tourism has rightly termed the Northeast the ‘Paradise Unexplored’,” he added.