Kaziranga (Assam), Nov 27 (PTI) The northeastern states are now seen as a "gateway of South East Asia" and not identified with separatism, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said Wednesday as he hailed the culture and heritage of the region rich with natural beauty.

In his address at the inauguration of the 12th edition of the International Tourism Mart (ITM) here, the minister also said that in the last 10 years, the area of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) has "expanded from 400 sq km to 1,300 sq km".

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The KNP is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the majestic one-horned rhinoceros. It was designated a national park in 1974.

Underscoring the beauty, legacy, cultural diversity, and natural wealth of the northeast states, the Union minister said this "important part of India" has carved a niche for itself through its culture, traditions, and enterprising skills.

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This ITM is a remarkable opportunity for the northeast to showcase its rich culture and diversity to the world and also offers a platform for people from around the globe to witness the extraordinary heritage of this region, Shekhawat said.

He said the northeastern states are now not identified with separatism but are seen as the "gateway of South East Asia".

The ITM is organised by the Ministry of Tourism to highlight the tourism potential of the northeastern region for both domestic and international audiences.

It brings together tourism businesses and entrepreneurs from the eight northeastern states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim -- to foster collaboration and interactions among buyers, sellers, media, government agencies and other stakeholders.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also were present on the dais during the ceremony.

Shekhawat, the Union tourism minister, said hosting the ITM in Kaziranga aligns with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of it being declared a national park.

At a press conference here, Sarma said the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur has not impacted the tourism sector in the other seven states of the northeast.

He claimed that barring a few incidents, most of the northeastern states have been free from any militancy or law-and-order issues.

Shekhawat told reporters, "I have a strong belief that people coming here will write positive things after having witnessed the beauty and peace and development work. I wish and request all the bloggers to showcase this event and write on your platform what you have experienced here. This will help change the perception."

This year's ITM featured a variety of activities, including presentations by state governments, B2B meetings, panel discussions on employment, innovation, digitalisation, youth entrepreneurship, 'Vocal for Local' and women empowerment.

The previous two editions of ITM were held in Shillong (2023) and Aizawl (2022).

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