Tourism in Northeast India: Problems, prospects, and challenges: An empirical analysis

Tourism is increasingly recognized as an important driver of economic growth, employment generation, and regional development. In India, tourism plays a crucial role in reducing regional imbalances by fostering infrastructure development and supporting local livelihoods. Northeast India endowed with rich biodiversity, ethnic diversity, and cultural heritage, possesses immense tourism potential. Despite these advantages, the region accounts for less than one percent of India’s total tourist arrivals (Ministry of Tourism, 2023), whereas Land Mass is 7.97% of India’s total geographical area and population is approx 3.78% of India’s total population, based on the report of Government of India - Ministry of Home Affairs and North East Division (Census 2011). The present study examines the status, problems, prospects, and challenges of tourism development in Northeast India using secondary data collected from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: India Tourism Statistics; and state tourism department reports. Percentage-based analysis is employed to assess tourist inflow patterns, growth rates and inter-state disparities during the period 2023-2024. The findings reveal significant regional imbalance, with Assam dominating tourist arrivals, while states such as Mizoram and Tripura recorded exceptionally high growth rates in recent years. However, inadequate infrastructure, regulatory constraints, security concerns, and limited destination marketing continue to impede tourism development. The study concludes that sustainable and community-based tourism, supported by infrastructure development and policy reforms can significantly enhance socio-economic development in Northeast India.