ZIRO : The Ziro Tourism Organisation (ZTO) marked a major milestone in community-led tourism by launching the valley’s first Tourist Information Centre during the annual Dree Festival, held from July 1 to 5 at the Hanoko Dree Ground in Hong.
The initiative, aimed at making one of Arunachal Pradesh’s most celebrated cultural festivals more visitor-friendly, was implemented in collaboration with the District Tourism Office, the District Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) and the Hapoli Forest Division.
Throughout the five-day festival, the Tourist Information Centre provided domestic and international visitors with travel assistance, local information, safety guidance and logistical support, enhancing the overall visitor experience.
A key highlight of the festival was the release of the Ziro Tourism Digital Directory by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Tai Tagak, the chief guest of the 37th Hong Dree Festival.
Developed by the ZTO, the digital directory serves as a comprehensive guide to local homestays, hotels, tourist guides, transport services and major attractions, enabling visitors to plan their trips more conveniently while promoting direct engagement with local service providers and the Apatani community.
Despite heavy monsoon rains and flash floods that disrupted traffic along the Potin-Poosa road, the new tourism initiatives received an encouraging response. More than 100 independent and group travellers registered at the Tourist Information Centre during the festival, underscoring Ziro Valley’s growing popularity as a tourism destination.
While the Dree Festival remains a deeply significant agricultural and cultural celebration of the Apatani community, the ZTO said the new initiatives are intended to promote responsible tourism by improving visitor services without compromising the valley’s ecological balance and cultural heritage.
The organisation also noted that improved road, rail and air connectivity has made Ziro increasingly accessible to tourists, and initiatives such as the Tourist Information Centre and the Digital Directory are expected to further strengthen sustainable tourism while creating greater livelihood opportunities for local communities.
