AGARTALA, August 20 (TIWN): The state government is eyeing to adopt a modern approach to promote eco-tourism, Tourism Secretary Ashutosh Jindal said here today.Speaking to reporters at the civil secretariat at Agartala this evening, Jindal said that a high level delegation from the Ministry of Tourism Affairs would be visiting Tripura from August 23 to suggest ways of augmenting the available facilities to attract tourists in eco-tourism sector.

The seven member delegation would visit major tourist spots and tourist accommodation spots including Sepahijala, Trishna, Rowa sanctuaries and allied tourist guest houses to assess the requirement of facilities to greet the tourists and the ones available.

“They would be suggesting us ways to promote eco-tourism in the state”, Jindal said adding that the state had a total footfall of 3.5 lakh domestic tourists and 10 thousand foreign tourists. The figures showed a slowly upward trend from the statistics of the previous year.

Tripura had a total of 3.4 lakh domestic tourists registered to have visited tourist spots of the state and 9 thousand foreign tourists in 2012-2013.

The state government earlier prepared a state eco-tourism policy. The draft policy was placed for consideration before the state cabinet but wasn’t approved.

Asked about the issue, Jindal today said that a set of issues including the draft state tourism policy would be considered by the visiting delegation.

Meanwhile, a project proposal is nearing completion for construction of gallery and arch above the Akhaura international check post where the MHA had earlier approved to organize retreat show in the evenings to attract tourists in the line of Attari-Wagha border in the country’s western flank.

“The ceremonial retreat is already going on at Akhaura border. But the last Director General level meeting between BSF and BGB decided to operationalize the second retreat show at Akhaura after Petrapole-Benapole in West Bengal”, the official said