HISTORICAL TOURISM IN UPPER ASSAM: BACKGROUND AND POTENTIALITY
Tourism is presently one of the largest, fastest growing and highly organized industries in the world. It is a highly complex phenomenon and important human activity of great significance. Historical tourism is one of the branches of tourism which has immense potentiality in Assam in general and Upper Assam in particular. Upper Assam, presently comprising seven districts, is endowed with rich heritage and glorious history stretching from the ancient to modern period which provide a wide background and great prospect for historical tourism. Ancient relics of the Doyang and Dhansiri valley, medieval historical sites, temples and monuments, modern legacies of the British rule and elements of heritage and cultural practices in different parts of the region can attract both domestic and international tourists. The promotion of the tourism industry can bring a tremendous change to the society and economy of this underdeveloped region. However, tourism fails to flourish here in spite of great potentiality and resources for a variety of reasons such as poor publicity, lack of proper preservation, weak infrastructure, failure of the govt. and private sector to promote the industry etc. This study aims at focusing on the historical assets of upper Assam and to find out the ways to overcome the impediments hampering the growth of tourism.