Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday urged Indians to prefer tourist destinations within the country saying this helps in strengthening the bonds of national unity.
Stressing the need for giving impetus to tourism in the north-east, Naidu said that "frequent people-to-people exchanges and interactions can strengthen the unity and integrity of our nation."
Vice President Naidu was interacting with the participants of the expedition - 'North East on Wheels' - in which 75 bikers including 5 women from 18 states travelled across all the eight states of the north east.
Naidu recalled his own travels to the north eastern states and said that with beautiful landscapes, rich culture and warm hospitality of the people, "the states are truly a traveller's paradise".
He lamented that despite the rich experience the region offers, "many people are still unaware and uninformed about it". He urged people who enjoy travelling to "explore North East, to revel in its beauty and to admire the diversity in our culture".
The vice president also noted marked improvements in infrastructure in the north east, especially in connectivity, and said that these efforts are "unleashing a new era of growth in the region".
Complimenting the organisers for the unique expedition, he also appreciated their focus on the theme of road safety. Expressing concern about the huge loss of lives in avoidable road accidents in India every year, Naidu called for greater all-round efforts to minimise the number of accidents.
( With inputs from ANI )
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