Assam’s Pobitora records 35,371 visitors in 2025-26 as tourism focus shifts to conservation, local livelihoods

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam recorded 35,371 visitors during 2025-26, state minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said on World Tourism Day on Sunday, September 27.

In a post on X, Mallabaruah said the sanctuary was emerging as an important nature-tourism destination, while stressing the need to link tourism with conservation and livelihood opportunities for communities living around forest areas.

“Pobitora is steadily emerging as an important nature-tourism destination, with 35,371 visitors in 2025-26,” he said.

The minister said the government was focusing on involving forest-fringe communities in conservation and creating opportunities in guiding and interpretation.

He also said tourism experiences were being developed to help visitors understand the landscape and its ecology beyond wildlife sightings.

“Our aim is simple: tourism must strengthen conservation, and conservation must create opportunities for our people,” Mallabaruah said.

Pobitora, located in Assam’s Morigaon district, is known for its population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros and is among the state’s prominent wildlife tourism destinations.