Shillong, Sep 20: Shnongpdeng’s tourism sector is currently facing significant challenges as the number of visitors has declined in the past few days. This trend has sparked concerns about its future growth and sustainability unless the State government addresses it.
Shnongpdeng is Meghalaya’s most sought after tourist destination, known for its cleanest Umngot River. Located in Dawki, its popularity is second to Sohra in terms of visitor numbers.
However, factors such as bad roads coupled with the recent strike of the tourist taxi associations, both Meghalaya and Assam, have led to a decrease in the number of tourists to this destination.
Traditional heads of Shnongpdeng have today expressed concern over the decline in tourism.
Secretary of Dorbar Shnong Shnongpdeng, Dapbor Syngkrem said the bad road conditions leading to Shnongpdeng, like Shillong, Pynursla, Dawki have affected the flow of tourists.
“Apart from these bad roads and other obstacles have really affected us,” he said.
According to Syngkrem tourism has been a source of employment for many educated unemployed youths of the area.
The secretary of the Dorbar Shnong, Shnongpdeng said that even though the recent strike by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association had affected tourist flow but in the same breath urged the government to look into the issues which affect locals.
“…because if such issues keep on cropping up every time this will badly affect us,” Syngkrem said.
He also urged the government to look for ways and means so that those in the tourism sector are not affected.
Syngkrem also said that many unemployed youths have returned back to Shnongpdeng and adjoining areas from Shillong with the hope that through investment in tourism they can stand on their own feet.
