Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF) president Alan West today said that the forum would no longer remain silent spectators to acts of lawlessness by pressure groups in the State which affect the movement, and security of tourists and consequently affect the livelihood of people depending on tourism activities.
He was speaking to media persons after a meeting with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to appraise about the slump in tourist inflow following the recent incident at Umtyngngar near Sohra where several commercial vehicles from Assam ferrying tourists were stopped and turned back by HNYF members.
“We urged the State government to ensure that law and order is maintained in the entire State which is vital for the growth of tourism,” West said, adding that the forum also sought the intervention of the chief minister to solve the problems related to tourism.
During the meeting with Sangma, the forum suggested that another way of partly solving the tourist taxi issue between Assam and Meghalaya is to request the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to expedite and vet for the introduction of midsize aircrafts (as mentioned by the Meghalaya High Court recently) that would connect Shillong airport with all the major cities of India like Kolkata, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Chennai.
“We would also like to see the introduction of more daily flights (including Sundays) from Shillong airport that would synchronise with onward journeys. A shuttle bus from Shillong Airport to Shillong City and Sohra should be introduced,” West said.
He also said that the forum suggested the chief minister to set up a police outpost at Umtyngngar and also to place mobile tourist police all along the routes from Umtyngngar to Sohra and Dawki to instill a sense of safety among travellers.
“If these are done on an urgent basis, it can send positive signals to the tourists planning to visit the State during the coming festival season,” West said.
All the stakeholders who attended the meeting with the chief minister consisted of homestay owners, small retailers, guides and headmen of various villages. They also gave their suggestions to the government that can be incorporated.
They all expressed their strong condemnation and anger at this act by the HNYF which has affected their livelihood and investment in the tourism industry and the arduous work they have nurtured through the last ten years or so.
Stating that the Umtyngngar incident resulted in cancellation of 30 per cent of accommodation bookings to homestays apart from revenue generated by indirect stakeholders, the Forum is expecting more cancellation of tours and tourism inflow in the near future as news of the Umtyngngar incident is currently spreading across the country through social media.
