Following a sudden sharp downturn in tourist numbers due to harassment meted out by a pressure group to tourist taxi drivers from Assam ferrying visitors to the state, the Meghalaya government has decided to hold a two-day conclave where all grievances and concerns of stakeholders will be thrashed out and a new path towards growth will be laid.
Tourists have cut short their stay in the state while others cancelled plans to visit, hitting hoteliers, guesthouse and homestay owners and others dependent on tourism hard after the action by the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front, which claims to have acted in the interest of Meghalaya tourist taxi drivers. Negative headlines regarding the ongoing campaign by other pressure groups against migrant labourers has also put a dampener on tourism.
“We will be holding a two-day conclave next week, that is on Tuesday and Wednesday, where I will be chairing the inaugural session and the second day Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma will be in attendance,” Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh informed today when asked about the concerns raised by the various tourism associations in view of the current situation.
“This conclave will include all stakeholders of the tourism industry, ranging from transporters, hoteliers, resort owners, up to guides at the local level and also the various shnongs, especially the localities and villages where there is a huge footfall of tourists,” he added.
Fifteen organisations and traditional bodies under the banner of the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF) have resolved to stand up against pressure groups affecting the livelihoods of the local people by intimidating, restricting the movement and threatening the security of tourists.
The leaders of these 15 organisations met the CM and Lyngdoh yesterday to condemn the July 26 incident where the HNYF stopped Assam-registered vehicles at Umtyngar and forced many tourists to return.
