Majority of tourists visiting Meghalaya are from Assam.
This is as per data provided by Director of Tourism, Cyril V D Diengdoh during the International Tourist Mart at Mawdiangdiang yesterday.
According to Diengdoh, 43 per cent of tourists visiting Meghalaya hailed from Assam, while 14 per cent came from West Bengal, with the remaining percentage from various other states.
“Statistics indicate that 9.38 lakh were domestic tourists coming mostly from Assam (43 per cent) and West Bengal (14 per cent), with the remaining from other states,” he said.
As far as foreign tourists are concerned, Meghalaya has attracted 10,000 foreign visitors, with 79 per cent of them from Bangladesh.
Diengdoh also informed that Meghalaya has witnessed a substantial increase in annual visitor traffic, almost doubling from 6.9 lakh in 2013 to 12.7 lakh this year.
He also said that tourism in the State dropped during the period of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in which less than 2 lakh visitors during this period.
Stating that Meghalaya’s tourism sector is poised for a remarkable surge, Diengdoh projected that the sector’s value will skyrocket to Rs 12,000 crore by 2028 and the annual tourist count is also expected to touch the 20 lakh mark.
“We have a projection that the tourism industry in Meghalaya is set to grow to Rs 12,000 crore or USD 1.5 billion by 2028, with the State’s pristine environment and cool climatic condition welcoming 20 lakh tourists annually by then,” he said.
He also said that the tourism industry has witnessed substantial growth.
“Last year, the industry was estimated to be around Rs 1,600 crore, he said. From 2024, the State government expects 10 per cent year-on-year growth of the industry,” Diengdoh said while attributing this growth to the State government’s initiatives, which encourage business owners to invest in tourism-related projects.
“The government’s proactive measures are yielding positive results for the tourism sector in Meghalaya,” Diengdoh said.
He emphasised that the State anticipates a consistent 10 per cent annual growth from 2024 onwards, contributing to the ambitious target set for 2028.
Diengdoh highlighted the diverse appeal of Meghalaya as a tourist destination, drawing interest from both domestic and international travelers.
“Meghalaya’s tourism sector’s projected growth is not only promising for the State’s economy but also positions it as an increasingly attractive destination on the tourism map,” he said.
