The Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) has voiced strong opposition to the demand for regulation of the entry of Assam-registered tourist taxis to tourist destinations in Meghalaya, highlighting the negative impact this move has had on tourism in Meghalaya over the past three months.
In a formal letter addressed to a committee established by the Meghalaya government to address tourism-related issues, the MTDF said it was willing to collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of tourists visiting Meghalaya.
“The MTDF strongly opposes any move to stop Assam tourist taxis as it is a step backwards and detrimental to the long term development of tourism in Meghalaya. The more tourism grows in the State, the greater will be the opportunity for the tourist taxi market segment in the future,” the letter signed by MTDF chairman Larsing Ming Sawyan said.
“The recent agitation by a section of the Meghalaya tourist taxi stakeholders has greatly impacted the tourism inflow in the months of July to September 2024, leading to major losses to thousands of tourism stakeholders such as hotels, guesthouse operators, guides and restaurant tea stall owners, farmers and vegetable vendors,” the MDTF added.
Stating that Meghalaya has not even achieved a tip of its tourism potential and therefore, all efforts must be made not to derail the tourism growth process, the MTDF said that in the future, tourist taxi operators should also hold consultation with other tourism stakeholders in the State before taking any decision that might have a major impact on tourism.
“The highly competitive tourism trade with its own sets of challenges needs a collective search for sustainable mechanisms and solutions to bring about an equitable compromise of all concerned practitioners,” it said.
To streamline operations and improve the tourism landscape, the MTDF has proposed the establishment of a single association for tourist taxis, consolidating the various groups currently in operation to foster better communication and collaboration.
It also proposed allocating specific parking lots for tourist taxis to streamline pick-up and drop-off procedures for visitors. MTDF also suggested basic training programmes that cover essential skills such as etiquette, cleanliness, communication, and guide skills to enhance the overall tourist experience.
It may be mentioned that the committee was constituted by the Meghalaya government following the demand made by the State’s tourist taxi drivers to ban tourist taxis registered outside the State from ferrying tourists to tourism spots.
