Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today said that tourism has played a crucial role in the overall turnaround of the economy of Meghalaya.
“Few years back, Meghalaya’s economy was roughly at 4.7 billion US dollars. In the last five years, we have been able to double the number, and our growth rate is about 10.5 per cent. There is huge investment in the tourism sector, and we expect to touch 10 billion US dollars by 2028,” he added.
Stating that the government does not only want to accomplish target but to ensure that there is economic growth and inclusive development, which encompasses people from different walks of life, he informed that close to Rs 2000 crore has been invested in the state in the last three years, and about Rs 4000 crore will be invested in the tourism sector in the next few years.
The chief minister was speaking at a function to inaugurate the newly built Mawsmai Banquet Hall and 32 luxury suites of Hotel Polo Orchid Resort in Sohra today.
“We have been able to create direct and indirect employment of close to 50,000 in the last three years. We expect to double it to about 1 lakh jobs in the next four to five years, with a large investment,” he said.
The banquet hall and the luxury suites was initiated to cater to the growing inflow of tourists to Sohra. The new property overlooks the famed Mawsmai Waterfall.
The chief minister lauded the Polo Towers Group for including high end luxury suites at the resort and said, “The creation of new tourism infrastructure by different stakeholders in the state, only goes to prove that tourism is growing leaps and bounds, and is providing a conducive environment for the visitors,” the chief minister said.
He said the intervention shows the collaborative approach between community, government and the stakeholder. “Building trust with the local community is key towards building a balanced synergy, while promoting tourism interventions,” he added.
The chief minister also lauded the group for introducing local cuisine, culture and traditions, in the overall ambience and setup of the resort.
