The harassment meted out to migrant workers and non-local tourist taxi drivers seems not to have had long-term consequences with Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh reporting today that tourism is back to normal in Meghalaya.
Illegal checking of migrant workers’ paperwork by pressure groups and the setting up of unauthorised checkpoints was the first bump in the road of tourism in Meghalaya this summer and it was followed by an incident where tourist taxi drivers from Assam were turned away from a tourist spot (along with their passengers) by more pressure groups that led to numerous cancellations and changes in travel plans by tourists.
The hospitality industry was up in arms against the disruption and the government sought to restore calm and confidence to bring visitor numbers back up.
Today, Lyngdoh asserted that the tourism situation is back to normal and increased numbers of tourists are expected as Meghalaya moves towards Autumn and the arrival of several religious and secular festivals.
“There was a setback because of some miscreants but things are back to normal with major events taking place in Shillong in the days ahead,” Lyngdoh, a former pressure group leader himself, said.
The Cherry Blossom Festival and the performance of Bryan Adams at the end of the year are expected to result in a big boost in inflow of visitors.
A tourism conclave will be held in the state capital shortly to bring together stakeholders to discuss ideas, experiences and challenges and take inputs and suggestions to come up with a roadmap to channel the growing tourism sector to the optimum benefit of all the stakeholders involved.
More than 200 stakeholders, which include transporters, owners of resorts, homestays and tourist guides, dorbar shnongs, etc are expected to participate.
