Nagaland, Mizoram suffering setback in Tourism sector
SHILLONG: With the Union government looking forward to develop the tourism sector in the north eastern region including Meghalaya, implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the State will hamper the flow of tourists at the same time, will prevent international tour operators from coming and exploring the beauty of the state, president of the North East India Tourism Confederation EB Blah said.
“Implementation of ILP in the State will affect the growth of tourism in a State with great potentiality in as far as tourism is concerned,” Blah said adding that other states like Nagaland and Mizoram which have already implemented the ILP, did to some extent faced difficulty in as far as developing the tourism sector is concerned.
Talking to The Shillong Times here on Wednesday, the president of the confederation informed that almost 56 percent of the funds have been sanctioned by the union government to develop tourism in the north eastern region owing to the fact that the region is blessed with natural and scenic beauty.
Blah who just returned from Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh after attending an International Tourism Mart which saw the participation of 68 tour operators from over 23 countries said that he is hopeful that the next International Mart will be held in the state stating that it will the first time for the state to host such a mega event having visitors from all over the globe.
Blah also said that the international tour operators from France and other such foreign countries based in India who have been in business for the past 30 years were still unaware of the potentiality of the north east and have sent very less tourists to this part of the state.
“If we want tourism to grow and if we want our state to be included in the tourism map of the world, then we should also take into consideration the disadvantage of ILP,” Blah said adding that foreign tourists will not want to apply for another permit after visa to visit another part of the country.
It may be reminded that the same opinion have been shared by the local tourist operators of the state who earlier stated that if ILP is implemented in the state, then their livelihood will be in jeopardy
