SHILLONG: Meghalaya government is banking on the tourism sector as a key growth driver expecting it to mobilise considerable revenue for the state to improve the per capita income.
Speaking at the World Tourism Day held at the State Convention Centre in the city on Friday, Commissioner and Secretary, State Tourism Department, D. Vijay Kumar said “We must all acknowledge that Meghalaya is one of the poorer states of India as the state’s per capita income is lower than the national average.”
Kumar who is also the state Commissioner and Secretary of Finance said that the vision which the state government has in mind while drafting vision statement of the state is to improve the income of every citizen of the state and to bring the per capita of the state above the national average in 10 years’ time.
“We are among the bottom six states in terms of per capita income,” he said.
He observed that to increase the per capita income by concentrating in agriculture is not feasible as the sector encounters constraints while a focus on industries will cause environment issues.
Kumar also said that Meghalaya offers tourists the luxury of nature as a product and unique experience such as root bridges, state’s traditional sericulture practices etc.
However, he expressed concern on the infrastructure deficit in the state and said that work should start to build supporting infrastructure in an effort to create a durable, global brand of tourism.
To promote tourism in the state, he said, the government was working on launching a tourism website and an App.
Meanwhile, Director of Tourism, C.V.D. Diengdoh laid stress on promoting responsible and sustainable tourism and informed that the state had been making strides on eco-tourism and rural tourism.
“We have to promote a brand of tourism that will protect and preserve our culture, food, cuisines. A model of tourism that benefits the people at large,” he said.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all”.
The inaugural programme was followed by a workshop on: “Of homestays and eco-tourism initiatives in Meghalaya and best practices/examples across the country” by Outlook Responsible Tourism representative; “How to become a successful homestay owner?” by Sushma Mishra, Head of Operations, Grassroutes Journeys; presentation by Meghalaya Village Development & Promotion Tourism Cooperative Society Ltd; “What are the career opportunities in adventure tourism?” by Akshay Kumar, CEO, Mercury Adventures; Case Study by Alan West, Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum; “How to become a birdwatching guide?” by Kamal Medhi, Landscape Coordinator, Arunachal Pradesh, WWF and “How to reimagine and promote local crafts?” by Swetha Shettar, Senior Trainer, Somaiya Kala Vidya, Kutch.