SHILLONG, Dec 12: Meghalaya is set to reopen for tourists from December 21, after a nine-month pandemic-triggered hiatus, but hoteliers and other stakeholders of the tourism sector are far from being enthused.
Federation of Shillong Hotels president, PS Sehdave, felt that the tourist flow to the state would not be like before, when tourism was booming.
“The new registration process for tourists will affect the flow for some time till they get used to it,” Sehdave predicted.
He, however, hoped that good days for hoteliers in the city would arrive and they would be able to welcome their guests soon.
It is learnt that several hotels in the city have been asked to use the Meghalaya Tourism app, where the details of the tourists, including their check-in and check-out time, will be registered.
Another hotelier, Arnold Lanong, maintained that things would not be like before until and unless a cure for COVID-19 was available.
Lanong anticipated that people from far-off places would not like to travel to the state during the pandemic. “So I am expecting some tourists from Assam only to come here on weekends. Probably, they may come and even return the same day itself,” the hotelier said, while informing that the majority of the hotels in the city have opened since last month for people to serve their quarantine periods there.
Urging more clarity on the new rules, he said there was still a lot of confusion about the registration of tourists since the entry and exit points would become functional from December 16.
Another hotelier in the city, who did not wish to be named, recalled that all hotel rooms in the city were booked during Christmas last year.
“But things are not going to be the same this time around in view of the COVID-19 situation. So I am just expecting some tourists to come to the city from Assam,” the hotelier said.
It may be mentioned that visiting Meghalaya will not be a cakewalk anymore as tourists would have to follow several contactless protocols.
First of all, a tourist would have to download the Meghalaya Tourism App and register for receiving an e-invite or contact a registered tour operator who can register on behalf of the tourist.
After registering, the tourist will have to upload his/her photo identity on the app besides providing the complete tour itinerary with confirmed booking details (be it rooms in a hotel/ guest house/homestay) for at least the first two nights.
If the tourist is staying as a guest of any family or friend in the state, then the individual will declare the full address and contact details of the family or friend and complete itinerary for the e-invite to be generated.
Once the process is complete, the tourist will receive an e-invite that would have to be presented at the entry checkpoints along with a COVID-negative certificate.
The government has also started a helpline, 8132011037, where tourists can send WhatsApp messages for queries between 10 am and 8 pm on all working days.