NEW DELHI, July 31: Selected spots on the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya can be developed as potential tourist spots from where travellers can easily see another country without crossing the border and going through formalities such as passport or visa.
This was the consensus in a webinar organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) here on Saturday. The webinar was the fourth in the series on East Khasi Hills district for the promotion of border tourism in Meghalaya.
Delivering the keynote address, former Tourism Secretary Vinod Zutshi said border tourism has immense potential if promoted and marketed well as it gives an opportunity to see a neighbouring country without actually crossing the border. Campaigns such as ‘Dekho Apna Aur Padosi Desh’ can be introduced to promote semi international travel, he felt.
Zutshi said ease of access to the zero line, ensuring last-mile connectivity, and creating economic activities around border towns will be the key drivers for promoting border tourism in Meghalaya.
“There is a huge potential for promoting monsoon tourism in the state as Cherrapunjee is known for being the wettest place on earth,” he added.
Emphasis should also be given on festivals and the state government should create a mega tourism festival on the lines of Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, he said.
Meghalaya Tourism Director Cyril V.D. Diengdoh said the state has seen a steady growth of tourist arrivals from Bangladesh over the years.
An MoU has been signed between the Tour Operators’ Association of Meghalaya and the Bangladesh Tour Operators’ Association to promote ‘mountain to sea tourism’, he said. The Tourism Department is keen on developing ‘experiential ecotourism’ apart from adventure tourism, rural tourism and homestays, he added.
“To enhance the experience of tourists, the state government is following the three fundamentals – right pricing, carrying capacity and zero waste. Meghalaya Tourism has come up with a mobile app that provides a one-stop solution to tourists who wish to plan a trip and helps in contactless check-in following the safety protocols,” Diengdoh said.
Meghalaya’s Border Areas Development Department Director Varianarica Syiem said there are 13 border blocks in the state and 435 recognised border villages. To ensure ease of movement for the tourists, several projects have been funded under the Border Area Development Programme for construction of roads, parking and wayside amenities.
T. Kabilan, the Director of NITI Aayog for the North-Eastern states said the government is keen on promoting homestays in the state as that will aid off-beat, experiential tourism in addition to increasing options for the domestic and international tourists.
He said tourism has the greatest potential for generating income and employment opportunities and therefore it should be integrated in a manner that the youth in the North-East Indian states do not have to move out for livelihood.
S.S. Dev Barman, Regional Director of India Tourism North East said the region is endowed with diverse tourist attractions and each state has its own distinct features. Besides having spectacular biodiversity, wildlife, tropical forests, shrines of diverse religions and prominent archaeological sites, the region provides an immense opportunity for medical tourism that can attract people from the South East Asian countries.
Giving an overview on the East Khasi Hills district, Sohra Additional Deputy Commissioner Alexander S. Mukhim said new tourist sites are being developed in the district.
The government has helped in providing support and assistance in the maintenance of these sites.
Arijit Purkayastha, chairman of the North East Chapter of Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, underlined the different aspects of tourism – cultural, natural and spiritual – which offer a prospect to promote experiential travel in Meghalaya.
Parmambir Singh Sehdave, president of the Federation of Shillong Hotels emphasised the need to improve infrastructure and connectivity. “Steps should be taken to double the number of tourists, especially from Bangladesh,” he said.
In his presidential address, PHDCCI president Sanjay Aggarwal said the problem of border districts and tourism development is recognised as an important challenge for the local communities along the border. Although institutional environment and security barriers remain the stumbling block for entrepreneurial cooperation, conditions for border tourism enhancement can be enabled through the setting up of frameworks for easier cooperation of public, private and civil actors.
Anil Parashar, the chairman of PHDCCI’s Tourism Committee said that Meghalaya has some of the thickest primary forests in the country and therefore constitutes one of the most important ecotourism circuits in India. He further said air and road connectivity, infrastructural facilities at tourist sites in terms of accommodation, transport, drinking water, sanitation and healthcare needs to be addressed.
The committee’s co-chairman Rajan Sehgal said the chamber will come out with a white paper after each webinar. The recommendations shall be submitted to the relevant ministries for their immediate action, he added.
