ILP will not hit tourism in M’laya: FKJGP

SHILLONG, April 10: The FKJGP on Monday said that the implementation of the inner-line permit (ILP) will not hit the tourism industry as claimed by the state government.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with various stakeholders in the tourism sector, FKJGP president, Dundee Cliff Khongsit said the federation has carried out a case study in Sikkim recently to know if ILP has had any negative impact on tourism in the Himalayan state.
“After interacting with officials and groups working in the field of tourism, we found that the tourism sector in Sikkim has not been affected by the implementation of ILP,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the state government not to mislead the people and pressure the Centre to implement the ILP in Meghalaya.
Khongsit said that the state government should make the registration of incoming tourists mandatory. Tourists who visit Sikkim have to register with the Tourism Department there, he pointed out.
He suggested that the state Tourism Department can engage tour operators, tourist guides, and even the tourist taxi associations to help in registering the visitors.
“This will help the government keep track of the tourist footfall on a daily basis,” he said.
The FKJGP president said the state government, armed with the data, can take the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of the tourists.
“We would also advise the state government to come up with a policy on the safety and security of the tourists. The visitors will feel safe if the state government has a policy in place for their protection,” he said.
Khongsit said that the growth of the tourism sector in the state will not only help create employment opportunities but also address the problem of unemployment among the youth.
He said the federation will have another meeting with the stakeholders in the tourism sector before preparing a roadmap to be submitted to the state government on how to develop the tourism sector in the state.
“I am not saying that we will suggest the adoption of the Sikkim model. But we will definitely incorporate in our roadmap the things which can be replicated in the state,” he said.