SHILLONG, June 30: The state government on Friday launched a new tourism policy after realising that this sector will be key to achieving the dream of taking the state’s economy to $10 billion by 2028.
The Tourism Policy 2023 envisions to position Meghalaya as a favoured tourism destination by harnessing its tourism potential.
The policy has several thrust areas including core and auxiliary infrastructure, connectivity infrastructure, new circuits, private sector participation, tourist safety etc.
Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh told reporters the government will play the role of a guide with the support of stakeholders.
“We needed this policy as we want to encourage the growth of tourism in a planned and not haphazard manner,” Lyngdoh said.
He added that this sector could be a gamechanger as some 15 lakh tourists visited the state. This sector can have major intake out of the 60,000 youth who join the market every year, he said. “With the soft skills of our youth, Meghalaya is definitely heading for far brighter days ahead,” the minister said, adding several circuits, identified by the government, will be funded by agencies like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The policy states that tourist footfall in the state in 2019 was around 12.7 lakh (including 25,000 foreigners). This is the third highest in the Northeast after Assam and Sikkim. The annual tourist footfall is expected to cross the 15-lakh mark in Meghalaya by 2024.
According to the policy, the government will encourage and promote tourism experiences which have a low impact on the environment and resources, particularly in environmentally-sensitive areas. Tourism service providers, governmental agencies/authorities and local communities will be sensitized to minimize the use of scarce and non-renewable resources in the development and operation of tourism facilities and services.
Efforts will also be made towards the adoption of e-vehicles for tourist transportation to the extent possible. This may include the declaration of certain eco-fragile zones, such as national parks and environmentally-sensitive regions, as e-vehicles zones wherein ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles will not be permitted to go beyond a certain point.
Apart from checking the environmental deterioration of the regions, such a step will also create employment opportunities for the locals, the policy states. Additionally, e-buses may be introduced on major circuits to check pollution and vehicular traffic on the major routes and destinations.
Meghalaya will strive to become one of the leading states that incorporate technology to manage the entire tourism ecosystem more efficiently and improve the overall tourism experience.
The policy further states that efforts will be made to leverage technology to provide real-time updates on footfalls, traffic and occupancy and help the stakeholders manage pricing and carrying capacity.
The availability of such information would help the government in planning for peak seasons and mega-events such as regional/national games and music festivals. This will also help the state in devising focused marketing campaigns. The option of incorporating technology for improved brandings such as the creation of 3-D models/imagery of archaeological sites and prominent destinations may also be explored to appeal to a wider audience.
According to the policy, the government will endeavour to work towards creating land banks across all major tourist locations/destinations/routes which can then be handed over/leased to interested and eligible third parties to build infrastructure or undertake tourism-related activities. This will be done in collaboration with all stakeholders including communities and such endeavours will be in accordance with the state’s PPP policy.
To improve air connectivity, the state government will strive to take the necessary steps for establishing direct connectivity with major cities such as New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai.
Further, efforts will be made to operationalise the Baljek airport in Tura to improve connectivity to Garo Hills. The government may also consider expanding the helicopter services to Williamnagar, Dawki and Sohra.
Keeping the long-term objective of attracting high-value tourists, the government may also explore the possibility of setting up a greenfield airport to cater to larger flights.
