By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 28: Despite the language barriers, tourism in both Shillong and Srinagar continues to thrive, with the former falling behind in addressing communication challenges, unlike the latter.
While both cities, often deemed prominent tourist destinations in India, experience a high inflow of tourists and share similar weather patterns—with Kashmir’s winters being far harsher—language remains a significant hurdle for stakeholders in the tourism sector.
In Kashmir, local tourism professionals have prioritised learning Hindi to better serve visitors from mainland India.
A tourist cab driver in Srinagar explained to journalists from the Northeast that while Kashmiri is their native language, most tourists do not understand it.
“Tourists visiting for a few days won’t learn Kashmiri, so we engage with them in Hindi and Urdu,” he said. Another resident in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk highlighted the importance of making tourists feel welcome, adding that hosts must be courteous and accommodating.
Similarly, in Meghalaya, particularly in its rural areas where tourism is thriving, language often poses a challenge for both tourists and local stakeholders.
While many locals and tourists converse in English, the majority of visitors from outside the state prefer Hindi, leading to frequent misunderstandings.
Unlike Kashmir, where stakeholders have adapted to the linguistic preferences of tourists, Meghalaya has not seen significant government-led efforts to address this gap.
Local stakeholders in Meghalaya note the absence of capacity-building programmes aimed at enhancing Hindi language skills for those in the tourism sector.
Such initiatives, they feel, could help bridge the communication gap and improve the overall experience for visitors.
Despite these challenges, both Shillong and Srinagar continue to draw tourists in large numbers. Addressing language barriers, however, could unlock even greater potential for these popular destinations.