SHILLONG, May 8: Tour operators, homestay and guest house owners, tour guides, and community leaders residing at heritage sites converged for the first-ever tourism stakeholders’ conclave in Pynursla on Thursday.
The Heritage Committee, Seng Kur Longtrai Laikynthei, Raid Shabong (SKLLRS) convened the meeting, which was facilitated by the Sub-Divisional Officer of Pynursla, E.L. Warjri, at her office. The main topic of discussion was sustainable tourism.
Apart from Warjri, the resource persons at the conclave included B. Blah, the president of the Tour Operators’ Association of Meghalaya, Block Development Officer L. Kharmon, SKLLRS secretary Riban Roy Lyngdoh, and Patricia Mukhim, the editor of The Shillong Times.
Addressing the core issue of sustainable and responsible tourism, Blah said tourism comprises several facets that stakeholders need to understand. “There is a need to differentiate between a guest house, a homestay and a resort, and not mix them up because tourists pick their lodging according to the definition,” he said.
“Sometimes, a two-room accommodation is passed off as a resort, which is misleading,” Blah said, adding that tour guides must be well-trained to engage with tourists meaningfully. He underlined the need for homestay and guest house owners to register their guests and their places of origin, so that there is a database for better management of tourism.
Warjri laid out the seven mantras of tourism: Swaagat (welcome), Soochna (information), Suvidhaa (facilitation), Surakshaa (security), Sahyog (cooperation), Sanrachnaa (infrastructure), and Safaai (cleanliness).
She said tourism stakeholders should be ready for more tourist footfall after the Shillong-Dawki road is completed. She stated that a landfill for better management of garbage is under consideration and urged the tour operators to reduce plastic waste, in particular.
Warjri also stated that training is necessary for the boatmen at Dawki and the taxi drivers who park irresponsibly, so that they are more ethical in their approach.
Kharmon stressed the importance of leaving tourists with a good feeling since word-of-mouth travels better than advertisements. Considering that tourism is a livelihood for many in the areas, he said that responsible and sustainable tourism is crucial.
Mukhim stressed the need to control footfalls per day because ecotourism is about allowing tourists an immersive experience in the silence and sacredness of the destination. She cited the case of the Nongriat double-decker living root bridge, where hundreds of tourists land in a single day, turning the place into a marketplace that has lost its wonder.
She also pointed out that Meghalaya needs high-end tourists who can appreciate the sanctity and rarity of the living root bridges, which are a heritage left behind by the ancestors. They should be adequately priced and people should remove their shoes while walking on those living roots.
Just Lyttan from Mawlynnong lamented the irregular power supply and faults being repaired after two days. This puts a lot of pressure on homestay and guest house owners as they have to invest in generators, which adds to the cost.
He also lamented that health facilities are absent close to the tourist spots, making it difficult to tackle health emergencies of tourists. He wanted the government to ensure better internet connectivity by engaging with the service providers.
Babu Kular Khongjirem from Wahkhen spoke of the need for the Tourism or PWD department to certify that the bamboo bridges are safe for tourists. He stated that Wahkhen has huge possibilities for tourism if the government invests in infrastructure, such as the two-hour trek to Kongthong over a bamboo bridge. He said Nongblai alone has 13 living root bridges, which are all natural wonders few have visited.
The meeting ended with a resolution that an umbrella committee comprising all stakeholders be formed under the watch of the SDO Pynursla, as no tourism officer has been appointed to oversee safe, responsible, and sustainable tourism. All agreed that cooperation, coordination, and a collective action plan can make this industry thrive.