By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 14: While a recent NITI Aayog report identifies Meghalaya as a premier year-round travel destination, tourists are currently struggling with a severe accommodation shortage and skyrocketing hotel rates in Shillong.
Room prices across various categories have surged as hotels reach full capacity. In one instance, a traveler seeking a room at the five-star Courtyard by Marriott was quoted Rs 54,000 for a single night in a Club room, with lower-tier rooms reportedly unavailable for the coming week.
Similar shortages were reported at Vivanta, which is fully booked for May 20 and 21. Meanwhile, Hotel Centre Point is charging Rs 10,500 plus GST for a club room, with availability often limited to single-day stays. Tourists also noted that booking through travel websites has become significantly more expensive, and securing a room for consecutive days in any premium property has become nearly impossible.
Addressing the price hikes, Parambir Singh Sehdave, president of the Federation of Shillong Hotels, attributed the trend to surge pricing.
“These are dynamic prices set by certain properties during periods of high footfall,” Sehdave said. “Although it seems unfair to the guests, that is how dynamic pricing works.”
