From CK Nayak
New Delhi: Shillong which was described as the best scenic city not only in the country but also in the Indian Sub-continent by none other than Union DoNER Minister, Jitendra Singh, on Wednesday night received the award for being ‘India’s favorite hill station’, under the category top tourism destinations.
The award was received by Meghalaya Parliamentary Secretary in charge Tourism, Kennedy C Khyriem, in a glittering function here organised by travel website HolidayIQ.com, India’s first holiday information portal.
Talking to The Shillong Times after the award, Kennedy said the award was a matter of pride for the whole State and the region. This will go a long way in promoting tourism in Meghalaya which is picking up very fast with the government’s help, he added.
“Meghalaya is also most peaceful state in the North East now,” Kennedy said, adding that taking this as an opportunity the government is trying to attract as many tourists as possible. As the HolidayIQ.com data shows tremendous rise in jungle tourism, Meghalaya with its pristine forest and beautiful hills will attract more tourists not only for leisure but also for health benefits of a hill station, he said.
In his speech the Union minister said not even one per cent of the tourism potential of the picturesque North East region has been explored or exploited as yet. Connectivity within the region than outside is creating lots of problem for the landlocked states, he said.
