Meghalaya tourism stakeholders condemn 'disruption' by NGO

Shillong: Tourism stakeholders in Meghalaya have strongly condemned an incident when tourists and travelers were unlawfully prevented from accessing various attractions in the Sohra and Dawki regions by an NGO or pressure group.

Assam-registered tourist taxis were stopped at Umtyngngar by the Hynniewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF) to ferry passengers to the popular tourist destinations. The Assam-registered tourist taxis were turned away by the group at Umtyngngar, which is about 23 km from the state capital. The group claims that ferrying of tourists by outside vehicles is causing financial loss to local tourist operators.

According to the stakeholders, the incident has led to a 30% loss in accommodation bookings and is anticipated to cause a further 50 percent cancellation of tours and activities in the coming days as news of the event spreads nationwide.

The stakeholders, including the Tour Operators Association of Meghalaya (TOAM), Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF), Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF), Tour Guides Association of Meghalaya (TGAM), Federation of Shillong Hotels (FOSH), and the Departments of Tourism & Travel Management at Martin Luther Christian University and NEHU, have also issued an apology to affected travelers. In a statement, they urged tourists to continue considering Meghalaya as a destination and assure them of efforts to restore peace and stability.

The stakeholders have claimed that NGOs and pressure groups are acting "beyond their authority" and impeding the state’s tourism industry. These actions are seen as a setback to years of effort in developing the sector, affecting both direct and indirect stakeholders who have invested heavily in tourism infrastructure.

The stakeholders also highlighted ongoing issues of lawlessness in Shillong and Ri Bhoi areas, where violence and intimidation have been reported against workers in the tourism industry. This has led to increased concerns following a recent advisory from the U.S. government warning citizens against travel to Meghalaya, which could discourage both foreign and domestic tourists.

In response, the tourism stakeholders have called for immediate action to restore normalcy and address the individuals or organizations responsible for the disruption. They emphasized the need for legal measures to ensure the safety and trust of tourists and to safeguard the tourism sector’s reputation.