SHILLONG: Despite a significant rise in tourist numbers, with over 18 lakh visitors to Meghalaya, the state faces a substantial gap between the demand and supply of vehicles to cater to this growing numbers of tourists.
This was highlighted by Meghalaya tourism minister Paul Lyngdoh after a review meeting on Thursday (July 18), addressing the livelihood concerns of local tourist taxi drivers.
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Lyngdoh stated that the current supply of vehicles has not kept pace with the increasing tourist demand.
“The demand for vehicles is steadily increasing while the supply has remained stagnant,” he said, adding that the Meghalaya government is working on initiatives like the PRIME tourism vehicles to meet this demand.
Responding to the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourists Taxi Association (AKMTTA)’s demand to ban vehicles from outside the state, Lyngdoh ruled out such a ban, citing legal complications and the need to avoid negative repercussions on the tourism industry.
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“Transporters from other states have national permits, and our focus should be on finding solutions rather than just highlighting problems,” the Meghalaya minister stated.
The Meghalaya tourism department has been tasked with providing data on the actual number of vehicles registered in Meghalaya before a scheduled meeting with stakeholders in the next 10-12 days.
This meeting will involve transporters, tour operators, hotel owners, and other key players in the tourism sector to address the pressing issues.
“Tourists from Assam frequently visit Meghalaya, and people from Meghalaya also travel to Assam. We must ensure our actions do not harm this interdependent relationship,” he said.
Furthermore, he dismissed calls to adopt the Sikkim model, stating that Assam serves as a crucial entry point to Meghalaya, with its airport and railway station facilitating significant tourist traffic.
“We must act responsibly and consider the broader ramifications of our decisions,” Lyngdoh said.