SHILLONG — Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has admitted that the state’s tourism sector was badly hit by the violence on August 19, with the industry still trying to recover from a sharp fall in bookings.Tourism stakeholders had reported cancellations of around 80–90 per cent after the violence, with bookings yet to return to the levels seen before the incident.
Sangma said the government is now trying to bring back confidence among tourists and the people working in the tourism sector. He said action has been taken against those involved in the violence and efforts are being made to prevent a repeat.
“Violence in this form does not solve anybody’s problem or does not really help anybody,” Sangma said, while admitting that tourism had “suffered majorly”. The Chief Minister said the impact does not stop with hotels and tourism companies. Taxi drivers, guides, restaurant workers, homestay owners and young people depending on the sector also take the hit when tourists stop coming.
“We have to be aware that when such situations happen, then it is our own stakeholders, our own people, our own youth, they get affected,” he said.
Sangma said the government’s immediate focus is on rebuilding confidence and taking action against those responsible for the violence.
“All efforts are being made to ensure that we build up the confidence. That involves and includes strict action being taken by the government against individuals who were involved in that violence,” he said. He also appealed to organisations raising grievances to use proper democratic channels rather than violence. The August 19 violence had already triggered concern across Meghalaya’s tourism industry, coming at a time when the state was heading into one of its important tourism periods.
The sharp cancellations left hotels, homestays, taxis and other tourism-linked businesses dealing with fewer visitors. Sangma said the situation is now improving, but slowly.
“We are working now and we are seeing that this situation is improving slowly but steadily,” he said. He also warned that violence does not hurt only the immediate target. The economic damage eventually comes back to local people and businesses.
“While we have got issues that we need to voice out and concerns are there, these have to be done in a proper manner, in a proper platform and through a proper procedure,” Sangma said.
