An Exploration of Tourism Development of Meghalaya, India: What is the way forward?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12727/ajts.27.6Keywords:
Tourism Development, Meghalaya, Nature-Based, Sustainability, RegulationAbstract
Tourism is an important economic sector in Meghalaya, contributing 7% (approx) to the state GDP. An inquiry into the tourism development of a destination presents a valuable insight into the nature of progress and acts as a base for the way forward. Accordingly, the current study aims at exploring the tourism development of Meghalaya. It is qualitative in nature, with a focus on interviews conducted with knowledgeable personalities in the field of tourism for input. The study found that tourism development can be viewed in terms of the last 45 years with nature-based beauty as the ‘unique selling proposition’. The stages are classified into inception (1980s-1990s) whereby tourism initiated from Sohra, setting-up (2000-2014) and take-off (2015-2019). The way forward requires a focus on sustainable tourism development, conservation of natural resources, promotion of community-based tourism, infrastructure development and an emphasis on service quality. Here, the role of regulation is seen as critical with the active participation of the stakeholders.
References
Akihito, N. (2017). Development of tourism and the tourist industry in India: A case study of Uttarakhand. Journal of Urban and Regional Studies on Contemporary India, 3(2), 1-12.
Baken, R. J., & Bhagavatula, S. (2010). Some reflections on tourism and tourism policy in India. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2122440
Bhatia, A. K. (1978). Tourism in India: History and development. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers. Retrieved from www.indianculture.gov.in/tourism-india-history-and-development
Bhattacharya, P. (2008). Tourism development in Northeast India: Changing recreational demand, developmental challenges and issues associated with sustainability. European Bulletin of Himalayan Research, 32, 143-61.
Bojanic, D. (2005). Tourist area life cycle stage and the impact of a crisis. ASEAN Journal on Hospitality and Tourism, 4,139-50.
Bright, J. S. (1983). Guide to North East, the unknown land of enchantment. New Delhi: Parichay Overseas.
Burman, P. D., Cajee, L., & Laloo, D. D. (2007). Potential for cultural and eco-tourism in North East India: A community-based approach. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 102, 715-24. doi: 10.2495/SDP070692
Butler, R. W. (1980). The concept of a tourist area cycle of evolution: implications for management of resources. Canadian Geographer, 24(1),5–12.
Cohen-Hattab, K. (2004). Historical research and tourism analysis: the case of the tourist-historic city of Jerusalem. Tourism Geographies, 6(3), 279-302.
Directorate of Tourism. (2022). Meghalaya tourism arrivals data. Shillong: Government of Meghalaya.
Education Bureau, Government of Hong Kong. (2013). Tourism and hospitality studies: Introduction to tourism. Hong Kong: Education Bureau.
Fossen, A. V., & Lafferty, G. (1998). Tourism policy and planning: evaluating the life cycle model in relation to Queensland and Hawaii. Policy, Organisation and Society, 16(1), 50-66. doi: 10.1080/10349952.1998.11876689
Ernst & Young. (2018). Knowledge report on sustainable tourism in northeast India. Kolkata: Ernst & Young.
Gantzer, H., & Gantzer, C. (1983). Managing tourists and politicians in India. In H. Gantzer & C. Gantzer (eds.), Tourism Management (pp. 118-25).
Getz, D. (1992). Tourism planning and destination life cycle. Annals of Tourism Research, 19(4), 752-70.
Ghosh, B. (1998). Tourism and travel management. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House
Gyr, U. (2010). The history of tourism: Structures on the path to modernity. European History Online. Retrieved from http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/europe-on-the-road/the-history-of-tourism#:~:text=Various%20academic%20disciplines%20have%20repeatedly,today%20has%20attracted%20particular%20attention
Higgins-Desbiolles, F. (2006). More than an ‘‘industry’’: The forgotten power of tourism as a social force. Tourism Management, 27(6), 1192-208.
Lickorish, L. J., & Jenkins, C. L. (1997). An introduction to tourism. Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann.
Lyngdoh, B. F. (2013). Tourism attractiveness of Meghalaya: An exploration of entrepreneurial opportunities. IUP Journal of Entrepreneurship Development, 10(4), 1-17.
Lyngdoh, B. F., &Rynjah, M. O. (2015). Tourist needs gap in Cherrapunji destination of Meghalaya, India. Tourism Innovations: An International Journal of Indian Tourism and Hospitality Congress, 3(1&2), 61-71.
May, A. J. (2012). Welsh missionaries and British imperialism: The Empire of clouds in north-east India. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. (2011). Expansion of north east India’s trade and investment with Bangladesh and Myanmar: An assessment of the opportunities and constraints. New Delhi: DONER, GOI.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. (2022). https://data.gov.in/ resources/stateut-wise-tourism-employment-during-2009-10-ministry-tourism. New Delhi: GOI.
Ministry of Tourism [GOI]. (1982). Tourism policy. New Delhi: Ministry of Tourism, GOI.
Ministry of Tourism & Culture [GOI]. (2002). National tourism policy, 2002. New Delhi: Ministry of Tourism & Culture, GOI.
Mohan, R. (2003). Economic development of the northeast region: Some reflections. Reserve Bank of India Bulletin, December Issue,925-37.
Mukhopadhyay, P. (2020). A case study with respect to development of North East India as a prospective international ayurvedic medical treatment destination to bridge between North- East India & Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Advances in Economics, Social Science and Human Behaviour Study (pp. 48-54). doi: 10.15224/978-1-63248-187-0-08
Nakatani, T. (2011). Tourism and religion. In K. Yasumuraet al. (eds.), Introduction of Tourism Sociology (pp. 92–93). Minerva Shobo.
Nandy, D. R. (2001). Geodynamic of North Eastern India and the adjoining region. Kolkata: A.C.B. Publication.
National Institute of Public Finance and Policy. (2013). A vision document for the state of Meghalaya 2030. New Delhi: National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
Negi, J. (1998). Regional development, tourism, hotel and travel trade. NewDelhi: Rema Publication.
NITI Aayog. (2018). Sustainable tourism in the Indian Himalayan Region. New Delhi: NITI Aayog.
Raatan, T. (2006). History, religion and culture of northeast India. New Delhi: Isha Books.
Sailo, L. (2013). Northeast India and Southeast Asia: Creating tourism synergy. Institute of South Asian Studies Brief, No. 299, National University of Singapore (NUS).
Sezgin, E., & Yolal, M. (2012). Golden age of mass tourism: Its history and development. In M. Kasimoglu (ed.), Visions for Global Tourism Industry: Creating and Sustaining Competitive Strategies (pp. 73-90). Rijeka: Intech.
Singh, S. (2001). Indian tourism: Policy, performance and pitfalls. In D. Harrison(ed.), Tourism and the Less Developed World, Issues and Case Studies. Oxon: Cabi.
Swarbrooke, J., & Horner, S. (2007). Consumer behaviour in tourism. Oxford: Elsevier.
Swinglehurst, E. (1982). Cook’s tours: The story of popular travel. New York: Blandford Press.
Szromek, A. R. (2019). An analytical model of tourist destination development and characteristics of the development stages: example of the Island of Bornholm. Sustainability, 11, 6989. doi: 10.3390/su11246989
Towner, J. (1995). What is tourism’s history? Tourism Management, 16(5), 339-43.
Towner, J., & Wall, G. (1991). History and tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 18, 71-84.
Turner, L., & Ash, J. (1975). The golden hordes: International tourism and the pleasure periphery. London: Constable.
Zhong, L., Deng, J., & Xiang, B. (2008). Tourism development and the tourism area life-cycle model: a case study of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China. Tourism Management, 29, 841-56. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2007.10.002
www.gourkanjilal.com/India-Tourism-part2.pdf
www.iimb.ernet.in/research/sites/default/files/Reflections%20on%20India's%20tourism%20policy.pdf
www.ishanfamily.com/cms/pdf/5.pdf
www.shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/6703/6/06_chapter%201.pdf
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Atna Journal of Tourism Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
