SHILLONG:
The Tour Guide Association of Meghalaya met Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pyniaid Sing Syiem to apprise him that tour operators from outside the state are bringing tourists without the knowledge of local guides.
The president of Tour Guide Association of Meghalaya, Ïalamphang Lyngdoh told reporters on July 6 that such an act from tour operators from outside the state deprives the local guides of employment opportunities.
He said that though Meghalaya has a high tourism potential, it was not benefitting local guides as tour operators from outside the state bring their clients to the state without the knowledge of the local guides.
Lyngdoh claimed that such tour guides from outside the state go on explorations in the state and expressed concern that local guides/operators are not getting the necessary opportunity when tourists visit the state.
He said, “What do guides from outside know about our state? There are times tourists are misinformed. There are reported loss of lives in places where tourists need to be cautious and when we dig deep into the matter, we find that the tourists were accompanied by tour guides from outside.”
Asked, he said that the CEM assured them to have further meetings on this matter.
Warning people to not share hidden or unexplored locations, he said, “Such places have no proper tourism establishment.”