Shillong: CM Conrad Sangma on Wednesday said tourism in Meghalaya can succeed only if all stakeholders work together as “part of a larger ecosystem” that makes the state a natural choice for travelers.“When a family sits together and decides where they want to travel, Meghalaya must be visible, attractive and a destination that naturally comes to mind. Every tourist who visits Meghalaya should leave with memories of a lifetime,” he said at the ‘Empowerment of Tourism Champions of Meghalaya’ event at Orchid Lake, Umiam (Barapani), 17 km from Shillong.Organized by the state tourism department, the program brought together entrepreneurs, artisans, students, community leaders and beneficiaries from across Meghalaya, who were felicitated for efforts to place the state “firmly on the national tourism map and increasingly on the global tourism landscape”.Sangma said the expansion of Shillong airport is expected to be completed within about 15 months, enabling larger aircraft to operate into the city, and termed it a “game changer” for tourism in the state. At the event, the chief minister presented a bravery award to Teiborlang Pakma for rescuing a drowning person at Ward’s Lake in Shillong recently.
