Shillong: Meghalaya is positioning itself as a sustainable, community-led and climate-resilient tourism destination under a new policy roadmap, with the state aiming to emerge as a year-round global attraction.The tourism sector, supported by public and private investments across more than 150 active projects, has become a key driver of local economic growth as Meghalaya works towards its vision of becoming a USD 16-billion economy.“Tourism-linked livelihoods in Meghalaya expanded from approximately 50,000 in 2022 to over 75,000 in 2025, with annual tourist footfalls reaching nearly 18.55 lakh in 2025,” the tourism department said in a statement issued on World Tourism Day.“With over 76 per cent of its land under forest cover, Meghalaya’s rivers, caves, waterfalls, and living root bridges form an irreplaceable ecological and cultural framework. Rooted in the traditional land and forest governance systems of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities, the state’s Tourism Policy 2023 emphasizes high-value, low-volume tourism centered on carrying capacity, right pricing, and zero-waste management,” the statement said.“Community participation remains central to Meghalaya’s tourism strategy. Homestays, local guides, tourism vehicles, community-run infrastructure and other local enterprises are creating opportunities for residents to participate directly in the tourism economy,” the department said.The state has sanctioned 877 homestay applications and disbursed more than Rs 120 crore, generating over 6,000 jobs through local hospitality enterprises. The Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission aims to create or upgrade 1,000 homestays in 2026-27, as part of a broader target of 3,000 homestays.Community-led tourism is also being promoted through rural tourism cooperatives and the Community-Led Tourism Infrastructure Scheme, which seek to give local communities a greater role in developing destinations and enterprises.“This community-centric approach also intersects with climate resilience. The Meghalaya Community-Led Landscape Management Project has supported more than 400 villages in restoring land, water and forests by combining traditional knowledge with scientific and data-driven approaches. Spring rejuvenation, mine-land restoration, Living Root Bridge conservation and Payment for Ecosystem Services demonstrate how environmental stewardship can also contribute to economic resilience,” the statement said.The state has proposed an allocation of more than Rs 162 crore for tourism infrastructure, destination development and community tourism to spread economic benefits across all districts.Umiam, Sohra, Dawki-Shnongpdeng and Nokrek have been identified as four major hubs for development into global-scale destinations. Major infrastructure projects include the Rs 233.75-crore PM-DevINE Sohra Tourism Circuit, the department said.
