Shillong, Apr 8: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday chaired the first High-Level Task Force meeting on Tourism, which was attended by DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Minister Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister Tripura Dr. Manik Saha, and officials of both the center and the state.

The framework to unlock North East India’s tourism potential was discussed during the meeting.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma remarked that tourists from the rest of India and globally identify the NorthEast region as “one” and the states must work in close coordination to facilitate tourism.

He lauded the DoNER Minister for taking the initiative to constitute the task force, which the chief minister termed a “landmark” intervention to boost tourism in the entire North Eastern region. He said that the NE region has developed industrial policies and is paving the way for industrial growth.

At the meeting, DoNER Minister Scindia said, “The region can leverage its rich heritage and natural beauty to drive sustainable development, boost local economies, and generate employment”.

The Task Force constituted by the Ministry of DoNER headed by the Meghalaya Chief Minister will study the tourism potential of the region, suggest interventions, identify strategic gaps, and recommend a roadmap for comprehensive development of the tourism sector in the region.

During the meeting, the DoNER Minister suggested that the tourism model of Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and other South Asian nations should be studied, and build a model that further boosts the tourism potential of the region.

Chief Minister Tripura Manik Saha suggested interventions that have been initiated by the state to promote tourism including presenting unique northeast cuisines, while Chief Minister Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang spoke at length on tourism interventions and the flow of tourists to the state while suggesting promotion of the region through consistent marketing and branding. He also recommended collaboration amongst all North Eastern States to facilitate tourism.

The Task Force has been constituted following the 72nd plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) held in November 2024 at Agartala, Tripura. The Task Force has been constituted by the Ministry of DoNER in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism.

As part of the intervention, in each of the eight states, one tourism circuit will be identified. Through this intervention, the government aims to attract both domestic and international tourists to the region.