IIM Shillong symposium explores community based tourism’s potential for North East India

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 11, 2023

Two day symposium on Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in North East India was organized by the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, IIM Shillong on August 10-11.

The symposium was inaugurated by Temjen Imna Along Tourism Minister of Nagaland in the presence of Gaigongdin Panmei, IRS, NEC, Atul Kulkarni BoGs member of IIM Shillong, and Prof. D.P. Goyal, the Director of IIM Shillong. Dr. Sanjeev K Ningombam, Coordinator of the Dr. Kalam Centre, welcomed dignitaries, guests and participants and emphasizing the importance of refining the CBT landscape in the North East.

Prof. D. P. Goyal underscored the necessity for collaboration between government agencies and tourism stakeholders, focusing on seamless visitor experiences and strategies for promoting the North East as a destination. He highlighted IIM Shillong’s commitment to the region, referencing a new Community Immersion Program, enabling students to contribute sustainable ideas and models through rural community engagement.

Gaigongdin Panmei advocated a unified tourism policy for the North East, emphasizing five key segments: Cultural, Adventure, Nature, Agro-, and Health Tourism. He mentioned that a common registration process, better awareness of CBT at the village level, standardized food menus, improved presentation, and aggressive local cuisine marketing.

Atul Kulkarni highlighted the transformative potential of CBT, where local communities own and manage the tourism experience, ensuring economic benefits stay within. He stressed the importance of local insight and empowerment for a resilient community-level economy.

Temjen Imna Along stressed experiential tourism’s importance at the community level, citing the need for inter-state linkages and promotion of the North East’s multi-ethnic culture.

The symposium encompassed technical sessions exploring CBT in NER, government’s role in developing tourism ecosystems, and sessions focused on business opportunities, CBT model development, and community engagement.

The second day of the symposium will have sessions on exploring business opportunities, developing CBT models, and dialogue on community concerns and participation. Paul Lyngdoh Minister of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya will address the valedictory session.