Meghalaya will be open to tourists from December 21 for the first since the COVID-19 pandemic made its way into the country earlier this year, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Tuesday.
Travellers, however, will have to adhere to a host of guidelines and health protocols to visit the ‘Land of Clouds’, he said.
“#Meghalaya reopens its #Tourism from 21st December, 2020… The Home of Clouds looks forward to welcoming you,” Sangma said on Twitter.
A Tourism Department official said registration would be made mandatory through a dedicated app of Meghalaya Tourism, along with standard operating procedures (SOPs) put in place to ensure the safety of everyone.
As per a notification from the Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism Department, Government of Meghalaya, all tourists would need to register on the tourism app (available on both Google Play Store and Apple Store, and the Meghalaya tourism website) and generate an E-Invite.
The E-invite will be generated only if the tourist can show bookings for two nights’ stay. If the tourist is staying as a guest of any family or friend in Meghalaya, then the tourist should declare the full address and contact details of the family or friend and the complete itinerary, said the notification.
Visitors will have to upload their photo identity on the app and provide the complete tour itinerary besides showing proof of confirmed booking, the official said.
Upon successful registration, tourists will receive an e-invite. The E-invite needs to be displayed by the tourists at entry points, along with an original copy of a Covid-19 negative RT-PCR/TruNat/CBNAAT report, tested within 72 hours of their arrival at entry point. The Rapid Antigen Test will not be considered valid.
Symptomatic individuals, even those with a COVID negative report, will be mandatorily tested at the entry points.
The state government has also set up a Facilitation Centre at Umling in Ri Bhoi district, where those visiting the state are to mandatorily check in, he said.
Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum Chairperson Alan West welcomed the decision, and urged visitors to strictly follow COVID-19 protocols.
In 2019, over 1.2 million domestic and international tourists had visited the state.