HT Digital
Wednesday, October 16: The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association has declined an invitation to attend a meeting called by the Director of Meghalaya Tourism, Cyril V Diengdoh. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, was intended to address issues concerning the tourism sector. However, the association, led by its president, Ricaldison Dohling, has expressed its dissatisfaction with the format and composition of the meeting.
In a letter addressed to the Director of Tourism, the association stated that its leadership had decided unanimously not to participate in the meeting as currently structured. According to the association, the inclusion of other stakeholders, such as tour operators, guides, and hotels, is unnecessary and detracts from the core concerns of taxi operators. They believe that the meeting should focus exclusively on issues specific to tourist taxi owners, drivers, and operators in the state.
Dohling emphasized that the association had been the first to bring the challenges faced by taxi operators to the attention of the state government. He pointed out that the concerns being raised are unique to their sector and involve the operation of tourist vehicles on the state’s roads. The inclusion of stakeholders like hotels and tour operators, Dohling argued, would dilute the discussions and delay the resolution of the issues facing taxi operators.
The association stressed that vehicles operate on the roads, not inside hotels or tour operators’ offices, making the involvement of these unrelated parties in the meeting inappropriate. They believe that the presence of tour operators, guides, or hoteliers has no bearing on the challenges faced by tourist taxi operators, who encounter day-to-day difficulties while navigating the roads and catering to tourists.
Dohling also urged the Tourism Department to reconsider the composition of these meetings in the future, limiting discussions to tourist drivers and taxi operators. He argued that only those directly affected by the issues should be present, ensuring that the conversation remains focused and solutions are reached efficiently. Including other stakeholders, he added, would only dilute the conversation and prolong any progress toward addressing the real problems faced by the taxi operators.
In addition to the association’s specific concerns about the composition of the meeting, Dohling highlighted some of the broader issues faced by the tourist taxi operators. These include operational challenges, such as the need for better road infrastructure, government support for vehicle maintenance, and a fair regulatory framework that considers the interests of taxi owners and drivers.
The association made it clear that it would not participate in any future meetings unless they are limited to relevant parties. The organization is seeking a platform where the specific problems of tourist taxi operators and owners can be addressed directly, without the involvement of parties that they believe do not contribute to resolving their core issues.
The decision by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association to decline the meeting reflects ongoing tensions between different stakeholders in Meghalaya’s tourism industry. While the Tourism Department likely seeks to engage a wide range of voices to strengthen the sector, the association feels that their unique challenges require a more focused discussion. It remains to be seen whether the Tourism Department will reconsider the format of future meetings or how they plan to address the association’s concerns going forward.
The association’s stance also points to the broader challenges of managing a growing tourism industry, where multiple stakeholders have overlapping interests but may not always see eye-to-eye on how best to resolve their concerns. For now, the tourist taxi operators of Meghalaya are standing firm in their decision to seek a meeting format that they believe will yield more direct and meaningful solutions.
