Meghalaya Tourism Push: 3,000 Homestays, ₹115 Cr PMEGP Support, Umroi Airport Expansion, Shillong Ropeway

In a continued push towards strengthening the State’s tourism sector and recognise grassroots contributors, the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya today hosted a grand event to celebrate the empowerment of ‘Tourism Champions’ at the Orchid Lake Resort, Umiam.

A key highlight of the event was the expansive rollout of Government support for the local tourism ecosystem. Under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission, which targets the creation of 3,000 new homestays and over 15,000 jobs by 2028, sanction letters were distributed to the initial cohort out of approved applications.

Furthermore, the Community-Led Tourism Infrastructure Scheme has announced up to ₹3.40 crore in funding for 58 new beneficiaries, providing tiered grants ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh based on site footfall, building upon the ₹10 lakh grants already awarded to 20 existing projects.

The event also felicitated the success of the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) Homestay Scheme, which has sanctioned ₹115.68 crore and disbursed ₹102 crore for over 900 beneficiaries to date, by awarding a ₹20,000 cash prize to each of the State's top ten performing hosts.

In his keynote address, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya said, Meghalaya is now firmly on the tourism map of the country and the global scenario. He noted that every stakeholder has played a positive part in the transformation seen today. He added that the State is clear that tourism is not just about a single event, or one cultural program; it can only thrive when a complete ecosystem is in place.

Further he noted, the runway expansion work at the Umroi Airport will be complete in next 15 months strengthening connectivity. He emphasized that it is important for the State to be present and visible to bring an experience of a lifetime to visitors. While massive change has taken place over the last eight years, the sector's expansion will prioritize job creation, livelihoods, and individual growth through local entrepreneurs and homestays. He reaffirmed that over the next two to three years, the tourism sector will witness a massive transformation with the implementation of several iconic projects, including the Shillong Ropeway, the Rain Museum in Mawsynram, and new tourism centres across locations like Sohra. Reaffirming the government’s core philosophy, he stated, “We are here to work for you, and this government always ensures that we keep the people first.”

Shri Timothy D. Shira, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, said, that tourism in Meghalaya has transformed into a powerful driver of economic growth and a strong pillar of the State's economy, indicating a tourist footfall of 18 lakhs and rising. He emphasized that this progress is the result of a structured approach focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, and investment, highlighting the current implementation of over 150 tourism projects backed by thousands of crores and strong private sector participation. Furthermore, he noted the ongoing development of Umiam as a global tourist destination in line with the 'Viksit Bharat' roadmap, alongside the establishment of a dedicated Destination Management Organization (DMO).

Further focusing on capacity building and youth empowerment within the hospitality sector. Certifications for full-course scholarships were handed out to Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) students under the Chief Minister Hospitality Scheme, complemented by the announcement of yearly stipend scholarships for IHM students.

In one of the most poignant moments of the day, the Hon’ble Chief Minister also presented the ‘Bravery award’ to Mr. Teiborlang Pakma (Toursist Buddy) for his exceptional courage and selflessness in the society.

The event also saw emphasis on improving the visitor experiences with the sanction for construction, modification, and upgradation of toilets at tourist sites across the State.

Sharing his experience, Mr. Daminot Kharshandi a beneficiary of the Chief Minister Homestay Scheme, said the Homestay Scheme provided the crucial financial confidence to launch his business, which he has successfully expanded. He added that the State's robust "Meghalaya Tourism" branding policy has been instrumental in driving the steady footfall and revenue.

By harnessing the potential of tourism and empowering the citizens, Meghalaya is promoting inclusivity and creating a long-term foundation for a brighter and more prosperous future

Ministry of Tourism releases Dineout’s White Paper on Guidelines for restaurants post-COVID

In addition to its fatal effects on human lives & livelihoods, the COVID-19 outbreak has instilled fear in several industries including restaurants, hotels & aviation. As governments & public health agencies stress upon the importance of social distancing as a way to ‘flatten the curve’ over time, India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech platform, Dineout has unveiled a first-of-its-kind whitepaper with guidelines  and best practices for the F&B industry restaurant industry in a post-COVID F&B industry. world.

The whitepaper lists down restoration guidelines for the restaurant industry on staff management, staff health & safety, restaurant space sanitisation, food safety, social distancing, inventory management, and measures for takeaway & delivery business models. It addresses key actionable points to successfully operate in a contactless manner, keeping the safety of both diners and staff members under consideration.

The white paper was released by the Additional Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Ms. Rupinder Brar. She recognised the merits of Contactless Dining as a confidence-building measure to bring back diners,  and reiterated the importance of following the recommended practices when it comes to restaurant operations. This is to ensure that restaurants are safe spaces for diners as well as staff members.

Ms. Rupinder Brar, ADG, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India said, “ In the past, humanity stands witness to the opportunities created out of the challenges people have faced. And this is another one from them, a situation which we are facing all over the world. As rightly said by Dineout, technology can always be used in a big way in such situations. I am glad to see through your initiative that technology can be used to create a safe environment for everyone, and hence re-assuring that basic protocols while dining out are in place.”

Summary of recommended practices for the restaurant industry in a post COVID world-

A detailed version is available in the whitepaper.

Staff Management: 

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  Advisory For Staff- Staff should wash hands with soap every hour. Temperature checks for staff entering the restaurant premises must be a mandate.

  
  

Staff Health & Safety:

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  Let Your Unwell Staff Rest - As per Govt guidelines, staff members who are sick should be given paid leave and advised to stay at home.

  
  

In-Restaurant Operation

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  Modified Seating Plan - Space management and overall interiors must be ‘Social distancing’ themed. Maintain at least a two meter gap between tables. Limit party size at tables and booth setting could be a marvelous add on.

  
  

Kitchen Operations:

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  No Entry For Un-sanitised Material & Staff - Make sure every staff and material is sanitised before entering the kitchen area.

  
  

Delivery and Pick-up Orders-

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  Enable “No Touch” Deliveries - Encourage diners to opt for the ‘contactless delivery’ option. Notify diners via text message or phone call when their order is about to arrive.

  
  

Contactless Dining-

Many restaurateurs are looking at contactless dining to remove nonessential human interaction and continue to safeguard both diners and staff interest. Diners are skeptical about stepping out and wary about touching un-sanitised surfaces. They want to avoid touching things like currency notes, which goes through multiple hand exchanges. To counter that, restaurants need to build trust and habits that reassures anxious diners.

There are a multitude of touchpoints with a diner that restaurateurs are looking to modify and facilitate with the introduction of technology. These can be simple actions like booking a table, pre-ordering meals, takeaway, digital ordering, digital payment, etc. Priority for diners will shift and restaurants are planning accordingly.

Ankit Mehrotra, Co-Founder & CEO - Dineout said, “As the world negotiates the enduring impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our interaction with the outside world will reorient in both the short and long term for the sake of personal hygiene and public health. These post-COVID sensibilities are likely to have an enduring impact in how the country’s food & beverages industry is expected to operate, and the ‘Reinventing The Wheel: Dining Out In A Post-COVID Era’ whitepaper is our way to help Indian restaurateurs comprehend and adapt to this ‘new normal’ and the rapidly evolving demands of Indian diners. As a leading restaurant tech platform, we aspire to empower restaurateurs with our tech innovations to help fight this crisis, and reassure them that the human desire for good food & good time with loved ones will never go out of vogue.”

Dineout has recently unveiled the country’s first end-to-end ‘contactless dining suite’ to help restaurants operate in a post-COVID-19 world. The brand will also provide Restaurant  Safety Kits to help maintain hygiene and is facilitating hygiene certification for restaurants through a licensed lab to ensure all microbiological tests are in place before restaurants restart post the lockdown. Diners can see the certified restaurants on the Dineout App with their audit rating. This will help diners make an informed decision and be assured of the safety and hygiene standards, which will help regain consumer confidence in a post-COVID world.

Whitepaper link: https://bit.ly/3bXiHy6

About Dineout

Dineout is India’s largest dining out and restaurant tech solutions platform in B2C and B2B front with inresto, processing more than 100M diners and $900M worth of transactions for its partner restaurants across its network of 50,000 restaurants in 20 cities, providing a collective savings of more than $100M on restaurant bills annually. Founded in 2012 by Ankit Mehrotra, Nikhil Bakshi, Sahil Jain and Vivek Kapoor, Dineout is the easiest way to discover the best restaurants in the city, save time & hassle by booking a table in advance, get discounts, enjoy 1+1 privileges on Food, Drink & Buffets through Gourmet Passport, as well as earn cashback on every restaurant bill payment via Dineout Pay.