The hotel contains 101 rooms and other services such as a specialty restaurant, coffee shops, bar, retail shops, and a banquet space on an area of approximately 8,800 sq. m.
On a historic occasion, Meghalaya’s first ever five-star hotel, the Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri. Conrad K. Sangma.
The event was attended by cabinet Ministers, the Hon’ble member of Rajya Sabha from Meghalaya, the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police, the Chairperson, MTDC, senior government officials, delegates from the media and members of the civil society.
The Chief Minister described this as a very historic event in Meghalayan history. He emphasised that development on the hotel had been ongoing since 1986 and could only be completed with a strong push from the current government.
He complimented and thanked all partners for completing the project despite the disruptions caused by COVID.
The hotel contains 101 rooms and other services such as a specialty restaurant, coffee shops, bar, retail shops, and a banquet space on an area of approximately 8,800 sq. m.
It is owned by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and has been leased for 33 years on a PPP basis to the IHCL.
The Chief Minister further stated that the Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillonga, as well as the planned Courtyard by Marriott, will significantly increase high-value tourism in the state.
This concept will be reproduced in the future to make Meghalaya the most popular ecotourism destination. We turned over the hotel to IHCL today, and it will soon be open to guests.
The Chief Minister restated his objective of developing Meghalaya into one of the top ten states in the next ten years, and stated that tourism is key to achieving this goal.
According to him, the government is growing tourism on a hub and spoke basis, with Sohra, Jowai, Shillong, Umiam, and Tura serving as hubs and neighbouring rural tourist spots serving as spokes.
In accordance with this policy, the government has launched a number of measures to improve the state’s accommodation infrastructure.
Large resorts and tourism facilities are being built in Sakaladuma, West Garo Hills, Shnongpdeng, West Jaintia Hills, Sohra, East Khasi Hills, Ribhoi, Nongkhnum, West Khasi Hills, Thadlaskien, West Jaintia Hills, and Pelgawari, South West Garo Hills.
Several villages would also receive tourism infrastructure and services at a cost of Rs. 5-10 crores apiece.
The ‘Homestay Scheme,’ which will build 2,500 lodging units over the next five years in conjunction with the PMEGP, has been established to supplement the accommodation infrastructure.
The State government provides a 35% discount on loans of up to Rs. 10 lakh, in addition to the 35% subsidy provided by the Government of India under the PMEGP.
Residents can earn up to Rs. 50,000 each month by paying an EMI of just Rs. 5,000. To date, the government has received over 480 applications and has sanctioned Rs. 7.1 crores for the construction of around 75 homestays.
In addition to upgrading the hotel infrastructure, the communication infrastructure is being enhanced to help decongest Shillong and connect it to new destinations.
To increase capacity in the transportation industry, a fleet of electric buses and luxury tourist vehicles will be launched.
Furthermore, work on the famed Shillong Peak Ropeway, which would cost Rs. 140 crores, is slated to begin by the end of this year.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the ‘Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP),’ which includes regular musical performances in Shillong, Sohra, Tura, and Jowai.
Apart from providing livelihood opportunities to the artists and entrepreneurs, MGMP is also playing an important role in promoting the musical culture and heritage of the State and at the same time is also providing a unique experience for the tourists.
The state is suffering from a lack of high-quality rooms, and the presence of five-star hotels in Shillong will enable the government to attract high-value tourists, hold national and international music and sports events, and host various seminars and conferences.
The Chief Minister stated that the Vivanta Meghalaya, Shillong will usher in a new age of luxury tourism in the state and would go a long way toward meeting the ambitions of the state’s citizens.
This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as a Press Release.
