SHILLONG, Dec 8 - The Meghalaya Government has decided to open the State for tourism visits from December 21. However, strict guidelines have been set for the tourists to follow.
�We are reopening Tourism in Meghalaya for tourists from outside the State from December 21. To ensure the safety of everyone, registration through the @meghtourism app is made mandatory and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are put in place,� Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said in a Twitter message.
According to Meghalaya Commissioner and Secretary of Tourism, Vijay Kumar, all tourists intending to visit the State must register on the Meghalaya tourism app and generate an e-invite for the proposed visit.
The Meghalaya tourism app is available for download on both the Google Play Store and the Apple Store, he added. The e-invite can also be generated on the website of Meghalaya Tourism, www.meghalayatourism.in.
�A valid photo ID card needs to be uploaded on the Meghalaya tourism app, including that of other members who are travelling in the group. Members travelling together can register and generate one e-invite,� Kumar stated.
Moreover, the visitors have to mandatorily book hotel, homestay or guesthouse accommodation for at least two nights� stay and declare the complete itinerary for generation of the e-invite.
If the tourist stays as a guest at a family�s or friend�s place in Meghalaya, he or she will declare the full address and contact details of the family or friend and the complete itinerary for generation of the e-invite.
The services of registered tour operators listed on the Meghalaya Tourism website and the Meghalaya tourism app, can also be used to obtain an e-invite. �The process of entry is contactless. The e-invite with QR code on the mobile phone or a printout of the e-invite with QR code can be shown at the entry points. An original copy of the COVID-19 negative report has to be also produced at the entry point,� Kumar added.
It is mandatory for tourists to carry a COVID-19 negative RT-PCR, TrueNat or CBNAAT report which will be valid only if they have been tested within 72 hours. However, a negative rapid antigen test will not be valid for tourists.
The SOPs advise tourists having symptoms not to travel. Such symptomatic individuals, even with a COVID-19 negative report, will be mandatorily tested at the entry points as per the protocols of the Meghalaya Health and Family Welfare Department.
