As of December 1, the one-way airfare from Delhi to Bangkok is Rs 11,470, while flights from Delhi to Shillong cost around Rs 14,974, according to travel agents.
Travel agencies and hotel operators expressed regret that domestic airfares to pristine destinations in the northeast cost more than airfares to Thailand, and they urged the government to step in.
As of December 1, the one-way cost of flights from Delhi to Bangkok was Rs 11,470, while travel agents reported that the cost of flights from Delhi to Shillong was approximately Rs 14,974.
At the Wednesday B2B meeting at the International Tourism Mart, this was thoroughly discussed.
Travel industry executives from every Northeast state concurred that flights from Delhi/Mumbai to Bangkok are less expensive than those to Shillong, Agartala, or any other state capital in the area.
“We recognize that this is a result of the volume of tourists visiting Bangkok. A tour operator based in Guwahati stated, “We want the Indian government to step in and put a cap on this because it is unfair that domestic fares are more expensive than international destinations.”
While 15 additional projects are being developed under Swadesh Darshan (SD) 2.0, the Union tourism ministry has sanctioned over Rs 1,300 crore for 16 projects in the northeast region under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, according to officials.
“In the northeast, a total of fifteen tourist locations are being considered for development under SD 2.0. One of the main reasons people travel is for religious reasons, they continued.
Under SD 2.0, Meghalaya has been given two schemes, Sohra and Shillong, wherein investments of up to Rs 50 crore are expected.
According to them, the PRASHAD Scheme has authorized eight projects totaling Rs 256.45 crore by the ministry for the integrated development of designated pilgrimage sites in the northeastern states.
The development of 22 viewpoints at a cost of Rs 44.44 crore has also been approved by the ministry of tourism in order to offer top-notch infrastructure and associated services for the highway network, including commercial spaces, logistic parks, and traveler amenities like wayside amenities (WSA) in the area.
According to them, a large number of the projects approved under the SD 1.0 and PRASHAD schemes have already been finished and dedicated to the public.
As a result, officials stated that 16 airports in the northeast now offer access to popular tourist destinations, reflecting a significant increase in air connectivity in recent years.
Officials said that 53 tourist routes, of which 10 are only for the northeast, are now operational under the Ministry of Aviation’s RCS-UDAN Scheme.
Additionally, the northeast now has seven states connected by railroads, and rail connectivity in the area has grown.