Meghalaya Tourism Takes Bold Step To Improve Visitor Safety By Rolling Out ‘Tourist Buddies’ In Key Locations Across Shillong, Sohra, Dawki, And Mawlynnong

Published on April 13, 2025

In a significant move to enhance visitor safety, Meghalaya Tourism has launched the ‘Tourist Buddies’ initiative at major destinations like Shillong, Sohra, Dawki, and Mawlynnong. This program aims to provide immediate safety support for tourists while also offering employment opportunities for local youth. The initiative is designed to complement existing safety measures rather than replace law enforcement, ensuring a community-driven approach to protecting travelers in some of the state’s most popular hotspots. Through this effort, Meghalaya seeks to create a safer and more welcoming environment for visitors while empowering the local community.

In response to a recent fatality involving a tourist in Meghalaya, concerns have been raised about the state’s preparedness to ensure the safety of visitors. To address these concerns, Meghalaya Tourism Director Cyril V. Diengdoh announced a proactive initiative aimed at bolstering tourist safety: the introduction of “tourist buddies” at prominent travel destinations across the state.

The initiative seeks to engage local youth in improving visitor safety. Diengdoh highlighted that the program would begin in well-known spots such as Shillong, Sohra, Dawki, and Mawlynnong, with plans to expand to other key locations. He emphasized that the program not only strengthens safety measures but also serves as a temporary employment opportunity for the local community.

While the tourist buddies will play an essential role in offering immediate assistance to travelers, Diengdoh clarified that they are not intended to replace official law enforcement. Instead, the scheme aims to complement existing safety measures by providing a community-based safety support network.