A foreigner kayaks in the Umtyngngar river along the Shillong-Sohra road on Friday. Picture by UB Photos

Shillong, Sept. 27: Along with the rest of the country and the world, Meghalaya, too, observed World Tourism Day with a seminar on the theme Tourism and Water: Protecting Our Common Future organised by the state tourism department today.

An official of the water resources department, while giving a presentation on Role of Water in Meghalaya Tourism, said the state has been recently experiencing erratic rainfall patterns. “Earlier, we use to receive continuous rainfall for seven days and seven nights or for nine days and nine nights. But nowadays, we do not receive rainfall even for a full 24 hours,” he said.

However, in spite of erratic rainfall, Meghalaya, especially Sohra, still attracts tourists. Last year, the state received 6,80,254 domestic tourists and 5,313 foreign tourists.

Later in the afternoon, the visiting international white-water kayakers and pack rafters from the United States and United Kingdom demonstrated their skills at Umtyngngar river along the Shillong-Sohra road in East Khasi Hills district.

Several college and university students also took part in the event.