Tourist Footfall in Meghalaya Jumps 60% Since 2022, Says Governor CH Vijayashankar

Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar on Monday said tourist footfalls in Meghalaya have surged by nearly 60 per cent since 2022, underlining the State’s rapid emergence as a premier travel and cultural destination in the country and a growing engine of livelihood generation.
Addressing the first day of the Budget Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, the Governor highlighted tourism as a transformative pillar of the State’s economy, asserting that the sector has significantly strengthened community participation while expanding income avenues across rural and urban pockets.
“Since 2022, tourist footfalls have grown by nearly 60 percent,” the Governor said.
He added, “Tourism in our State has been a key sector in creating livelihood opportunities for the citizens. Since 2022, tourist footfalls have grown by nearly 60%, reflecting the State’s rising profile as a premier destination in India. This surge has translated into an increase in local livelihood opportunities for over 75,000 individuals till 2025, thereby strengthening community participation in the tourism economy.”
Emphasising the government’s push for decentralised hospitality, the Governor said the State’s homestay initiative has witnessed robust traction. “As part of the State’s emphasis on Homestays 877 applications have been sanctioned with disbursals of 123 crore, enabling local entrepreneurs to offer authentic hospitality experiences and generating over 6,000 new jobs,” he stated.
Projecting Meghalaya as a rising cultural hotspot, the Governor noted that the State is fast carving a niche in India’s festival and concert circuit. “Meghalaya is emerging as one of the top five festival destinations along with Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru and concert economy continues to thrive and generate jobs across the State. The Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme has created more than 6,500 direct and indirect livelihood opportunities for our young artists,” he added.