Shillong, Sept 3: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh has announced the upcoming festivals in Meghalaya, with particular emphasis on the highly anticipated Cherry Blossom Festival 2024. During a press conference on Monday, the minister detailed the international partnership, star-studded performances, and the festival’s theme, “The Year of Legends.”
Speaking about the Cherry Blossom Festival, Lyngdoh said, “As usual, we expect immense footfalls, not just from within the country but internationally as well. This year, we will be partnering with Japan, which will be the official country partner. The theme for this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival is ‘The Year of Legends.’ We have a wonderful lineup of artists across various genres, including rock, pop, RnB, Bollywood Indie, and Bollywood pop. For the first time, we are introducing nu-metal and K-Pop artists.”
Among the headliners, Lyngdoh highlighted the legendary Boney M, featuring founding member Maizie Williams, who will be performing an exclusive final tour concert in Shillong. “We are honored to welcome Boney M to Shillong. This show will be exclusively for Shillong,” he added.
The festival will also feature renowned EDM artist R3HAB and Bollywood chart-toppers Kanika Kapoor and Jasleen Royal. Tribute bands, including “Queen Sensation” from Russia, covering the iconic band Queen, and “Korn SK” from Slovakia, will also electrify the audience. Additionally, the festival will mark the return of Meghalaya’s own “Great Society” after a 35-year hiatus, enriching the state’s musical heritage.
Lyngdoh hinted at a major K-Pop artist as the festival’s biggest headliner, with plans for shows in Nepal, Thailand, and the Philippines as part of a 10-city Asia tour. However, the name of this artist will be revealed later due to certain constraints. Tickets will be available on BookMyShow.
Meanwhile, Director of Tourism Cyril V. Diengdoh, briefed the media on the second edition of the Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards – Meghalaya 2024. He emphasized the importance of promoting responsible and sustainable tourism, in line with the Meghalaya Tourism Policy of 2023. Diengdoh stated, “We are happy to announce our partnership with Outlook Responsible Tourism, which has pioneered Indian Responsible Tourism Awards at the national level. This is the state-level awards, which we are announcing today.”
The awards will cover seven categories: homestays, BnBs, and guest houses; travel enterprises; food; architecture; grassroots heroes; and cultural ambassadors. The awards ceremony will culminate on World Tourism Day, September 27, with the presence of the Tourism Minister, who will present the awards to local heroes.
In response to concerns about recent incidents involving tourists, the Tourism Minister reassured that the situation had been promptly addressed by the state government. “That matter was discussed at length in the state assembly. Today, I can safely claim that footfalls have not only returned but have increased,” he said. He expressed confidence that the upcoming festivals, including the Cherry Blossom Festival, Bryan Adams concert, and Alan Walker concert, would attract significant attendance from across the country.
Lyngdoh also provided an update on the Tourism Ministers’ Conference for North Eastern and Eastern States, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which was hosted by Meghalaya. The conference was chaired by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and the discussions included challenges faced by Meghalaya, particularly regarding connectivity and infrastructure. Lyngdoh expressed optimism about receiving more support from the Government of India.
Regarding the funding of the Cherry Blossom Festival, the minister stated, “This year, we are only funding the various artists who will be performing. Last year, we saw around 50,000 attendees per day over two days, and this year, we look forward to seeing that number increase several folds.”
