The beautiful northeastern state of Meghalaya is pioneering an exciting new approach for the National Games, which it is proudly set to host in 2028.
Breaking away from the traditional model of building a temporary Games Village, Meghalaya plans a significant investment in standardizing and upgrading homestays. These will serve as comfortable and authentic accommodations for athletes during the event. More importantly, these enhanced homestays will become a permanent part of the state’s tourism infrastructure, ready to welcome visitors for years to come.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma recently announced that this groundbreaking initiative would soon be formally integrated into the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission. This announcement came during last week’s World Tourism Day celebrations.
Mr. Sangma emphasized the forward-thinking nature of this plan, stating, “Constructing a conventional Games Village often involves costs exceeding ₹100 crore and frequently leads to ‘legacy issues’ concerning its post-event utility. Our homestay model will be the first of its kind in India.”
Further bolstering its tourism ambitions, Cherrapunji is slated to become a solar-powered destination, thanks to a ₹260 crore allocation from the Union Government, which has approved Meghalaya’s detailed roadmap. This significant investment complements the ₹3,625 crore already committed to 210 other tourism infrastructure projects throughout the state.
Highlighting the sector’s vibrant growth, Chief Minister Sangma shared impressive statistics: domestic tourist arrivals in Meghalaya increased from 14 lakh in 2023 to 16 lakh in 2024, while international visitors grew from 2 lakh to 2.3 lakh. “The tourism sector currently employs 50,000 people, both directly and indirectly, and we are determined to double this number within the next three years,” he affirmed.
He underscored that these figures are a clear indication of a profound transformation within the state’s tourism landscape. This growth is not accidental but a result of consistent, well-executed strategies and long-term policy implementations, ensuring sustained development rather than fleeting spikes.
In a move to enhance visitor experience, Mr. Sangma also unveiled an updated, user-friendly website for Meghalaya Tourism and introduced what is believed to be India’s first multilingual tourism helpline, accessible at 1800 599 2026.
Looking ahead, Meghalaya anticipates adding eight new five-star hotels to its tourism capacity by 2030. Two of these projects are expected to be completed within the next two years, another two, including one in Tura, are in the tendering phase, and two more are currently in the conceptualization stage.