Shillong: The Meghalaya government is working on a first-of-its-kind Christmas Tourism Policy aimed at leveraging the surge in tourist arrivals during the year-end festive season and positioning the state as a global festive destination, with special focus on the long-neglected Garo Hills region.
Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira said on Saturday that the government is considering a dedicated policy to capitalise on the heavy tourist footfall witnessed during the Christmas and New Year period this year.
He said last year’s festive season had been particularly successful due to a series of events organised across different parts of the state, which helped attract a large number of visitors.
The minister said the government expects tourist arrivals to rise further in 2026, especially as several tourism projects and destinations are nearing completion.
According to him, the proposed policy is designed to reinforce Meghalaya’s reputation as a top destination for Christmas celebrations, focusing on enhanced promotion and better management of visitors during peak holiday periods.
Shira said tourist interest is increasingly extending to the Garo Hills, supported by improvements in infrastructure. He noted that destinations in the region, which were earlier hard to access, are now drawing a growing number of visitors.
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He said the government also plans to adopt a more liberal approach in extending loans to individuals interested in setting up homestays, a move expected to expand accommodation capacity and further boost tourism in the region.
