By Roopak Goswami
Shillong, Oct 24: Which is the most popular travel destination for Indians next year?
Goa, Kerala, Kashmir… It is Shillong known as the “Scotland of the East”.
The ‘Travel Trends Report 2025‘ released by global travel app Skyscanner has revealed that Shillong is the only Indian city to feature in the list from ten places from around the world.
The report is based on destinations seeing an increase in flight searches between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2024 for travel throughout 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Shillong has seen an increase of 828% flight searches. Skyscanner claims to be a global leader in travel, with more than 100 million people across the world using its app and website every month.
The report says as travel trends evolve, more travellers are venturing beyond typical tourist spots, seeking unique and less-explored destinations that offer a blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and accessibility.
“Known as the “Scotland of the East”, Shillong, India enchants visitors with its stunning landscapes, including lush hills, waterfalls, and pristine lakes. This hill station has become a social media sensation, attracting nature lovers and adventure seekers. The government’s push for sustainable and eco-tourism adds to its appeal, making Shillong a top choice for conscious travellers” the report says.
The report would not have come at a much better time with festivals happening around the corner.
The state government had released the autumn tourism calendar, which included dates for the much-awaited Shillong Literary Festival on November 12-14, Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival on November 15-16, Me’gong Festival on November 29-30, the Hills Festival on December 6-7, Bryan Adam India Tour on December 10 and Winter Tales on December 12-14, etc.
“Meghalaya today is recognized as one of India’s exotic and accessible tourist destinations. There are two 5-star hotels operational in Shillong and the tourism sector has bounced back post-COVID” Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said in his I-Day speech this year.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar had said during his recent visit to Meghalaya- “If there is heaven it is in India, if there is heavenly spirit, it is in Meghalaya.” He asserted that the engine of Meghalaya’s economy could be driven by tourism alone. He further added that nature has bountifully gifted Meghalaya and urged them to exploit it fully by having very talented skilled people in the shape of human resource.
The state government has introduced various tourism initiatives to position and brand Meghalaya and is upgrading tourism infrastructure and facilities, including hotels, resorts, restaurants, promenades, and amenities like skywalks and museums.
Meghalaya Tourism minister Paul Lyngdoh had said around 40% of the state’s population are going to be directly involved in the tourism sector by 2028.
He had asserted that mega tourism festivals such as Cherry Blossom Festival are beneficial to the state exchequer despite the state having to spend a huge amount in organising it. Japan is a partner country for the Shillong Cherry Blossom festival.
“On any day that we have a major footfall of visitors to Meghalaya, collection of GST goes up by roughly ₹3.5 crore per day,” he said while explaining the economic benefit of the tourism sector.
“The government also earns through additional VAT (30%) and excise duty (15%) with the increase in number of visitors, especially during such festivals, ” he said.
