The final day was a fitting climax. Internationally acclaimed British band Clean Bandit delivering an electrifying performance that had the audience swaying to their global hits. Bollywood sensation Kanika Kapoor added her signature charm, while Dutch-Moroccan DJ R3HAB brought the house down with his high-energy beats, transforming the arena into a pulsating dance floor. Local stars, including Khasi Bloodz and SK Korn, continued to shine, representing the vibrant talent of Meghalaya and showcasing the region’s deep connection to music.

The festival kicked off on November 15 with a spectacular Day 1, headlined by global R&B icon Akon, who mesmerized the crowd with hits from his Superfan Tour. Legendary band Boney M, on their Farewell Tour, delivered a nostalgic performance. Other highlights include renditions by Jasleen Royal, an electrifying show by international artist Lucas, and powerful performances by regional favourites like The Great Society, Rito Riba and Queen Sensation. The day also featured the highly anticipated Sakura Fashion Design Contest, alongside art installations and diverse food stalls that kept the crowd engaged throughout.

Adding to the festival’s success, the Japan Arena stood out as a hub, hosting anime screenings, cosplay competitions, and interactive activities that drew in fans of all ages. Across both days, visitors also enjoyed karaoke sessions, sumo wrestling demonstrations, and a host of engaging activities in the Japanese arena that made the festival an inclusive experience for all.

Akon, who arrived Assam yesterday was welcomed with a spectacular Khasi Welcome to Northeast at Hotel Mayfair Guwahati. Followed which, he also experienced a traditional welcome by the Khasi Seng Community.

The relentless efforts of Government of Meghalaya, through these festivals not only brings thousands of tourists to the state, creating an exceptional example of boosting economic growth but also promotes the local and aspiring stars of Meghalaya making the MGMP Artists perform at such a big platform. While inaugurating the festival yesterday, Hon’ble DoNER Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia shared his incredible experience saying he has never seen such energy in any festival across India. He lauded the efforts of the Government and the people of Meghalaya, saying, “Hats off to Conrad; hats off to you all(the people of Meghalaya)”

Under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma, the government has worked tirelessly to elevate the festival’s stature on the global stage. The seamless organization, diverse programming, and focus on showcasing local talent alongside international stars exemplify the vision and dedication of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, who is himself a musician and an ardent lover of music.

• As the curtain falls on this year’s festivities, the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival has once again proven to be a landmark event, bringing together the best of global and local culture while celebrating the unique beauty of Meghalaya’s Cherry
  

  Blossoms.

Hon’ble Tourism Minister Bah Paul Lyngdoh stated, “It is indeed a privilege for me to bring the curtains down for the 4th edition of Lit Fest, 2024.” He said that this edition of Shillong Literary Festival has been the most successful edition of the literary festivals. “Lit Fest, 2024 is just a precursor for the next level where we will elevate and enhance the experience of literature.” He thanked his excellency, the Ambassador of Turkiye for inviting musicians of Meghalaya and accepted the invitation stating that the state will certainly take its best musicians to perform in Turkiye. Cuisine, culture, climate, customs- all of these are very strong and powerful USPs of Meghalaya, as a state.

Day Three of the festival opened with ‘The Lighthouse Family’, a candid conversation with His Excellency Firat Sunel, Ambassador of Türkiye, moderated by Cyril V. D. Diengdoh, IAS, Director of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya. His excellency Firat Sunel gave an eloquent introduction into his book where he took the audience to the “historical fiction set against the backdrop of Second World War.” On being asked about how he manages diplomacy and literature together, he added, “As a diplomat you meet a lot of people. You don’t need to run behind the story. The story comes to you.”

The session Words on Screen: Bollywood x Northeast, featuring Nicholas Kharkongor, Director of Axone and Nancy Nisa Beso in conversation with Mayank Shekhar, explored the intricate relationship between the film industry and the representation of Northeast India.

Travel: The World and Northeast India, a conversation between Samrat Choudhury and Mitra Phukan, took attendees on a metaphorical journey reflecting on growing prominence of travel writing. Choudhury, while discussing his book ‘A Braided River’ and his travel anecdotes besides the Brahmaputra, said, “The Brahmaputra is the original highway of the entire region”.

The magic of oral storytelling came alive during the session: The Power and Magic of Oral Storytelling, where Desmond Kharmawphlang engaged in a spirited discussion with Janet Dkhar. Desmonfmd Kharmawphlabg said, “There is a misconception that all the epics are written. There are these amazingly long complex stories which are not characteristic as epics as they are not there in the written version”, reflecting on oral storytelling in Garo hills and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

Nina Sabnani, in conversation with Samanda Nora Pyngrope, unravelled the art of storytelling in animation and film during the session Crafting Worlds.

In the penultimate session of the three-day celebration of literature titled ‘Publishing Unveiled: The Art of Fact and Fiction’, Elizabeth Kuruvilla and Anindita Ghose examined the delicate balance between truth and imagination in publishing. The session provided aspiring writers with valuable insights into navigating the world of literature and publishing.

The festival concluded with a closing ceremony, featuring a keynote address by His Excellency Firat Sunel in presence of Bah Paul Lyngdoh, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism. The welcome address to the closing ceremony was given by Cyril VD Diengdoh, Director of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya.

The evening culminated in a mesmerising musical performance, Mamma Mia, by the talented students at St. Edmund’s School, leaving the audience enthralled. Every evening, the artists from MGMP performed in the festival alluring the visitors.

The 4th edition of this literary extravaganza, till date, has been the most successful festival in terms of footfall (Over 15,000 visitors) as well the line-up of speakers and moderators, ranging from the legends like Vikram Seth, Shobha De, Jerry Pinto, Anita Agnihotri, Arupjyoti Saikia, Kynpham S Nongkynirh, Sanjoy Hazarika, Madhu Raghavendra, Patricia Mukhim, Malavika Banerjee, Kanishka Gupta and many other doyens from the field of art, literature and cinema.

This enhanced schedule offers greater travel flexibility for Bengaluru residents heading to Sri Lanka for holidays or remote work, allowing more daytime hours on the island while being well-timed near the weekend. Travellers can enjoy a packed itinerary, make the most of their visit and return home ready to start the new week, making it an optimal choice for weekend trips to Sri Lanka.

The appeal of Sri Lanka as a holiday and MICE destination among Indian travellers is on the rise, largely due to the cultural and geographical closeness of the two countries. Many Indians will discover a familiar sense of home in Sri Lanka that is often missing elsewhere. Additionally, Sri Lanka’s compact size and the new flight schedule enable Indian visitors to experience a range of attractions in just a few days, from the picturesque southern beaches and the historic kovils in the north to the cool highlands in the central region, complemented by shopping and wellness activities in Colombo.

The new flight schedule is just one reason why SriLankan Airlines remains a preferred choice for Indian travellers. Members of the airline’s loyalty programme, FlySmiLes, can earn 1,174 miles for flights on UL 1174 and 1,173 miles on UL 1173. Onboard, passengers can indulge in delicious Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian cuisine, along with the renowned warmth and hospitality that reflects the spirit of Sri Lanka.

In addition to the new service, SriLankan Airlines will continue operating its established daily flights between Bangalore and Colombo. India is the only nation with nine cities in SriLankan Airlines’ network, covering Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Trivandrum, Chennai, Trichy, Madurai and Bangalore. Altogether, SriLankan Airlines runs nearly 90 flights each week between India and Sri Lanka.

For further information and to make bookings, please visit SriLankan.

Puneet Dhawan, Head of Asia at Minor Hotels, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Rohit to the Minor Hotels team. His extensive expertise in sales, marketing and strategy, coupled with a deep understanding of the Indian hospitality market, make him the ideal leader to drive our commercial strategy in India. Rohit’s ability to foster strong client relationships and deliver growth aligns perfectly with our vision for expansion in India.”

Chopra said, “I am excited to join Minor Hotels at such a pivotal moment in its growth journey. I look forward to leveraging my experience to drive commercial success and strengthen our relationships with clients and partners. Minor Hotels’ brands are renowned for their exceptional service and guest experiences. I look forward to working with our team members to continue our success in the dynamic Indian market.”

Despite the tightened regulations, law-abiding tourists adhering to the usual 30 or 60-day visa terms should not be affected. The government also plans to introduce more immigration checkpoints to bolster border security and improve monitoring of movement.

Overall, Indonesia’s visa reforms demonstrate a strong commitment to upholding law and order, while reinforcing efforts to combat transnational crime within the country.

Anshu Sharma and Chirag Goyal, co-founders of Holiday Tribe, said in a joint statement, “Travel witnessed significant growth in the post-Covid era. People want to holiday with family and loved ones and explore newer destinations more than ever. Holiday Tribe was established to meet this growing demand while addressing a key market gap – the lack of accuracy and agility in curating customized solutions for customers. We continue to work towards narrowing this gap with the implementation of robust back-end technology to provide timely solutions, in line with customer preferences. This influx of capital will further our brand building efforts through better integration of latest technology, expanding our supply network and exploring newer destinations. We are excited to embark on this journey with our partners at Powerhouse Ventures and GSF and are optimistic of emerging as a leisure travel partner of choice for avid travellers.”

Kshitij Golwalkar, General Partner, Powerhouse Ventures, said, “Partnering with Holiday Tribe has provided us an opportunity to foray into the dynamic category of travel and hospitality. With sound tech integration and optimal human intervention, the brand is poised to change leisure travel in India. Fuelled by the unwavering grit and vision of the brand’s founders, we look forward to driving operational excellence and customer success for Holiday Tribe.”

Rajesh Sawhney, Founder, at early stage VC firm GSF, added, “From the first time we met Anshu and Chirag, we understood this is a uniquely talented team who are bringing together their deep experience in the travel industry to build India’s leading customised holiday travel operator. Today’s holiday maker has unparalleled access to information on the latest trending experiences both in India and abroad and expects a high degree of personalisation for their travels. Tailormade customer delight on every day of their trip – from flights and hotels to food and entertainment – has become the expectation that Holiday Tribe caters to.”

UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds paid tribute, calling Tata a “titan of the business world” who played a significant role in shaping British industry.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, describing Tata as a “visionary business leader, compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being.” Modi, deeply saddened by his passing, reflected on their “countless interactions” in a tribute shared on X.

Shahnaz Husain, founder of The Shahnaz Husain Group expressed her condolences and said, “I had the honour of meeting Ratan Tata, albeit briefly, during an event that celebrated the achievements of Indian enterprises on the global stage.” When introduced to him, he greeted me with a warm smile and, in his characteristic understated manner, said, ‘You have taken Ayurveda to the world; I have taken India to the world.’ Those words, so simple yet powerful, have stayed with me ever since. He was a role model and inspiration to the world. His kind of person who lived and loved will never be born again.”

N. Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons Chairman, expressed, “On behalf of the entire Tata family, I extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones. His legacy will continue to inspire us as we work to uphold the values he so passionately championed.”

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and PDP’s Iltija Mufti condoled the death of Ratan Tata, saying he was a humble man whose contribution can never be forgotten.

“It is shocking. He (Tata) was a humble man. He opened his family organisation for everyone. He took his company to the entire world,” Abdullah said.

Tata’s passing marks the loss of a leader who transformed Indian business market. His leadership, humility and commitment to social responsibility earned him admiration worldwide. Tributes emphasise not only his business achievements but also his remarkable kindness. Tata’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations.

Those wishing to apply for Kenya’s Digital Nomad visa must fulfil several essential criteria. These include holding a valid passport, providing proof of remote work conducted outside of Kenya, demonstrating evidence of accommodation within the country and presenting a clean criminal record. Additionally, applicants are required to meet a minimum annual income threshold of €50,000.

While the announcement of the Digital Nomad visa has sparked significant interest, some aspects remain unclear, such as the permit’s validity period, associated costs and the official launch date of the scheme. Further details are expected to be revealed in the coming days.

A hosted lunch will offer a further chance for networking, rounding off a day dedicated to the promotion and celebration of global tourism.

For registration and more details, please visit here.

“Attending Sanganai/Hlanganani, at the invitation of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, was an exceptional opportunity to showcase Zimbabwe’s remarkable beauty and strengthen the ties between our two nations’ travel industries. It was a privilege to collaborate with the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe and support the H.E. Ambassador’s vision to raise awareness of Zimbabwe as a top travel destination. I am confident that the agents will return to India with a renewed appreciation for Zimbabwe as a must-visit destination,” said Pranav Kapadia, Founder and Director of Global Destinations.

To build on this progress, Zimbabwe has launched a strategic initiative aimed at making India one of its top five source markets within three years, underscoring its commitment to attracting Indian visitors and promoting its unique travel experiences.