Meghalaya’s Concert Tourism Hits High Note with $16M USD Revenue

• Meghalaya earned ₹133.5 crore ($16M) from seven major concerts in 2024, against an investment of ₹23.5 crore ($2.8M).
• The events, held over 13 days, drew 3.86 lakh attendees from 20 Indian states and created 5,500 daily jobs.
• CM launched the rebranded Chief Minister’s Grassroots Music Production (CMGMP) to boost the state’s music economy.

Meghalaya’s bid to become a premier concert tourism destination is seemingly paying off. On 21 June, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma reportedly announced that the state generated INR ₹133.5 crore ($16 Million USD) in revenue from seven major concerts held in 2024. This figure is an impressive gain compared to the INR ₹23.5 crore ($2.8 million USD) invested. According to the chief minister, over a span of just 13 days, the events attracted 3.86 lakh attendees, created 5,500 jobs every day, and drew fans from across 20 Indian states.

The announcement came on World Music Day during the launch of Season 3 of the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project, now renamed the Chief Minister’s Grassroots Music Production (CMGMP). This rebranding signals a long-term commitment to building the state’s music economy. The CM said this was more than just a name change, calling it a movement.

International Acts & Stars Drive Growth

Global stars, including Akon, Boney M with Maizie Williams, DJ R3HAB, and Bryan Adams, performed in Meghalaya last year. Their performances have put Meghalaya on the international music touring map. Notably, in early 2024, Ed Sheeran and Mr. Big drew even more global attention.

Building on this momentum, Sangma announced two upcoming concerts as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival in November. American singer Jason Derulo and Irish rock band The Script were introduced as headliners for the festival on 14 and 15 November.

Sangma also shared some stats proving CMGMP’s rapid growth. It went from a humble INR ₹3.5 crore ($419,000 USD) initiative supporting 2,500 artists to an INR ₹69 crore ($8.6 million USD) programme backing 5,400 artists and over 38,000 performances across the State, according to a tweet from the CM. The updated initiative is a permanent, structured programme that includes fixed venues, training in music theory, and more robust support for production and promotion, noted Sangma.

According to a report by Syllad, the chief minister also emphasized the need to support artists by building a sustainable music industry. He proposed new initiatives to provide recording studios, high-quality instruments, and equipment to artists, especially those in need.

Notably, Meghalaya’s success in music tourism has sparked healthy competition and interest in the neighbouring state of Assam. In May, Assam approved its own concert tourism policy to position the state as a top-tier destination for major music events.