Meghalaya is strengthening its tourism ecosystem through a major expansion of its homestay network, aiming to increase accommodation capacity while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities. Building on the success of its Homestay Scheme launched in 2023, the state now plans to establish 3,000 new homestays and generate 15,000 jobs by 2028.

The initiative places local families at the heart of Meghalaya’s tourism development strategy and supports preparations for the National Games scheduled to be hosted in the state in 2027. With tourism emerging as a key contributor to economic growth, the government is promoting community-led tourism as a long-term model for inclusive development.

Tourist arrivals in Meghalaya have witnessed steady growth over the years, rising from around 1.2 million visitors in 2018 to more than 1.6 million today. The state’s growing popularity has also received national attention, with Shillong being recognised as India’s most-searched travel destination in Skyscanner’s 2025 report. Meghalaya has further set an ambitious target of attracting 2.1 million visitors annually by 2028.

The state’s tourism appeal received another boost when NITI Aayog, in its report Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India, identified Meghalaya as one of the country’s few year-round tourism destinations. The report highlighted attractions such as living root bridges, extensive cave systems, and rich indigenous cultural heritage that continue to draw visitors throughout the year.

To address the growing demand for accommodation and ensure tourism benefits reach local communities, the Government of Meghalaya introduced the Meghalaya Tourism Homestay Scheme in convergence with the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Under the scheme, eligible projects can receive financial assistance covering up to 70 per cent of project costs, with support available for projects valued up to INR 1 million.

The programme has already delivered encouraging results. Around 900 applications have been sanctioned, and more than 490 homestays are currently operational across the state. These homestays have collectively added nearly 1,000 rooms and created approximately 1,500 livelihood opportunities.

Building on this success, the government launched the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission in 2025. The mission aims to add 3,000 more homestays by 2028 while generating 15,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. New homestay owners can avail subsidies of up to INR 700,000, while existing operators are eligible for financial support of up to INR 200,000 for upgrading their properties.

The initiative has already transformed the lives of several beneficiaries. Entrepreneurs such as Daminot Kharshandi from Ri Bhoi district and Donny Esmond Rapsang from Umroi have successfully established and expanded tourism ventures through the scheme, creating jobs within their communities and generating stable income for their families.

As Meghalaya continues to strengthen its tourism infrastructure, the homestay model is emerging as a powerful tool for promoting sustainable tourism, empowering local communities, and ensuring that the benefits of the sector are shared widely across the state.

Akasa Air has announced special flight services to Ahmedabad from Bengaluru and Navi Mumbai to accommodate the surge in travel demand ahead of the cricket final scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad.

The airline will operate the additional services on 31 May and 1 June 2026, complementing its existing network and offering cricket fans more convenient travel options to attend the highly anticipated match.

The special flights have been introduced to support passengers looking to travel to Ahmedabad shortly before the event and return soon after. The additional capacity reflects the growing demand for event-driven travel in India, particularly around major sporting occasions.

Under the schedule, flight QP 6892 will operate from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on 31 May, departing at 09:30 hrs and arriving at 11:50 hrs. On the same day, flight QP 6882 will operate from Navi Mumbai to Ahmedabad, departing at 14:45 hrs and arriving at 16:15 hrs.

For return travel, flight QP 6885 will depart Ahmedabad for Navi Mumbai at 03:10 hrs on 1 June and arrive at 04:45 hrs. Flight QP 6887 will operate from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru on 1 June, departing at 04:10 hrs and arriving at 06:35 hrs.

In addition to the special flights, passengers flying with Akasa Air will be able to access SkyScore, the airline’s inflight service that allows guests to follow live match scores during their journey. The airline will also activate SkyLights, its Boeing Sky Interior-powered cabin lighting feature, with tricolour-themed lighting on selected flights associated with the event.

Akasa Air currently operates scheduled flights to Ahmedabad from nine domestic and international destinations. Through these additional services, the airline aims to strengthen connectivity to the city while providing greater flexibility and convenience for travellers during a period of heightened demand.

Air India has announced that it has been awarded the Skytrax 4-Star Airline Rating for both Business Class and Economy Class, marking another significant milestone in the airline’s ongoing transformation under the Vihaan.AI programme.

The airline’s upgrade from a 3-Star to a 4-Star rating comes after a large-scale transformation focused on fleet modernisation, product upgrades, digital innovation, on-ground improvements, and enhanced service standards across the customer journey.

Air India stated that the improvements have also reflected strongly in customer feedback and passenger sentiment. The airline’s Net Promoter Score (NPS), a key indicator of customer satisfaction and advocacy, has improved by more than 70 points, moving from -35 in late 2022 to nearly +40 currently. On its flagship Airbus A350 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, the airline’s NPS remains consistently in the high 60s.

Skytrax is recognised globally as one of the leading airline rating organisations, with its star ratings considered a major benchmark for airline quality and passenger experience. The 4-Star certification recognises airlines delivering strong and consistent service quality across products and operations.

Commenting on the achievement, Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said: “This 4-Star rating from Skytrax is an important recognition of the progress we have made in transforming Air India into a more modern, customer-focused airline. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of over 24,000 Air India employees who have embraced this transformation with commitment and pride. While this milestone reflects how far we have come, it also strengthens our resolve to continue raising the bar, with a clear ambition to achieve a 5-Star rating in due course as we build a world-class global airline with an Indian heart.”

The Skytrax audit evaluates the entire passenger journey, including airport experience, lounge facilities, onboard products, food and beverage, and service consistency.

At the centre of Air India’s transformation is its fleet modernisation programme. The airline has inducted India’s first Airbus A350 aircraft along with new Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring newly designed Air India interiors. It has also completed the retrofit of 27 A320neo aircraft with upgraded cabins, while retrofit work on legacy Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 777 aircraft continues. Air India said that more than 120 aircraft, representing 66 per cent of its full-service fleet, have now been upgraded.

The airline has also upgraded its airport and lounge experiences with redesigned lounges in Delhi, Bengaluru, and San Francisco, with additional upgrades planned globally. Other improvements include streamlined boarding, self-service check-ins, and enhanced digital tools aimed at making the passenger journey smoother.

Air India has further refreshed its onboard experience through extensive cabin crew retraining and the addition of more than 5,000 newly recruited crew members. The airline has also upgraded inflight meals, beverages, bedding, and amenities while expanding its inflight entertainment offerings. Widebody aircraft now feature over 3,000 hours of entertainment content, while narrowbody aircraft offer more than 1,250 hours through the Vista Stream wireless entertainment platform. Inflight internet connectivity is also being gradually introduced across services.

On the digital front, Air India has overhauled its IT infrastructure and customer support systems with a redesigned website, upgraded mobile application, and a generative AI chatbot that has handled over 14 million interactions. The airline also said that call wait times at its customer contact centre have reduced to around 10 seconds, alongside improvements in refunds and issue resolution processes.

As Air India continues its Vihaan.AI transformation journey, the airline said it remains focused on strengthening its products, service standards, and global presence while aiming to set new benchmarks for Indian aviation internationally.