Mizoram eyes concert economy, invites private players to host big music events

Mizoram is looking to tap into the growing concert economy by creating platforms for local musicians and inviting private players to organise large-scale music events, Tourism Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar said, while also highlighting the state’s newly launched community-based homestay programme aimed at expanding tourism beyond Aizawl.

Speaking to India Today NE on the sidelines of the three-day Mizoram Travel Fest 2026, Hmar said the state recognised the economic potential of music festivals and concerts but wanted the sector to grow organically, with local artists playing a central role.

“Concert economy is so huge that even the Chief Ministers of the neighbouring states have been mentioning it. I do believe that it’s a huge opportunity. But I also believe in organic growth, where we are promoting our own local artists,” the minister said.

Mizoram plans to showcase homegrown talent at the upcoming Leitlangpui Music Festival in November. Hmar said a Mizoram band that won a Yamaha music challenge would also perform at the winter festival, adding that he had met and felicitated the musicians and promised them a platform to perform.

Foreign bands, big concerts on Mizoram’s radar

The state has also explored the possibility of bringing major international acts to Mizoram. Hmar said the government had attempted to arrange a performance by a major foreign band last year, with funds allocated for ground preparation at the abandoned Tuirial Airstrip.

However, the plan did not materialise as the private player involved could not deliver, he said.

Talks about bringing foreign bands to Mizoram have since been initiated, although the minister stopped short of confirming any performance.

“I will not say that we are doing it, but the talk has already been initiated regarding the same,” Hmar said, adding that the government would be willing to partner with interested organisers.

He said the government’s role would primarily involve providing venues and facilitating security arrangements, while private players would be expected to organise and deliver the concerts.

Through India Today NE, the minister also invited private event organisers to explore Mizoram as a destination for large music events, citing the state’s strong musical culture.

The discussion also touched on the potential of gospel music concerts, which have drawn large audiences in Mizoram in the past. Hmar welcomed the suggestion of reviving such events, saying the government would support private organisers willing to bring them back.

Community homestays to take tourism beyond Aizawl

Alongside its ambitions for music-led tourism, Mizoram is seeking to spread tourism activity to rural communities through its community-based homestay programme, launched in September.

Hmar said the initiative was at an early stage, with homestay owners and locations being identified in different constituencies. The government has asked MLAs to identify suitable locations in their respective constituencies, with the programme intended to benefit rural communities across the state.

The minister said it was too early to assess the programme’s sustainability, as the selected homestays were only about to begin operations.

“We want our tourism policy to go hand in hand with community-based tourism as well as sustainability,” he said.

The programme is intended to help broaden the tourism experience beyond Aizawl, where visitor activity has traditionally been concentrated, and create opportunities for rural residents to participate directly in the tourism economy.

If developed alongside music festivals and other large events, community-based homestays could also provide accommodation and livelihood opportunities in areas beyond the state capital. However, the scale of that potential will depend on how the programme is implemented, how accessible the locations are and whether visitor demand can be sustained.

For now, Mizoram’s approach combines two strands: building opportunities for local musicians while opening the door to larger concerts, and developing community-based tourism that allows rural households to benefit from visitors to the state.