Shillong, Oct 16: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday announced the India International Cherry Blossom Festival, 2018 to be held in Meghalaya from November 14 to 17.

Addressing media persons at the Press Club of India, New Delhi, along with Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Director of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), the Chief Minister invited the people in the country and international community to visit Meghalaya and witness the Cherry Blossom Festival, the world’s only Autumn Cherry Blossom Festival.

According to the Chief Minister, one can enjoy the full Cherry Blossom view in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, which will be in full bloom during November with pink and white Cherry Blossoms all along the roadside and the famous Ward’s Lake.

Conrad lauded the initiative of IBSD and said this was another way to deepen and strengthen the connections with the Government of Japan through the exposition of the Japanese cultural events and cuisine, as the Embassy of Japan in India has come in as a strategic partner.

Sahoo said that the Cherry Blossom Festival generates huge employment and revenues for various cities and countries as lakhs of visitors from different parts of the world come to Japan, New Zealand and parts of Korea to witness the Cherry Blossom.

In Washington DC alone, festival typically brings more than 1.5 million visitors and brings in $400 million in revenue every year.

He also mentioned that the India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2017, which was celebrated to mark the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development had attracted more than one lakh visitors and boosted the local economy by 300 per cent.

The India International Cherry Blossom Festival 2018 in Shillong will celebrate the unique mass flowering of autumn Himalayan Cherry Blossoms with several cultural events. Visitors can enjoy fashion shows, rock concerts, beauty pageant and even compete in an amateur Golf tournament.

Alongside, there will be stalls showcasing the region’s food, arts and crafts and several Japanese cultural events and a Japanese Food Pavilion in partnership with the Embassy of  of Japan in India.