MUMBAI: American rapper Post Malone is set to perform in Guwahati this December, marking the beginning of Assam’s new push toward concert tourism. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the news on Wednesday, following the Assam Cabinet’s approval of a policy aimed at boosting tourism through large-scale music events.

“While our neighboring state Meghalaya has consistently hosted major concerts, and Ahmedabad recently hosted Coldplay—which reportedly generated Rs.600 crore in revenue—we’ve been left behind in this area,” Sarma said at a Cabinet meeting held in Dergaon, Golaghat district.

He added that the new concert tourism policy, previously mentioned in the state budget, was officially approved by the Cabinet. Under this initiative, cities like Guwahati, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh will host international and national artists. Post Malone’s concert, scheduled for December 8 in Guwahati, will be the first under this new plan.

“With this policy, we aim to compete healthily with Meghalaya and place Assam on the global concert map,” Sarma stated.

Meghalaya’s capital, Shillong, has drawn thousands of fans from Assam and beyond with performances by artists like Ed Sheeran, Bryan Adams, Nick Carter, and American rock band Mr Big.

In addition to the concert policy, the Cabinet also approved the sixth expansion of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The new addition of 6,000 hectares brings the total area of the park to 47,291 hectares, further enhancing Assam’s environmental and tourism appeal.