The Assam Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ATDCL) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with BigTree Entertainment Private Limited, which owns the online ticketing platform BookMyShow, to facilitate the hosting of international concerts in the state.

The MoU was signed just over a month after the Assam cabinet approved a concert tourism policy to position the state as a premier music and entertainment hub, and to pitch itself as a “healthy” competitor to neighbouring Meghalaya.

Meghalaya has emerged as a key concert destination in the Northeast, having hosted global acts ranging from Scorpions to Bryan Adams and Ed Sheeran.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced the launch of the concert policy with a show to be headlined by American rap sensation Post Malone in Guwahati on December 8.

Tuesday’s agreement was signed between representatives of the ATDCL and BigTree Entertainment in the presence of Sarma, who said the pact heralds a new phase in Assam’s cultural development.

The chief minister added that the collaboration could help establish Assam as a “preferred destination for concertgoers worldwide” and integrate the state more prominently into the international music circuit.

The development of concert tourism would meaningfully contribute to the strengthening of the state’s economy, he said.

At the MoU signing ceremony, Sarma cited Meghalaya as a regional model in the concert economy and said the natural setting of the Northeast has positioned it as a distinctive destination for musical experiences.

He suggested Assam, by combining its traditional cultural heritage with the dynamism of its young population and natural landscape, is well placed to develop a sustained live concert culture. “Such efforts would also help enhance Assam’s cultural profile on a larger canvas,” Sarma said.