Seeti 2.0 Sparks Tourism Push in Northeast
Seeti 2.0 in Meghalaya highlights Northeast culture and tourism, with Arunachal Pradesh emerging as a potential next destination for the immersive initiative.
ITANAGAR- Conversations emerging from Seeti 2.0, a five-day cultural immersion programme held in Meghalaya, are beginning to shape discussions around expanding the format to other parts of the Northeast, including Arunachal Pradesh.
The latest edition of the initiative took place from March 26 to 31 in and around Shillong, positioning the region as a lens to explore its food systems, craft traditions, landscapes, and everyday cultural practices. The programme brought together a mix of chefs, restaurateurs, cultural practitioners, media professionals, and digital creators, forming a network of participants engaged in experience-driven storytelling.
The event unfolded through curated engagements such as shared meals, local immersions, and interactions with artisans, markets, and communities. Organisers described the approach as an attempt to move beyond conventional food events by embedding participants within local contexts, including indigenous food practices and cultural traditions across Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities.
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According to organisers, the initiative was developed over the course of a year, with a focus on identifying meaningful locations and building narratives that could extend beyond the immediate geography of Meghalaya. The event also leveraged digital platforms, with around 50 participating voices collectively reaching audiences in the millions through real-time and extended storytelling formats.
Sid Mewara, co-founder of the Seeti Movement, stated that the programme was designed to create experiences rooted in local contexts while also contributing to broader conversations on tourism and economic development. He noted that the model emerging from Meghalaya could be adapted to other regions, including Arunachal Pradesh.
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Arunachal Pradesh has been identified as a potential next destination for the initiative, given its diverse landscapes, distinct food traditions, and cultural diversity. Regions such as Tawang and Ziro were cited as examples of the state’s varied geographical and cultural offerings, which could support immersive formats similar to Seeti.
Observers suggest that such initiatives may contribute to repositioning the Northeast as a destination for experiential tourism, particularly at a time when global travel trends are increasingly favouring culturally rooted and less conventional experiences.
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The discussions also highlight the broader challenge of representing the region’s diversity in ways that move beyond standard tourism narratives. Organisers indicated that future expansions would need to remain responsive to local contexts rather than replicate existing models.
As interest in experiential travel continues to grow, states like Arunachal Pradesh and others in the Northeast may find new opportunities to engage both domestic and international audiences through initiatives that combine cultural immersion with storytelling and sustainable tourism approaches.
