Shillong’s ‘Scotland of the East’ tag is now official — tourism board leans in

When the state tourism board launched its new campaign, the tagline was unapologetic: ‘Scotland of the East — and so much more.’ The colonial nickname is back, with a twist.

The campaign’s second half shifts the lens to Khasi stories: the matrilineal system, the monoliths of Nartiang, the living root bridges and the gospel choirs of Shillong.

Local operators are cautiously supportive, provided the revenue reaches the villages. ‘We don’t mind the tourists,’ one homestay owner said. ‘We mind being a backdrop.’