Guwahati's skies may be streaked with Durga Puja colours, but Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made sure the celebrations didn't stop at the terminal doors. On Sunday, 18 October 2026, he announced that Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati is hosting a live cultural festival — #UtsavArambh — at its Arrival area, giving every passenger a first taste of Assam's festive spirit the moment they land.

Posting on X, CM Sarma wrote: 'When the entire State is celebrating, how can #LGBIAirport be left behind. This Puja, people visiting the Airport are getting to experience a wide range of cultural performances, handicrafts, food and much more at the Arrival area as part of #UtsavArambh. Visit and enjoy!'

A festival pop-up at Assam's busiest gateway

LGBI Airport is the primary international gateway to Assam and the wider Northeast, handling a steady surge of passengers during major festivals. By converting the Arrival area into a cultural showcase, the state is effectively turning a transit zone into an immersive welcome. Passengers stepping off flights now walk past live performances, handloom and handicraft stalls, and regional food — all curated under the Utsav Arambh banner.

The move is deliberately timed to Durga Puja, one of Assam's grandest celebrations. For travellers who have flown in specifically for the festivities — or tourists discovering the state for the first time — the airport itself becomes the opening act.

Turning infrastructure into a tourism statement

This is not the first time Assam has used public infrastructure as a canvas for cultural promotion. The state government has periodically activated airports and transport hubs during Durga Puja and Bihu to spotlight local artisans and performers, part of a longer push to position Assam as a premium cultural-tourism destination in the Northeast.

The Utsav Arambh initiative at LGBI extends that logic to its most visible possible venue. An international airport carries a unique audience: domestic travellers, business visitors, and foreign tourists — precisely the demographic the state's tourism pitch needs to reach. Local artisans benefit from footfall that no craft fair alone could guarantee, and passengers get a curated cultural encounter before they've even cleared baggage claim.

With similar festivals expected at future Bihu cycles, the model being piloted here could well extend to other Assam airports and railway stations in the months ahead.

The terminal is no longer just a waiting room — it's Assam's opening handshake to the world.