AIZAWL, September 23, 2026: Mizoram’s 2026 festival season began on Wednesday with the launch of the State’s first ‘Pluck & Pay’ Festival in Tualte and Chawngtlai villages of Khawzawl district, introducing a community-led tourism model designed to connect visitors directly with farms, local producers and rural livelihoods.
Jointly organised by the Tourism Department, Government of Mizoram, and the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Khawzawl, the three-day festival, being held from September 23 to 25, allows visitors to enter local farms, harvest fresh produce and pay directly for what they pick.
The initiative brings agriculture, horticulture, tourism, food and community enterprise together, giving visitors an opportunity to experience rural Mizoram while creating direct economic linkages with farming households.
Tourism Minister Pu Lalnghinglova Hmar said the event reflects the State’s broader vision of ensuring that tourism benefits the communities hosting visitors.
“The future of tourism is not only about taking visitors to places; it is about creating value for the people who make those places worth visiting,” Hmar said.
He added that Mizoram wants tourism to create stronger linkages with villages, farms, entrepreneurs and cultural communities, allowing visitors to buy directly from farmers, experience local food and culture, and spend within communities.
The economic benefits could extend beyond farming through demand for local cuisine, homestays, guides, transportation, handicrafts and cultural performances. For Khawzawl, the event offers an opportunity to position villages as destinations where visitors can participate in local livelihoods and experience the region’s landscape and culture.
The event programme also includes traditional Mizo music and dance, local cuisine, handicrafts, cultural performances, recreational games, and visits to historical and tourist sites, broadening the experience beyond farm tourism.
The festival launches a wider 2026 calendar featuring events including the Anthurium Festival, Hnahsin Kût, Travel Fest, Leitlangpui Music Festival, Winter Festival, Tlaizawng Paradise Festival and Sakawrhmuituai Sunset Event.
Official figures presented in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly show tourist arrivals rising from 4,27,302 in 2024 to 8,41,322 in 2025, highlighting the expanding market for community-based tourism across the State.
