"Tourism will create opportunities for hundreds and thousands of youths in the region," said Sangma at the Fire Brigade Ground here from where the colourful carnival took off. It culminated on the Shillong Club premises.
"There is immense potential in the region and we should derive optimum economic benefit," he added even as he called upon the people of the region to "show the best to the world" and expressed confidence that the Shillong Autumn Festival would get "bigger and better" in the coming years.
Emphasizing "serious introspection" by all stakeholders, the CM stressed identification of areas which required to be tapped. "We should put our efforts together and create space for each other," he said, even as he announced that 2012 would be observed as "Year of the Youth" in Meghalaya.
Urban affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh urged all northeasterners to remember that despite differences they were all Indians. "Let's display our identity in diversity," she said. Former minister Robert G Lyngdoh, who is the chairman of Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF), in collaboration with the state tourism department, The Times of India Group and several others, has been organizing this mega festival. He pointed out that promotion of tourism would open up economic avenues.
Meanwhile, the colourful floats of different states of the region, followed by yet another tableau on national integration spreading the message of "vandemataram" through the streets of Shillong on the opening day of the festival, had a message for all - India is North East and North East is indeed India in its diverse hues and beauty.
The festival would shift by the banks of the picturesque Umiam (Barapani) Lake on Saturday and Sunday.