Record number of tourists in Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival

Thursday, December 14, 2023

The scenic heritage village of Kisama is the venue for the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.

The festival welcomed over 1.54 lakh visitors. It was comprising both foreigners and domestic tourists for the 10-day extravaganza that commenced on December 1.

The Hornbill Festival serves as an annual tourism promotion initiative by the state government and is recognised as the festival of festivals.

The state tourism department reported overall footfall at 1,54,057. It is an increase of 13,758 tourists in comparison with that last year. Among these, there were 1,14,860 locals, 37,089 domestic tourists, and 2,108 foreigners.

The count of foreign visitors witnessed a significant surge, doubling from 1,026 in 2022 to 2,108 this year.

Conversely, the number of domestic tourists saw a notable decrease. It was declining by over 11,000 in comparison with the previous year’s figure of 48,413.

The festival’s pinnacle was on the last day, Sunday. Sunday recorded the highest footfall at 23,583. The second-largest turnout of 18,002 on December 3 followed Sunday’s footfall, according to the tourism department.

The Hornbill Festival serves as a vibrant showcase of Nagaland’s deep-rooted traditions, cultural heritage, and ethnic diversity, capturing the essence of the state in all its grandeur.

In the visitors’ diaries scattered across Kisama, located 12 kilometers from the state capital Kohima, tourists expressed their admiration for the Nagaland government.

All tribes from Nagaland participate in the festival, aptly named after the hornbill bird, which is a prominent in the state’s folklore.

Festival-goers relished the experience of Naga cuisine, songs, dances, and customs, further enhancing the cultural richness of the event.

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