Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Dec. 1 (EMN): Around 12,200 tourists—domestic and foreign visitors—attended the first day of the 18th edition of the 10-day Hornbill Festival at Kisama.
According to Toka E Tuccumi, tourist officer, statistical-in-charge, the first day saw 273 foreign tourists, 2,105 domestic and 9,822 “local” visitors from Nagaland.
Talking to Eastern Mirror, Tuccumi said that the number of foreign tourists have doubled in comparison to the previous years’ while the number of “local” visitors have drastically decreased. He maintained that the total number of tourists and visitors might be ‘higher as many arrived at the venue in cars with passes and could not be counted at the gate.’ The counting, he informed, was tallied with the number of tickets sold at the gate.
Hornbill Festival, also ‘festival of festivals,’ is being organised by the Nagaland government since 2000 showcases Nagaland’s cultural heritage in all its diversity and grandeur.
The festival is one event where both tourists and visitors get the opportunity to witness the rich cultural heritage of all the 17 tribes of the state.
According to a handout from the Tourism department, the event has grown in stature and scale over the years which has now become a unique platform for tourist to witness cultural diversity not only of the Nagas, but of the Seven Sister states of Northeast India as well.
