Nagaland Governor recently emphasised the importance of expanding the state's tourism beyond the Hornbill Festival by developing areas that can draw visitors throughout the year.
Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav recently emphasised the importance of expanding the state's tourism beyond the Hornbill Festival by developing areas that can draw visitors throughout the year. He believes that transforming the sector into a sustainable industry would create jobs, enhance livelihoods, and boost the state's economy. This sentiment is frequently echoed by central leaders and officials who visit Northeast India, citing the region’s pristine landscape, natural beauty, cultural diversity, and rich biodiversity. The region is being depicted as the next big thing on the country’s tourism map. However, the numbers paint a sobering picture, with the Northeast accounting for only 0.43% of India’s domestic tourist visits and 1.17% of foreign tourist visits in 2024, out of which Nagaland’s share of international tourists is a paltry 0.03%, while Sikkim and Tripura take the lion’s share. The Ministry of Tourism has promoted the region as an "unexplored paradise" for years, yet, ironically, it remains largely unexplored to this day. The narrative that the Northeast possesses "immense tourism potential" has also become a political cliché, as the sector has remained in a "potential" phase for decades. In short, this so-called trump card for economic growth is a farce, with the region receiving negligible benefit from it. The tourism outlook in the region will remain gloomy until the government addresses systemic gaps, including the infrastructure paradox and bureaucratic hurdles that are harming the sector.
For Nagaland, tourism is far from sustainable. It is basically seasonal, with the annual Hornbill Festival being the main tourist attraction, both domestic and foreign. The fact is that there are many factors working against the development of the sector. One of them is infrastructure. While the Centre boasts about enhancing connectivity in the Northeast, which is true to some extent when it comes to air and railways, roads remain a bottleneck for travellers. When a road as crucial as National Highway 29 faces unprecedented delays, besides frequent traffic obstructions due to landslides and rockfalls, especially during the monsoon, one can only imagine the condition of interior roads. But Nagaland is more than just Dimapur and Kohima; it boasts many interesting places to visit. Unfortunately, pathetic road conditions hinder rural tourism. This issue needs to be addressed on a war footing if the government is serious about using tourism to enhance the state's livelihood. Much of the onus for road development falls on the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which is currently executing a total of 16 road projects in the state, including NH-29 and NH-02. The Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime, which was reintroduced in the state in 2024, also contradicts the Centre’s push for tourism. Earlier this month, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the regime, citing the state’s improved security situation. Subsequently, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking his "personal intervention." The Indian government must lift this restriction well before the upcoming Hornbill Festival—and not at the eleventh hour, as happened last year—if it is serious about promoting tourism in the state.