Nagaland’s Hornbill festival attended by over 1.54 lakh visitors

Dimapur: The natural heritage village of Kisama in Nagaland welcomed over 1.54 lakh visitors during the Hornbill Festival.

Both domestic and foreign tourists flocked to Nagaland for the 10-day extravaganza that began on December 01.
The Hornbill Festival serves as an annual tourism promotion initiative by the Nagaland government and is recognized as the festival of festivals.

The Nagaland Tourism Department reported a total of 1,54,057 tourist arrivals, an increase of 13,758 tourists over last year.

Among these, there were 1,14,860 locals, 37,089 domestic visitors and 2108 foreigners.

The international presence at the festival doubled from the previous year’s count of 1,026, highlighting the growing global interest in Nagaland’s rich cultural tapestry.

However, there was a slight dip in domestic tourist numbers, which saw a notable decrease of over 11,000 from the prior year’s figure of 48,413.

The festival reached its zenith on the final day, Sunday, recording the highest attendance with 23,583 people, while the second-largest gathering was observed on December 3rd, with 18,002 attendees.

The Hornbill Festival serves as a testament to Nagaland’s deep-rooted traditions and ethnic diversity, offering a colourful mix of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs, and religious ceremonies.

Visitors indulged in the authentic experience of Naga cuisine, songs, dances, and customs, further enriching the cultural richness of the event. The Hornbill Festival, often referred to as the ‘festival of festivals,’ not only exposes the culture and tradition of ethnic peoples but also bolsters the state’s image as a land of festivals.

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.