By Dr Asangba Tzudir
Tourism as an activity is undertaken for many reasons including leisure, pleasure, business, or for academic purposes. Most popular ones include cultural tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, medical tourism, religious tourism and more. And though in varying degrees, it can also be said that tourism is gaining prominence in the state especially with the coming of the Hornbill festival which has attracted both National and International who visit Nagaland not simply to experience the festival but to learn more about the place, people, culture and their way of life.
The way in which opportunities for tourism has opened up in Nagaland, calls for religious, economic, social, and cultural development so that Tourism truly find its place within the concept and form it warrants. While these are important for the growth, more important is the presence of adequate infrastructure in order to help promote tourism in Nagaland. Tourism augments economic growth through revenue returns and which has really boosted local businesses – Small businesses, artisans, and local markets getting benefits from increased tourist spending. In a place where issues of unemployment hit hard, tourism has opened up employment opportunities. It has also enabled cultural exchange bringing the world and people together even as people learn about new cultures, traditions, and lifestyles thereby creating the global connectedness. It has also enabled greater environmental awareness injecting a moral sense on the importance of preserving the diverse flora and fauna in the state. It has also injected a sense of history and the need to preserve heritage.
However, there is no denying the fact that the lack of adequate Infrastructure in the state has really hampered the growth of tourism. Yes, infrastructure is crucial for promoting tourism in a place because it provides the foundation for accessibility, comfort, and safety, which are essential for attracting visitors. The lack of proper roads and transport system has served as a stumbling block in the emergence of Nagaland as a tourist destination. As such, to attract and accommodate tourists, there is need for investment in the development of roads, airports and communication systems. This will make it so easier for tourists to reach and explore a destination within a short time and saving travel time besides the horrors of having to travel in deplorable roads. Time is a luxury which many people do not have, and time factor also plays a critical role in drawing tourists.
The public service sector also needs to revamp in order to cater to the needs and tastes of various tourists. There have been complaints on the public services and amenities from foreign tourists during hornbill festival. Accommodation is another key aspect, and the presence of hotels, resorts, and other lodging facilities at fair rates will ensure that visitors have comfortable places to stay. To ensure that tourists have a warm, hospitable and a great stay, basic amenities like water supply, electricity, sanitation, internet connectivity, safety and security measures, emergency health care facilities needs to be provided and this will greatly enhance any tourist’s experience besides contributing to a secure and reassuring environment for tourists. Places of attraction including historical sites, parks, museums, and entertainment spaces often make destinations more appealing and rightly so. Investment in its maintenance and beautification is important. For instance, having the Kohima World War II Cemetery as a historical site has attracted tourists worldwide besides building lasting relationships.
However, without adequate infrastructure, even a naturally beautiful, historically loaded or culturally rich destination will find it difficult to attract tourists. Besides the need to further invest in the development of infrastructure, on the aspect of promoting tourism, there is need to deeply explore Nagaland and identify places of attraction. For a very long time Nagaland and the Nagas were only seen and known from the way in which outsiders ‘imaged’ or wrote about the land and people in their writings. As such, how we promote our land, culture and identity becomes more important than what we promote.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir writes weekly guest editorials for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
