Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 29
Though tourism activities in Nagaland are still at its nascent stage, the state has the potential to become of the north-east’s upcoming popular destinations. This was envisaged in the Nagaland Economic Survey 2015-16 brought out by the department of economics & statistics and which was tabled in the recent state assembly session.
For promotion of tourism, focus should not only be on development of infrastructural and facilities but also on preservation of culture, conservation of natural resources and traditional habitats, adventure sports and eco-tourism, the Survey suggested.
It also noted that over the years with the promotion and upscaling of the activity of the Hornbill Festival in December, it has become a mega tourism event in the state which not only generated employment but also served to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of the state.
The Survey also informed that the inflow of both domestic and foreign tourist to the state has been increasing year by year.
In 2014, a total of 58, 507 domestic tourists and 2, 585 foreign tourists visited the state. Maximum tourists visited the state during the Hornbill Festival in December. The Hornbill Festival alone accounts for attracting 95.77 per cent of domestic tourist and 4.23 per cent of foreign tourist.
The 16th Annual Hornbill Festival 2015 saw an overwhelming visit of 2, 43, 113 tourists as against 1, 72, 404 during 2014. And while each district prides itself with the availability of tourist spots, the Survey however said many of these spots lack tourist amenities/facilities.
