Al Ngullie
Dimapur | June 18
The next several remaining months of 2007 will be a make-or-break test for the nascent but rapidly-ballooning tourism industry of Nagaland: the Government of Nagaland is already in the process of roping in international and national stakeholders to boost the hospitality industry. The tourism department is exerting determined efforts to reinforce existing service-sectors of the industry. A part of this effort is the Nagaland Cabinet deciding to privatize all state-run hotel circuits in the state, with international/national players set to share in the tourist boomtime efforts.
The points of interest for the tourism department in the state are three-pronged: revamp, modify and reinforce hospitality management with expert human resources, all with the backing of a hefty Central fund sanction. Tourism department sources informed that it is currently expecting an approximate sanction of at least 20 crores from the Centre for the new, allied segments and events to form the 2007 edition of the Hornbill festival alone.
In fact, Commissioner & Secretary for Tourism Khekiye Sema, IAS, is in Delhi for a tourism review meeting with the ministry in concern. The commissioner informed that he is also to press for tourist projects. Some of the points of interest include identification of destinations, placing circuits for tourists etc. Citing instances, Commissioner Sema made mention that destination-based projects would be valued around 5 crore while circuits would need about 8 crore. Review Progress reports of the state’s performance in the tourism sector are also forming part of the meeting.
Adding more color to the ‘boomtime tourism preparations,’ the Nagaland Cabinet has decided to privatize all state-run hotels in the districts. The decision was actually taken a few months back but the actual process could be started only recently, it was informed.
Currently, the tourist lodges in Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung are the ones already decided upon to be handed over to private management. Commissioner Sema said that Press Secretary to the Chief Minister, Abu Metha, is confirmed to have ‘won’ the bidding for Kohima Tourist Lodge. For Mokokchung Tourist Lodge, a private entrepreneur by the name of Bendangnungshi, is said to have bid the highest to take over the lodge.
However, Dimapur continues to be the focal point of special interest for the state government determined to use the commercial hub as the feeder-point. And for obvious reasons. Dimapur Tourist Lodge would not be handed over to any local interests but to celebrated hoteliers –national or international. State tourism officials said three to five-starred hoteliers would be roped in to manage Dimapur Tourist Lodge. For now, the state government is still in the process of identifying a reputed, but proficient hotelier to run the same. The effect is expected to take some time since the entire process includes clearing all legal processes and clearance of the finance department. Nonetheless, once the needful is completed, the outcome is anticipated to ignite a chain of ‘boomtime events’ for Nagaland’s tourism industry.
Meanwhile, giving reasons for privatizing the state-run tourist lodges, Commissioner Sema implied that they were being run at a loss. He disclosed that while more than 8-9 lakhs are spent to keep them running, revenue feedback of hardly Rs. 57, 000 are received. The expenses are much higher while feedback is negligible, he explained. This was a critical ground that private management or expert and reputed hoteliers be permitted to run the lodges, he said.
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