Tourism in Nagaland: A one-month wonder?

Records 1.31 lakh tourist arrivals in 2024, December accounts for 63% 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 19

Tourist arrivals in Nagaland have been steadily increasing over the years, yet they remain overwhelmingly concentrated in one month and one event, an analysis of official reports indicated.

In 2024, Nagaland recorded a total of 131,139 tourist arrivals, but a striking over 63% of visitors arrived in December alone, according to monthly figures from the Annual Administrative Report 2023-24 of the Tourism Department, Nagaland. 

From January to November, the State saw just 48,299 (around 37%) tourist arrivals, averaging 4,390 visitors per month. 

However, in December alone, 82,840 visitors were recorded—nearly twice the total footfall of the previous eleven months combined.

A closer examination of domestic and foreign tourist arrivals further highlights the imbalanced nature of Nagaland’s tourism trends.

Out of 125,516 domestic tourists in 2024, only 46,438 arrived between January and November, while 79,078 visited in December alone, accounting for 63.01% of the total.

Similarly, of 5,623 foreign visitors, just 1,861 arrived from January to November, whereas 3,762 came in December, making up 66.9% of the year’s total foreign arrivals.

A deeper dive into December’s figures reveals that the Hornbill Festival (December 1-10) alone attracted 58,744 tourists, contributing a staggering 44.8% of Nagaland’s total tourist footfall in 2024. 

Of the 125,516 domestic tourists in 2024, a massive 56,217 visited during the Hornbill Festival, accounting for over 44% of the total.

Likewise, out of 5,623 foreign visitors, 2,527 arrived during the festival, making up nearly 50% of total foreign arrivals.

Such an event-centric pattern is also evident in the Nagaland Economic Survey 2024-25 data and other data. 

According to year-wise figures, total tourist arrivals in Nagaland increased from 100,354 in 2022 to 104,445 in 2023 and further to 131,139 in 2024. 

However, even in 2023, the Hornbill Festival accounted for 37.53% of the total 104,445 tourists. In 2022, at 48,413, the festival contributed nearly 50% of the 100,354 tourists in the state. 

While the Hornbill Festival has undoubtedly placed Nagaland on the global tourism map, the sharp contrast in visitor trends points to a structural weakness in Nagaland’s tourism strategy—a heavy dependence on a single festival rather than a diversified, year-round tourism economy. 

Source: Annual Administrative Report 2023-24, Tourism Department, Nagaland.