Tourist footfall in Nagaland 2nd lowest in India

Morung Express News
Dimapur | December 11

Despite the premier 10-day Hornbill Festival and year-round mini-Hornbill celebrations, Nagaland recorded the second-lowest tourist footfall among 37 states and Union Territories (UTs) in India in 2022, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha on December 11.

Union Minister of Tourism, G Kishan Reddy, revealed in a written reply to a unstarred question in the Lower House that Nagaland's tourist footfall stood at a mere 0.10 million (1 lakh) in 2022.

Only the UT of Lakshadweep recorded lower figures, with a footfall of 20,000.

Among the North-EastStates, Assam saw the highest tourist footfall at 8.39 mn, followed by Sikkim (1.69 mn), Meghalaya (0.94 mn), Tripura (0.24 mn), Arunachal Pradesh (0.22 mn), and Mizoram (0.22 mn).

Overall, Uttar Pradesh emerged as the most popular destination, welcoming 318.56 mn tourists, followed by Tamil Nadu (218.99 mn) and Andhra Pradesh (192.88 mn).

Meanwhile, the Minister also provided a breakdown of tourist footfall in the North-East over the past decade, highlighting a significant increase in both domestic and foreign visitors.

Domestic tourism numbers climbed from 66.773 lakh in 2013 to 118.581 lakh in 2023, while foreign tourists rose from 0.848 lakh to 1.044 lakh during the same period.

The data were sourced from the respective State Governments'/Union Territories' Tourism Departments.

Reddy also pointed out that the Ministry of Tourism actively promotes the sector through various initiatives under its Domestic Promotion & Publicity including Hospitality (DPPH) and Overseas Promotion & Publicity (OPP) schemes.

These efforts include regular media campaigns under the "Incredible India" brand-line, targeting international markets to promote diverse tourism destinations and products across India. 

Additionally, the Ministry participated in renowned international tourism fairs like the World Travel Market London and the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid and others, facilitating B2B meetings with foreign tour operators and travel agents, he maintained. 

During these events, the media was briefed on India's preparedness to  welcome international tourist’s post-COVID pandemic, and the India pavilion showcased a range of tourism products, including niche offerings like cuisine, wellness, yoga, wildlife, and luxury experiences.

Reddy further clarified that the identification and development of tourist destinations are undertaken in consultation with the respective State and UT administrations. 

The Ministry of Tourism, under the Schemes of “Swadesh Darshan,” “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD),” and ‘Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development,’ provides financial assistance to State Governments/UTs and other agencies for the development of tourism-related infrastructure and facilities at various tourism destinations in the country, he added.