Joy Roy Choudhury – Kolkata
Nagaland has not been able to attract a sizeable number of domestic tourists since it was set up as a state of the Indian Union in the 60s. Insurgency problems in the 90s, lack of proper tourism infrastructure like hotels and road connectivity and negative perception of the state among the travel trade are the main bottlenecks for the growth and promotion of tourism in this state. But the present government has taken up a massive exercise to rectify the situation. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, P Angami, additional director, Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland said, “Today Nagaland is one of the safest places in the country and the problem of insurgency is now a closed chapter.” One of the biggest assets of Nagaland is its people, the state is home to 16 major tribes along with other sub-tribes. There is one festival or another every other month. “Song and dance are a part of all their festivities. We are marketing these festivals in a big way to lure tourists to the state,” Angami said.
One of the important festivals is the 10-day long Hornbill Festival, which is celebrated annually in the first week of December. “The rich tribal culture of Nagaland is displayed during this festival. Tourists attending the festival can get knowledge about the customs, food habits, art forms, artifacts, sports and tribal dances of Nagas. It is the biggest festival of the state and tourists from the country and abroad attend it. We have received an overwhelming response from foreign visitors. Several tourists from Europe have already booked their stay for the festival, almost two-three months back,” he added. The festival is hosted at a specially designed bamboo-structured complex known as Naga Heritage Village, set up by the state government at Kisama, near Kohima. The Heritage Complex also houses a World War II Museum, Bamboo Heritage Hall, Bamboo Pavilion, Kids Carnival, Horti-Scape, Food Court, stadium for hosting live concerts, beauty pageant, fashion shows, etc.
To create proper tourism infrastructure in the state, the tourism department is also urging potential entrepreneurs to invest in setting up tourism infrastructure like luxury hotels in Kohima, ropeways, amusement parks etc. “We would extend all possible help and cooperation to the potential investors,” Angami added. The state is an ideal place for trekking, mountain sports, jungle camping and offers attractive investment opportunities.