The celebration began on December 1st and ran for 10 days, during which time it served as a major tourist attraction for the Nagaland government.
Digital desk: This year's Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, a colourful cultural festival, has attracted an amazing crowd of over 1.54 lakh visitors, demonstrating its popularity once again.
The celebration began on December 1st and ran for 10 days, during which time it served as a major tourist attraction for the Nagaland government. 13,758 more visitors attended this year's event than the year before, marking a notable rise in overall foot traffic.
There were 1,14,860 local visitors, 37,089 domestic visitors, and a noteworthy 2,108 overseas visitors present. At the festival, the number of foreign attendees quadrupled from 1,026 in the previous year, indicating the increasing interest across the world in Nagaland's diverse cultural heritage.
However, domestic tourism showed a little decline, falling by more than 11,000 from 48,413 in the previous year.
The event peaked on Sunday, the last day, with 23,583 participants, the biggest attendance of any day, and December 3rd, with 18,002 attendees, the second-highest number. With its vibrant array of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food markets, and religious rituals, the Hornbill Festival is a monument to Nagaland's long-standing customs and ethnic variety.
Each tribe in Nagaland used Kisama, a beautiful heritage village 12 kilometres from Kohima, the state capital, as a platform to display their distinct cultural traditions. The event, named for the culturally significant hornbill bird, reinforced Nagaland's identity as a distinct state within India's federal union with its wide range of cultural performances, including music, dances, songs, and more.
The event's cultural richness was further enhanced by the visitors' indulgence in real Naga cuisine, music, dances, and customs. Known as the "festival of festivals," the Hornbill Festival promotes the state's reputation as a country of festivals while also showcasing the customs and cultures of many ethnic groups.
The Hornbill Festival's success serves as a glaring example of Nagaland's potential as a hub for cultural tourism, drawing visitors from throughout the country and beyond who are keen to take in the unique cultural experiences offered by the state.
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