A cultural showcase to tourism drive: A trend analysis on Hornbill Festival of Nagaland since 2010

This study presents a longitudinal analysis of tourism growth associated with the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, an annual cultural event organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland, from December 1 to 10. Conceived as a platform to preserve indigenous traditions while promoting tourism, the festival showcases the cultural diversity, agrarian heritage, and socio-religious values of the Naga tribes and attracts visitors from local, national, and international contexts. The study is based exclusively on secondary data obtained from the official records of the Directorate of Tourism, Nagaland. Tourist arrivals were categorized into local, domestic, and foreign visitors, compiled based on tickets issued at the festival venue. Covering a fifteen-year period from 2010 to 2025, the data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and presented through tables and graphical representations. Growth rate analysis was employed to examine year-wise changes in tourist inflow. The findings reveal a substantial expansion in tourist inflow, with total arrivals increasing from 28,282 in 2010 to 214,493 in 2025, indicating nearly eightfold growth, with an average annual growth rate of about 40 percent. Local tourists showed strong participation, while domestic arrivals reflected growing national appeal. Foreign tourist arrivals, though smaller in volume, recorded a notably high growth rate, indicating rising international interest. The study is limited to tourism during the festival period and excludes off-season tourist flows. Based on the findings, the paper recommends targeted policy interventions, including selective relaxation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) norms during the festival, enhanced promotional strategies, infrastructure upgrades, improved transport and accommodation facilities, and strengthened digital tourism platforms to ensure sustainable tourism development in Nagaland.