KOHIMA: The 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) recently had a meeting. Here, Temjen Imna Along, Tourism Minister, shared facts about the 24th Hornbill Festival. It was held in the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama. It made Rs 17,11,980 for the state. He was responding to a question about the festival's earnings from a Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLA.
The Tourism Department provided numbers. The festival cost Rs 5.5 crore to put on, but it only made about 3.1% of that back. Minister Along knows this doesn't seem like a lot. Still, he said the festival helps the local economy in other ways too.
He further pointed out that the government's investment in the festival pays off big time. It makes more than twenty times what it costs. This shows its good effect on the area's economy. He believes looking at the festival as only a money maker for the government isn't the best way to measure its value.
But one NPF MLA, Kikon, was concerned about the event's small profit. He suggested that the Tourism Department should find more ways to make money from the festival. This is especially important as the 25th Hornbill Festival is soon.
In response, he proposed promoting tourism in the rural areas, especially along the inter-state border areas. His idea is to use the unique culture and experiences in these areas to attract more visitors. This could help the festival impact the economy even more.
With the soon-to-arrive Hornbill Festival, Nagaland's legislative assembly is buzzing. They're hatching a plan to squeeze out as much economic juice as possible from the festival. Rural tourism is under the spotlight too. It's a golden ticket to bolster their treasury and put Nagaland's rich cultural traditions on display. And it doesn't stop there. It's a boost for the entire tourism sector, propelling growth and development further.
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