Hornbill Festival to open with six country partners

Nagaland is fully prepared to host the 10-day Hornbill Festival, in which six country partners will participate, Tourism Minister Temjen Imna Along said on Sunday.

Briefing the media on preparations for the 26th edition of the Hornbill festival at a press conference here, the minister said the celebration will open on December 1, coinciding with Nagaland Statehood Day.

Celebrated since 2000, the Hornbill festival is an annual tourism promotional event of the state government and has grown into Nagaland’s largest cultural event, envisioned to promote the traditions of all Naga tribes while boosting tourism. It is the coming together of all the tribes of the state under one roof in Kisama, some 12 km south of the state capital on the NH-29, Kohima-Imphal Road.

Over the years, it has evolved into an international platform, attracting visitors from across India and abroad and expanding to multiple venues across the state. This year, six country partners—France, Ireland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Malta, and Austria—and one state partner, Arunachal Pradesh, will participate, besides the 18 major tribes of the state showcasing their richly colourful culture and tradition. The festival will be officially hosted by the Governor of Nagaland, alongside delegations from the partner countries and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, he said.

Along said the 2025 edition will place greater emphasis on culture, tradition, and collaboration with country partners to amplify Nagaland’s global visibility. Multiple festival extensions will be held across the state, including Mon (December 8-10), Dimapur (Hornbill Carnival from December 6), Wokha (Doyang Festival), Zünheboto, and other locations, he said.

The minister acknowledged delays in preparatory works due to persistent rains and road damage, but said all line departments, including Tourism, Power, PHED, Police, and district administrations, have worked round-the-clock to ensure readiness.

The minister said that the Protected Area Permit (PAP) procedures have been relaxed to ease entry for foreign tourists during the festival. While the permit remains mandatory, on-arrival facilitation counters have been established at airports to speed up approvals, which take around 15 minutes if connectivity is stable, he said. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has written twice to the Union Home Minister in November, requesting a relaxation of the PAP for the festival. The relaxation applies to all foreign tourists, except those from restricted countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and China, said Along.

On expectations from partner nations, along said Nagaland continues to benefit from global collaborations in education, culture, research and skill development.

He highlighted Japan’s ongoing engagement through JICA, including the newly inaugurated Kohima Eco Park and biodiversity initiatives.

Responding to queries on economic impact, the minister said official statistics from last year indicated revenue generation of around Rs 189 crore from the largely unorganised sector, but he believes actual figures are higher, with significant earnings for homestays, artists, transporters and local businesses.

He added that thousands of temporary jobs are created during the 10-day event, alongside indirect year-round opportunities in tourism.

The minister said the government aims to eventually keep the Hornbill venue open throughout the year to support sustainable tourism activity.

He appealed to citizens, visitors, and all stakeholders to participate fully in the festival and showcase Nagaland’s unity, culture, traditions, contemporary arts, and hospitality.

Director of Tourism Viyelo Duolo said that the entry ticket for all categories of visitors to the main venue in Kisama has been fixed at Rs 150 per head.

Hornbill is an annual tourism promotional event and has grown into Nagaland’s largest cultural event