Two important national days coincided on January 25. One was solemnly observed all over the state while the other was not accorded the respect it deserved. National Voters Day and National Tourism Day are observed on the same day every year. National Voters Day has been observed since 2011 to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process and it also marks the foundation day of the Election Commission of India. National Tourism Day is also observed on the same day every year to raise awareness about the importance of tourism for the country’s economy.
In Nagaland, the National Voters Day was observed in all the districts and some of the highlights of the day included administration of voter’s pledge, presentation of best BLO Awards, felicitation of online essay competition winners and address by election officers. On the other hand, the significance of National Tourism Day was limited to tweets and posts by some elected leaders of the state on their social media platforms.
While the National Voters Day is as important as it can get, it is unfortunate that the National Tourism Day was relegated to be on the back burner in Nagaland this year. The importance of the tourism industry for the development of the state’s economy could have been aptly projected on the day. Apart from the revenue it generates for the state government, the tourism industry also creates a significant number of jobs and employment opportunities, plays a very important role in the preservation and promotion of our culture, opens avenues for livelihood and additional income generation opportunities for the rural communities. It also spurs protection of the natural environment and their conservation efforts.
The way the National Tourism Day was observed, or not observed rather, has brought to the fore some pertinent questions with respect to tourism in Mokokchung. The state government might have reasons for remaining mute on the day but the fact that there was no one else to observe the day, not even the district’s tourist villages, is a disappointing indicator that Mokokchung is lagging far behind others or that Mokokchung is no better than the rest as far as interest in the promotion of tourism is concerned. It has also taught us that the Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland must first of all establish its own office establishment in Mokokchung district to develop the tourism industry in the region.