Kohima’s tourism story has for years revolved around the Hornbill Festival. But a new study now suggests that this success may also be holding the city back. Conducted under the Urbaltour project, the research warns that Kohima’s heavy reliance on the festival has led to uneven, seasonal growth and calls for a more sustainable, year-round tourism strategy.
The study, a collaboration between The Highland Institute (Kohima) and the French Institute of Pondicherry, is based on field surveys and interviews carried out between 2022 and 2025. It found that nearly 45% of visitors to Kohima come primarily for the Hornbill Festival, while the rest trickle in for nature and trekking-related trips. Researchers say this concentration of visitors during December strains the city’s infrastructure and limits economic opportunities for the rest of the year.
While visitor satisfaction remains generally high, the study points to recurring issues with transport, accommodation, and waste management during peak season. It also shows how the hospitality industry has expanded rapidly with 75% of establishments set up after 2014 yet remains dominated by small, uncoordinated enterprises.
Outside the Hornbill season, Kohima sees fewer but more deliberate travellers — trekkers and nature enthusiasts who stay longer, often between five and eight days. Yet, this potential for off-season tourism remains largely untapped.
The report notes that sites like Dzükou Valley, Mt. Japfü and Khonoma continue to draw visitors, but investments and publicity remain focused almost entirely on the Hornbill Festival and Kisama Heritage Village.
For local vendors and artisans, particularly women, the study highlights familiar problems such as cramped stalls, poor sanitation, and little structural support at the festival venue. The report observes that while the festival is crucial for their livelihood, the benefits are short-lived and depend heavily on annual state spending.
The Urbaltour team recommends the creation of a Coordinating Tourism Council bringing together government officials, village councils, and tourism stakeholders to plan beyond the festival season. It also suggests adopting a “high-value, low-volume” approach that focuses on smaller but more sustainable visitor segments such as eco-tourism and cultural heritage travel.
Long-term investment in basic services like water, waste, and traffic management, along with better training and upskilling for hospitality workers, are also among the recommendations.
The findings come at a time when Nagaland continues to market itself around the Hornbill brand – a festival that has undeniably helped showcase the state’s culture to the world, but which may now be overshadowing the need for balance.
The report’s message is clear: Kohima’s future as a destination depends on how it can turn the festival’s visibility into sustainable, community-driven tourism. Without that shift, the city risks remaining a once-a-year attraction rather than a living, evolving cultural hub.