The Directorate of Tourism, Government of Nagaland, has informed that a total of 25,577 people attended the 23rd Hornbill Festival 2022 in the first two days of the Festival of Festivals which flaunts the G20 India logo.

Nagaland’s pride, the Hornbill Festival, was inaugurated yesterday by Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Vice President of India in the presence of esteemed dignitaries including the Governor of Nagaland Jagdish Mukhi, Barry O’Farrel, High Commissioner of Australia to India, Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India, Alan Gemmell, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia & British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India and many more.

After the huge success of the 2019 edition, the 2020 edition was expected to break all records, but the festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The much-awaited 2021 Hornbill Festival kicked off well but was called off halfway in solidary with the people of Oting in Mon.

“As a mark of respect to our brothers slain at Oting, Mon, and in solidarity with the bereaved families, all festivities at the Hornbill Festival 2021 have been officially cancelled,” Nagaland Tourism had announced.

2019 Hornbill Festival has so far pulled the most tourists with 2,82,811 visitors compared to 2,43,214 in the previous year. After the disruptions of two editions, the organisers are trying to pick up the momentum this year.

The tourism department has said that 14,482 people attended the festival on Thursday, the opening day, and 11,095 today, 2 December. It is fair to expect the number of visitors to grow in on Saturday and Sunday, being holidays for most people.

The attendance report also points out that the total number of foreign tourists yesterday was 157 and today 221. The total number of domestic tourists who attended yesterday stood at 3,205 and 3,985 today, while local tourists footfall were 11,120 and 6,889 for the first and second day respectively.