While the Hornbill Festival is praised for the preservation and celebration of the vibrant culture of Nagaland, one issue that is often raised is that of exploitative charges on products and food. Both tourists and locals expressed concerns about the steep prices at the Hornbill Festival. A domestic visitor from Kerala remarked that while some stalls were reasonably priced, others charged excessively. He enjoyed the food he tried, but felt some dishes were overpriced.

,Another tourist, while purchasing embroidered flowers, noted that the prices were quite high. She suggested that the vendor might have been charging more because she was a foreigner and refused to offer a discount. She claimed the vendor was trying to take advantage of her. Although she found the handmade products beautiful, she commented that paying Rs. 200 for a single flower was too steep.

One tourist expressed surprise at the prices of certain products, noting that some morung offered good value due to their large and filling portions. However, she was disappointed to find that the rates for imported alcohol were significantly higher than those in the market.

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Another tourist was impressed to see delegates from the central government joining the celebrations, which added a grand touch to the festival. He likened the event to something straight out of a movie.

Acknowledging the hospitality of the Nagas as extraordinary, a tourist shared appreciation of the Naga culture, and the enjoyment of everything happening in Kisama. “We didn’t expect our trip to be so exciting. When planning to attend the Hornbill Festival, we imagined a small countryside village, but instead encountered impressive development, highly educated locals speaking English, and a remarkable sense of fashion,” adds another tourists.

Another tourist expressed surprise at the well-maintained roads and the systematic, efficient planning of the entire event.