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Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Yes, Tourism in Nagaland is helping in preserving the local heritage, in improving infrastructure, in providing better local facilities which in turn creates better education, better leisure facilities, organizing frequent social events and thus a better lifestyle for the local people. They interact with the tourists and mix with people from diverse backgrounds, creating a cosmopolitan culture in the region. Due to the demand for better services, varied employment opportunities have created within the region, and therefore, people do not feel the need to migrate to other cities to earn their living.
• Yes. Showcase of the rich culture highlights unity in diversity
• Yes. Apart from a myriad of economic benefits tourism has a potential to change public behaviour as in the case of Pangti story or conservation, Khonoma village or cleanliness to name but a few. It induces people to show their better selves while promoting the landmarks in their areas, their creativity, etc,. Nagaland is endowed with the blessings of nature and its people gifted with creativity. Tourism might be one of the silver bullets to incentivize public to conserve, preserve, and sustainably exploit resources and creativity.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No. Having some festivals does not mean tourism. There must be a proper policy which should be designed in such a way that the tourism policy will have sustained economic benefits for the people.
• No. It seems only a small section are benefiting from tourism in Nagaland.
• No. The process is not transparent. It is benefiting only those people who are in close proximity of the ruling elites.
• No. It is yet to reach the common people.
• Moral degradation.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• Only during Hornbill time we see the roads undergoing some maintenance, the Morungs coming back to live and paint wash jobs here and there. How can we say that these seasonal festivals will impact the lives of people? This is wishful thinking.
• It is a very pertinent question indeed at this juncture. For me I cannot comment yes or no to the positive impact on the lives of the Naga people of Nagaland. Perhaps steadily we have to take it in our daily stride and live with it and not only confine to certain area and period. Our artifacts should be preserved and not sold. The negatives of tourism and how to treat or overcome the negatives need to be educated to the grass roots. Are we spending excess pocket money individually during hornbill to weep the months that follow? Land of festivals is high sounding, but we must remember that our parents celebrate (festival) after a hard day work in the agrarian calendar whereas today many do not go to the field but are more vigorous in the festivals. Head hunting is a thing of the past which was not good as we all know it today. Too much highlight with K-pop kinky style does not match. Culture, I think, is the refined ways of our society which should be highlighted and practiced. Inaugurate with a prayer and not by a pagan way of blessing during our only surviving major state run industry the Hornbill Festival.
