Nagaland has been seeking the complete withdrawal of the permit regime to facilitate international tourism and open up wider economic opportunities
KRC TIMES NE Desk
KOHIMA | Nagaland is pressing the Centre for the complete withdrawal of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime ahead of the Hornbill Festival, arguing that the restrictions affect foreign tourist arrivals, investment prospects and the state’s broader economic growth.
Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along said Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had raised the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a recent visit to New Delhi, following discussions in the Nagaland Assembly in September.
Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural inter-government college band competition, Campus Clash 2026, Along said Shah had assured Rio that he would examine the matter and consider possible steps at the earliest.
“Security and national issues are paramount,” Along said, adding that the state government was capable of managing foreign tourist arrivals.
Nagaland has been seeking the complete withdrawal of the permit regime to facilitate international tourism and open up wider economic opportunities. Along said easing the restrictions could attract more visitors, encourage investment, create business opportunities and enable educated unemployed youth to establish tourism-related enterprises.
He expressed hope that the Centre would take a favourable decision before the Hornbill Festival, the state’s flagship cultural event that draws visitors from across India and abroad.
The PAP regime requires foreign nationals to obtain special permits to visit designated protected areas. The restrictions have implications for access to parts of the Northeast, where tourism is seen as a potential source of employment and economic growth.
Meanwhile, the Nagaland government is preparing to invite President Droupadi Murmu as the chief guest for the opening ceremony of the 10-day Hornbill Festival 2026, scheduled to begin on December 1.
Along said the state was processing the necessary protocols, official documents and correspondence relating to the proposed presidential visit.
He expressed hope that Murmu, India’s first tribal President, would attend the inaugural ceremony, describing her possible presence as a significant occasion for Nagaland.
The state is now looking towards the Centre for a decision on the PAP regime while making arrangements for the annual festival, which showcases the cultural traditions, crafts, music and heritage of Nagaland’s communities.
