Urbaltour: Difference between revisions
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Created page with "'''Urbaltour Kohima''' was a collaborative research project conducted between 2022 and 2025 by researchers from the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) and The Highland Institute. The project examined the relationship between urban growth and tourism in mountain regions, using Kohima, Nagaland, as a case study. Through interdisciplinary research, the project explored how tourism shapes urban transformation, local economies, infrastructure development, and everyday life..." |
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<div class="urb-kicker">RESEARCH PROJECT</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-title">Urbaltour<br>Kohima</div> | |||
<div class="urb-hero-subtitle">Tourism, urban transformation, and everyday life<br>in a rapidly changing mountain city.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-wrap"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-strip"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-icon">●</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-label">PROJECT LEAD</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-value">Dr Bertrand Lefebvre</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-icon">▣</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-label">DURATION</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-value">2022–2025</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-icon">◇</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-label">FUNDER</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-value">ANR<br>French National Research Agency</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-item urb-info-wide"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-icon">⌂</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-label">PARTNER INSTITUTIONS</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-value">Institut Français de Pondichéry (IFP) and The Highland Institute</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-info-icon">✓</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-label">STATUS</div> | |||
<div class="urb-info-value">Completed</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-overview urb-panel"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-side"> | |||
<div class="urb-heading-row"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-icon">✦</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Project Overview</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-overview-text"> | |||
<p><strong>Urbaltour Kohima</strong> was a collaborative research project conducted between 2022 and 2025 by researchers from the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) and The Highland Institute. The project examined the relationship between urban growth and tourism in mountain regions, using Kohima, Nagaland, as a case study. Through interdisciplinary research, the project explored how tourism shapes urban transformation, local economies, infrastructure development, and everyday life in a rapidly changing hill city.</p> | |||
The project | <p>The project formed part of the broader Urbaltour programme, which investigates tourism-driven urbanisation in mountain towns and secondary cities. By focusing on Kohima, the project addressed significant gaps in scholarship concerning small and medium-sized mountain cities, which are often overlooked in favour of larger metropolitan centres.</p> | ||
The | <p>The project investigated how tourism contributes to urban growth and transformation in Kohima. Particular attention was given to the expansion of the hospitality sector, the influence of the Hornbill Festival, emerging tourism economies, and the challenges associated with tourism-led development.</p> | ||
<p>The research examined the opportunities and tensions arising from increased visitor flows, including impacts on infrastructure, housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and local livelihoods.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-panel urb-objectives"> | |||
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<div class="urb-section-icon">◎</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Objectives</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-number">1</div> | |||
<div>Examine the relationship between tourism and urbanisation in Kohima.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-number-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-number">2</div> | |||
<div>Address research gaps concerning small and medium-sized mountain cities.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-number-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-number">3</div> | |||
<div>Map patterns of tourism growth and expansion.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-number-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-number">4</div> | |||
<div>Analyse social, economic, and environmental challenges associated with tourism-led development.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-number-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-number">5</div> | |||
<div>Investigate inequalities and spatial transformations within the city.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-number-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-number">6</div> | |||
<div>Contribute evidence to support informed public debate and urban policy development.</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-panel"> | |||
<div class="urb-heading-row"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-icon">◆</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Research Themes</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme-grid"> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Urbanisation</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Tourism Studies</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Mountain Cities</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Sustainable Development</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Urban Governance</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme">Regional Development</div> | |||
<div class="urb-theme urb-theme-wide">Cultural Economy</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-panel urb-activities"> | |||
<div class="urb-heading-row"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-icon">⚙</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Activities</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-activity-grid"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">⌖</div> | |||
<div>Tourism and urbanisation mapping</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">○</div> | |||
<div>Visitor and stakeholder surveys</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">⌂</div> | |||
<div>Hospitality sector analysis</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">✦</div> | |||
<div>Research on artisan and tourism-related livelihoods</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">▤</div> | |||
<div>Urban infrastructure assessment</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-card"> | |||
<div class="urb-activity-icon">◎</div> | |||
<div>Community engagement and dissemination activities</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-panel urb-outcomes"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-side"> | |||
<div class="urb-heading-row"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-icon">▥</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Outcomes</div> | |||
</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-outcomes-text"> | |||
<p>The project demonstrated that the Hornbill Festival and nature-based tourism have contributed significantly to the growth of an emerging entrepreneur-led tourism sector in Kohima. Research findings highlighted changing visitor demographics, the expansion of hospitality businesses, and the growing importance of tourism within the local economy.</p> | |||
<p>The study also identified key challenges affecting sustainable growth, including infrastructure limitations, uneven spatial distribution of accommodation, traffic congestion, water and waste management concerns, and limited visitor information outside peak tourism periods. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about sustainable urban development and tourism planning in Nagaland.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
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<div class="urb-lower-grid"> | |||
<div class="urb-panel urb-team"> | |||
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<div class="urb-section-icon">●</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Research Team</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-team-grid"> | |||
<div class="urb-person"> | |||
<div class="urb-avatar">●</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-name">Dr Bertrand Lefebvre</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-role">Project Lead</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person"> | |||
<div class="urb-avatar">●</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-name">Rovithono Yhome</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-role">Research Assistant</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person"> | |||
<div class="urb-avatar">●</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-name">Akumtong Imchen</div> | |||
<div class="urb-person-role">Research Assistant</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-panel urb-partners"> | |||
<div class="urb-heading-row"> | |||
<div class="urb-section-icon">◇</div> | |||
<div class="urb-heading">Partner Institutions</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-partner-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-partner-symbol">IFP</div> | |||
<div> | |||
<strong>Institut Français de Pondichéry</strong> | |||
<span>French Institute of Pondicherry</span> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div class="urb-partner-item"> | |||
<div class="urb-partner-symbol">THI</div> | |||
<div> | |||
<strong>The Highland Institute</strong> | |||
<span>Kohima, Nagaland</span> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
Revision as of 15:29, 25 August 2026
RESEARCH PROJECT
Urbaltour
Kohima
Kohima
Tourism, urban transformation, and everyday life
in a rapidly changing mountain city.
in a rapidly changing mountain city.
PROJECT LEAD
Dr Bertrand Lefebvre
DURATION
2022–2025
FUNDER
ANR
French National Research Agency
French National Research Agency
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
Institut Français de Pondichéry (IFP) and The Highland Institute
STATUS
Completed
Project Overview
Urbaltour Kohima was a collaborative research project conducted between 2022 and 2025 by researchers from the French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) and The Highland Institute. The project examined the relationship between urban growth and tourism in mountain regions, using Kohima, Nagaland, as a case study. Through interdisciplinary research, the project explored how tourism shapes urban transformation, local economies, infrastructure development, and everyday life in a rapidly changing hill city.
The project formed part of the broader Urbaltour programme, which investigates tourism-driven urbanisation in mountain towns and secondary cities. By focusing on Kohima, the project addressed significant gaps in scholarship concerning small and medium-sized mountain cities, which are often overlooked in favour of larger metropolitan centres.
The project investigated how tourism contributes to urban growth and transformation in Kohima. Particular attention was given to the expansion of the hospitality sector, the influence of the Hornbill Festival, emerging tourism economies, and the challenges associated with tourism-led development.
The research examined the opportunities and tensions arising from increased visitor flows, including impacts on infrastructure, housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and local livelihoods.
Objectives
1
Examine the relationship between tourism and urbanisation in Kohima.
2
Address research gaps concerning small and medium-sized mountain cities.
3
Map patterns of tourism growth and expansion.
4
Analyse social, economic, and environmental challenges associated with tourism-led development.
5
Investigate inequalities and spatial transformations within the city.
6
Contribute evidence to support informed public debate and urban policy development.
Research Themes
Urbanisation
Tourism Studies
Mountain Cities
Sustainable Development
Urban Governance
Regional Development
Cultural Economy
Activities
Tourism and urbanisation mapping
Visitor and stakeholder surveys
Hospitality sector analysis
Research on artisan and tourism-related livelihoods
Urban infrastructure assessment
Community engagement and dissemination activities
Outcomes
The project demonstrated that the Hornbill Festival and nature-based tourism have contributed significantly to the growth of an emerging entrepreneur-led tourism sector in Kohima. Research findings highlighted changing visitor demographics, the expansion of hospitality businesses, and the growing importance of tourism within the local economy.
The study also identified key challenges affecting sustainable growth, including infrastructure limitations, uneven spatial distribution of accommodation, traffic congestion, water and waste management concerns, and limited visitor information outside peak tourism periods. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about sustainable urban development and tourism planning in Nagaland.
Research Team
●
Dr Bertrand Lefebvre
Project Lead
●
Rovithono Yhome
Research Assistant
●
Akumtong Imchen
Research Assistant
Partner Institutions
IFP
Institut Français de Pondichéry French Institute of Pondicherry
THI
The Highland Institute Kohima, Nagaland
