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Tourism in Manipur has suffered one of its sharpest declines in recent memory, with visitor numbers collapsing from pre-unrest levels as the state continues to grapple with a prolonged ethnic conflict and steep airfare costs that have deterred most travellers.

Once a growing destination for culture and nature tourism in the Northeast, Manipur drew close to 1.79 lakh visitors in 2019–20. State tourism records now show that barely 17,000 tourists arrived in 2024–25, underscoring the severity of the crisis triggered by more than two years of clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.

The figures were placed before Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar during a review meeting in Imphal on Monday, where senior officials described the compounded impact of unrest and spiralling ticket prices on the state’s tourism economy. Officials told Kumar that tourist inflow had plummeted from “over 1,79,000 (1,67,000 domestic and 12,000 foreign) in 2019–20 to just about 17,000 (15,700 domestic and 1,300 foreign) in 2024–25.”

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According to the government’s briefing, high airfares are increasingly discouraging even those willing to travel despite the security situation. Officials urged Kumar to take up the issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, arguing that the combination of restricted mobility, unpredictable violence and disproportionately expensive travel had “severely hit” Manipur’s tourism sector.

The meeting also reviewed the status of relief and rehabilitation for Internally Displaced Persons, a consequence of the ethnic conflict that has displaced tens of thousands since violence first erupted in May 2023. Kumar assessed progress under various central schemes being implemented by state departments and emphasised the need to expedite assistance to affected communities.

While Manipur continues efforts to restore normality, officials maintain that stabilising the security environment and addressing prohibitive travel costs remain crucial to reviving public confidence and restoring the state’s tourism prospects.