Sikkim
records phenomenal growth in tourism
Sikkim has recorded a
phenomenal growth in terms of flow of foreign as well as domestic tourists
during 2008. The Himalayan state also bagged award of the Best state for
tourism related programmes from the Union Tourism ministry on February 24.
The award was received by state’s Tourism secretary SBS Bhadauria from
Union Home minister P Chidambaram in presence of Union Tourism Minister
Ambika Soni at the awards function in New Delhi.
Bhadauria said, this was the
14th major award for toiurism won by Sikkim in the last decade. “The award
proves, Sikkim has firmly been placed in the global tourism scene as we have
created our own brand,” he said. He further informed that some 4.5 lakh
domestic and 23,000 foreign tourists visited the state in 2008 as against
previous year’s 3.8 lac domestic and 18,000 foreign tourists. This was
about 25 per cent increase from that of the previous year, he added.
Despite the disturbances in the region, this was
a record for the state, Bhadauria said. He also said as per the analysis,
the quality of tourism had also increased manifolds and there was now no off
season with visitors coming to the state throughout the year. The draft
tourism policy comprises of a normal tourism policy for the state and a
separate tourism policy for rural tourism, he said. Sikkim had bagged the
best tourism performing state in the Northeast for six consecutive years
from the Union ministry. It also bagged the best eco-tourism destination,
most picturesque destination best community based tourism, emerging tourism
state, best tourism state for adventure from reputed organizations at the
national levels.
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