Better late than never. Awakening from the slumber the Mizoram Government has now decided to improve several areas in the State to promote it as a tourist destination. A committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary H V Lalringa. The chief secretary revealed that the hill ranges especially in Champai district had been given importance by the state government as this range, consisting of four hillocks, had been revered by the Mizo people in the past. The place has been been handed over to the Champai district park committee by the Mualkawi Young Mizo Association (YMA) branch and afforestation of hill ranges is being carried going on at present by the forest department, he said. Mr Lalringa also added that the approach road to the hills will be constructed with funds from the Border Area Development project. ''A helipad will be constructed for use by VIPs,'' he said and added that several government departments like finance, planning, art and culture, industries, information, forest and rural development are involved in the project.

Bhutan the recent attraction for Westerners

Where the North-Eastern states have failed to score, tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan has scored heavily. The small kingdom in Eastern Himalayas and sandwiched between two major Asian nations of India and China, has become a new tourism destination for Westerners for the simple reason as it is the most peaceful country in this continent.

In 2004, Bhutan received a record number 9259 tourists. It fetched about 12.45 million dollars for this cash strapped nation. Out of 12.45 million dollars, 4.34 million dollars went to the government exchequer as royalty.

The number of tourists in 2004 is almost double from 5599 in 2002. The country is expecting more westerners this year. Bhutan, known as mythical land of the dragon, attracts tourists due to its unique ethnic culture and natural beauty. There are some 54 hotels with 1300 beds, including two international standard hotels and inclusion of two airbuses by the Druk Air, the national carrier, had added a new dimension to the tourism sector. The tourism department is working out a master plan to attract the tourists. To attract more visitors the government in association with the tour operators is planning to offer diverse products like culture tourism in religious places adventure travel like biking, white water rafting in the mountain streams, safari in the reserve forests. It is also working out on the tourism legislation and current pricing policy. Bhutan has also showed the path to others after imposing ban a total ban on smoking and chewing tobacco in public places, which also attracted westerners.

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