Sikkim to be an all season tourist destination

Gangtok, Jan 5: Sikkim has experienced a tourism boom over the last few years as the number of tourists visiting the state has surpassed the target.

The Tata Consultancy Service (TCS), which had prepared a master plan for the state Tourism department, have estimated that 3.5 lakh tourists would visit the state by 2012.

However, Tourism secretary Alok Srivastava said, '' We expect the target to be achieved by this March.'' Mr Srivastava said more than 2.7 lakh domestic tourists and around 1500 foreign tourists visited the state by November 2006 and the number is expected to cross 3.5 lakh this March.

He also said the government had chalked out a strategy to make tourism a major revenue earning sector by the end of the eleventh plan period and had taken a number of initiatives in this regard.

The state government had decided to construct two amusement parks--one at Sarmasa, about 15 km from here and another at Rangpo, the gateway of Sikkim on the bank of a water front, he added.

A Buddhist religious circuit would also be constructed and a new trekking trail from Hee-patal to Chiwabhan in West Sikkim would be developed, Mr Srivastav said.

The tourism secretary, Mr Srivastava, said the Centre had already sanctioned Rs 8.5 crore for the above projects. ''An engineering cell has been constituted to evaluate, monitor, identify and develop new tourist destinations like springs, worship places and welcome gates,'' Mr Srivastava added Besides, a number of festivals had been organised in different parts of the state in different seasons, he said.

The four-day long annual Gangtok Winter festival would kick off on January eight with the theme ''Himalayan wedding carnival.'' Tourism deputy secretary Siphoria Targain said atleast 11 ehtnic communities depicting the traditional marriage would be participating in a street carnival on the inaugural day.

Other activities like rafting on the river Teesta, trekkiNg, archery, rock climbing, flower show, cultural programmes would also be a part of the festival, that would conclude on January 11.

On the second week of the month 'Maghe mela' would be organised at Jorethang and Rimbi in West Sikkim.

The Ravangala tourist festival and Mangan Music and Tourist Festival would also be organised to woo tourists to the state through out the year, she said.

UNI