Sikkim bags national tourism award

Gangtok, Jan 24 (UNI) Sikkim has been selected for the National Tourism award for 2005-06 in the best tourism performing state category in North-East Region.

This is for the fifth time, that the state has been selected for the award.

Official sources here said during 2006, the state had a seven per cent rise in flow of foreign tourists and a robust 21 per cent in the flow of domestic tourists.

As many as 3,10,512 tourists visited the state during 2006 compared to 2,58,524 during the corresponding period in 2005.

Union Minister for Tourism Ambika Soni is scheduled to present the award at a function in New Delhi tomorrow.

State Commissioner-cum-Secretary for Tourism Alok Srivastav will receive the award on behalf the state government, sources said.

UNI