'Northeastern States hold big prospects in tourism sector'

Gangtok, April 12 (ANI): The Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS) and the Tourism Department of Sikkim recently organised a joint meet here to explore the tourist prospects in Sikkim as well as other regions in the northeastern India.

The meet proposed a novel concept of NEST (North Eastern State Tourism) in the region.

All the eight States of the northeast region Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim participated in the event.

Gangtok was selected to hold this key meet, as it was felt that Sikkim has been rendering a commendable performance over the last couple of years.

On this occasion, U.K. Sangma, Secretary of the North East Council, said: "At this meet, they made a resolution that the northeastern states tourism forum would be created with representatives of northeastern state under North Eastern Council (NEC), NEST (North Eastern States Tourism). Along with that in this forum, It was resolved that we should have a tourism master plan for the whole of northeastern region."

Talking about the reasons behind the success of Sikkim's tourism sector, he said it was: "good governance, extremely good hospitality, zero threat perception and natural beauty of ikkim."

At this meet, they made a resolution that the northeastern states tourism forum would be created with representatives of northeastern state under North Eastern Council (NEC), NEST (North Eastern States Tourism).

Besides, it was also resolved that there would be a tourism Master Plan for the entire northeastern region.

"What we have observed that this is a right platform to plant, develop, and to promote tourism in entire north-eastern state. We are very grateful to North Eastern Council (NEC) for choosing Sikkim as the destination," said Palzor Lachungpa, President of the Travel Agent Association of Sikkim (TAAS).

The participants in this symposium included government officials of various departments from the northeastern States and the stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector. (ANI)