The pre-monsoon tourist season was a boon for the state
of Sikkim this year. Tourism Department recorded a sharp rise in the
number of tourists. Tour operators also seem to quite happy with the
overwhelming number of visitors coming to the state.
The two main attractions of East Sikkim,
Nathula and Tsongo Lake, remained for much of the tourist season due
to excessive landslide. But this failed to dampen the spirit of the
tourists. Another major attraction for the tourists visiting Sikkim
was the helicopter ride arranged by the Sikkim Tourism development
Corporation. The chopper service this year conducted as many as 19
joyrides on a single day. The previous record was 17 rides. According
to the tourism secretary the number of foreign tourists have increased
by 6 per cent and that of the domestics tourists have increased by
15 per cent. Sikkim received around 7,632 foreign tourists
and over 75,000 domestic tourists till May this year. The officials
expect an even better result for the end of this year. `Not
only for the landscape and bio-diversity but it’s the department
new strategy that worked out,` said Mr. Srivastava.