STDC initiate tourism promotion activities in Karnataka

GANGTOK, October 5: A team of Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) led by its Chairman Narendra Kr Subba recently initiated few interstate tourism promotion activities during their recent visit to Karnataka in South India.

This, the STDC in a press release said was initiated keeping with the Congenial Tourism Policy of the State Government and vision of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling to make Sikkim a most attractive tourist destination.

During the visit, STDC has also tied-up with some other Tourism Development Corporations like Andhra Pradesh Tourism Dev. Corporation, Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation and international travel agencies like Thomas Cook International Travel Agency etc.

The delegation has at the same time identified a house in Bangalore city to be taken in lease after government approval, which can be operated by STDC as Sikkim House, Karnataka.

During the tour, the STDC delegates held inter-promotional talks with Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd. The team with APCCF and with its Managing Director, ND Tiwari, IFS, Chief Naturalist, S. Karthikeyan and its executive director visited Jungle Lodges, Bhimeswari Fishing and Nature Camp, Bandipur National Park and talked with the authorities.

On October 3, the STDC and Karnataka Tourism Dev. Corporation held a talk and reached an agreement. Talks were also held with Vinay Luthra, MD, B. Prabhudhar GM, HT Ratnakar, PRO and RS Rameshan, Marketing and Business Manager of Karnatak Tourism Dev. Corporation and NK Subba, Chairman STDC, Anbalagan IFS, CEO, STDC and other team members. This it has been hoped would bring positive results for both the states, the release said.

It is also informed that the STDC and KSTDC believes that by holding this formal talks seek to tap tourism potential of the respective states, thereby enhancing the employment generation within tourism sector, develop tourism packages, services and products and make them accessible to the public through tourism publicity.

“Our talk emphasizes to depute a staff from STDC as a Laisoning Assistant to laison between the two corporations,” the release said adding “the business transaction and booking would soon start”. The release further said that both corporations would provide marketing space in their tourism sale counters at Gangtok and Bangalore on reciprocal basis. For STDC and KSTDC, the booking of its Tourist Lodge and Package Tours would be done on-line with the help of unique dedicated user ‘ID and Pass’ to be allocated to other party.

“Both corporations would take up joint publicity and marketing campaign for the activities of corporations to increase revenue. Both corporations would initiate special package tours in their respective states to promote tourism and explore the possibilities of joint tourism packages. Both corporations would participate in each others’, tourism fairs and festivals and assist each other in promotion of tourism products in each others’ states including Road Shows 011 reciprocal basis,” it is further informed.

STDC Chairman also hoped that Bangalore can become a South-India hub for Sikkimese people. The STDC hub at Bangalore it can be hoped, would serve as a guardian of Sikkimese people simultaneously promoting business and tourism for our state,” Mr. Subba said in the release.

sOURCE: SIKKIM EXPRESS