Chamling makes a strong pitch for Buddhist circuit development of Sikkim


GANGTOK, December 6: Basking in the glory of 15 odd tourism related national awards and an increasing growth in tourism footfalls in Sikkim, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today presented a slew of demands for focused intervention from the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) in order to further strengthen tourism sector in East, Northeast and Sikkim.

Addressing the inaugural session of the daylong inter State regional conference of Tourism Ministers of East and Northeastern States, the Chief Minister called upon the attending Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja to provide more incentives and motivational schemes for home stays, rural tourism, funds for fair and festivals without limiting the number of festivals celebrated by each State and free platform at various tourism fairs and festivals in Indian and aboard. He also sought support from MoT for provide greater emphasis on publicity, marketing and promotional aspects of tourism at national and international level.

The Chief Minister also sought the Ministry’s support in providing wide publicity to the tourism potential of the region at various airports and railway stations, provide an exclusive enclosure at Commonwealth Games venue in New Delhi and more direct flights from all metropolitan cities.

“In Sikkim, we are undertaking some very ambitious projects, big projects with long term perspective in mind”, Mr. Chamling said pointing out to the proposed projects of skywalk atop Balleydunga hill in South Sikkim and other mega pilgrimage tourism projects. He also informed that gathering of tourism ministers and stakeholders about Sikkim celebrating 2010 as the ‘Year of Tourism’ aimed to effectively reposition Sikkim at national and international levels.

The ‘Year of Tourism’ is scheduled to kick start with the International Rhododendron Festival early next year at Yumthang in North Sikkim to create massive awareness on the flagship species of rhododendrons found in Sikkim.

Highlighting the all round tourism projects in the State ranging from eco-tourism to pilgrimage tourism, the Chief Minister expressed the collective concern of the Northeast region about the lack of adequate connectivity to link all destinations in the region.

The Chief Minister also made a strong pitch for Buddhist circuit development for Sikkim. Buddhist circuit has now been identified as one of the priority areas in the tourism development policy of the Union government, he said.

“Sikkim could be the hub connecting all the major Buddhist destinations in India and neighbouring countries – Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Rumtek in Sikkim, Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, Lumbini in Nepal, Taktsang in Bhutan to Jokhang and Potala in Lhasa including the historic and unparalleled eco-tourism trail across the mountainous trail across the mountainous terrain to Mansarovar lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China”, Mr. Chamling said.

The Chief Minister also took the occasion to highlight the significant headway Sikkim has made after consistent drive to promote and popularize eco-tourism, village tourism, cultural tourism and pilgrimage tourism.

Giving a new substance to the pilgrimage tourism, we have also undertaken a unique project to carve out gigantic statue of Guru Padmasambhava, Lord Buddha and Chen-reji inside a solid rock in North Sikkim, said Chamling. We are similarly evolving on a daily basis to conceive new and innovative projects of tourism interests across the State, he said requesting overall support from the Centre and all stakeholders in achieving these big missions.

Peace and tranquility are our forte and that couple with the commitment of the Sikkimese people, the result are quite tangible making significant impact on the socio-economic condition of the people at large, Mr. Chamling said. He added that tourism has clearly emerged as a crucial sector to generate substantial employment directly and indirectly for the Sikkimese people while the annual increase in the number of domestic tourists have remained exemplary over the years with the tourists crossing the 6 lakhs mark in 2009.

The numbers of foreign tourists in 2008 coming to Sikkim were about 24,000 and we expect better numbers by the end of current year 2009, Mr. Chamling said. “With only over 1500 foreign tourists coming to Sikkim in 1987, the annual increase of tourists to over 15000 now speaks of the multiple rise in the number of foreign tourists visiting our State”, he said. He added that in recent years, Sikkim has transformed itself to become one of the most sought after tourism destinations in the country.

source: sikkim express