Sikkim Bounces Back With Record Tourist Inflows

Sikkim has reported a massive surge in tourist footfalls in. According to the official data released by the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department of the state, Sikkim reported a whopping 2,90,401 tourists in the first quarter of the current financial. Of these, 2,56,537 were domestic tourists, while 30,864 were international tourists.

The sharp increase in in tourist inflows in the North East state signals a rebound for Sikkim's tourism industry. The tourism and hospitality industry was severely hit by the devastating Glacier Lake Outburst Flood in October last year. The natural calamity claimed 43 lives. Many more are still reported missing. This led to a sharp drop in tourist numbers. Sikkim has since bucked the declining trend and expects to break records as the holiday season sets in. The tourism department is on an overdrive to position Sikkim as a premier tourist destination.

A lot of the credit for the resurgence of tourism in Sikkim goes to the efforts of the state government, the tourism department and the over 3 lakh people associated with the travel industry. These include hotel owners, tour operators, taxi operators and tourist guides.

Tourism is the backbone of the hill state of Sikkim and contributes over Rs 500 crores in revenue. This number has since not been replacted, given the near zero tourist arrivals thanks to the pandamenic. The industry and state tourism board, however, now expects a far higher number this year. The first quarter numbers are an indication that the state has bounced back. 

Sikkim has a vast network of nearly 2,000 travel agencies and close to 40,000 hotel beds. Besides, there are about 2,200 registered luxury vehicles an more than 18,000 taxis. 

The state recorded a total of about 16.53 lakh tourists last year, a number which has been growing steadily over the last few year. In 2013, the state barely got 6 lakh tourists. This year, the state is on track to surpass all records, with projections indicating a potential milestone of 20 lakh million tourists by the end of the year.