Sikkim to amend tourist act to monitor footfall post-COVID-19

Sikkim Tourism Department has proposed an amendment of the Sikkim Tourist Trade Act and its rules to monitor the inflow of tourists in Sikkim for post-COVID 19. 

With this amendment, the state government is bringing a mandatory norm to all the tourists to compulsorily registered online through app or any other online technology is come into operation before the tourism season.

The State government has already put banned tourism activities till 15 October this year in view of the outbreak of pandemic virus following national lockdown since March 17^th, 2020.

Also read: Sikkim: Restaurants and hotels to open amid rising cases

Speaking to Inside NE, Additional Chief Secretary, Dr. K Jay Kumar said that the State government is making mandatory through a digital platform and online services for regulation and entry of tourists and travellers by the development of a portal to enable digital operations for registration, renewal of licenses, permits, regulated booking and permission to allow the entry of tourists and travellers in Sikkim.

Dr. Jayakumar said during the outbreak of pandemic, Sikkim loss Rs 16,530.4 crore revenue in the hospitality sector and Rs 700.18 crore in transport sector.

He further said that under Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation limited, Sikkim Government expected to loss revenue of Rs 4.60 crore  during this current fiscal year due to outbreak of this pandemic adding that Rs 1.21crore is loss from Helicopter service and rest tune of Rs 3.58 crore from rent and booking of Rangpo Tourist Lodge, Travel Division, Sikkim House in Salt Lake and Middleton in Kolkata and lease rent.

Sikkim have loose Rs 1.65 crore from Kailash Mansarovar yatra this year, which is one of the potential tourism revenue received from prestigious religious yatra.

The tourism department is also decided to do ease of business and facilitation for entrepreneurs and enterprises to provide digital services for startups and facilitating the services in better manner promotion g local cursine varieties.

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