'Pakyong Airport will boost tourism in Sikkim'

KOLKATA: The newly unveiled airport near Pakyong in Sikkim will provide a fillip to tourism in the Himalayan state attracting more tourists from West Bengal who will no longer have to travel through the often choked and landslide-prone NH 10.
Sikkim received close to 15 lakh tourists in 2017-18 sixty-five per cent of which were from West Bengal.
"Several tourists from Kolkata have already booked their air tickets to Sikkim.They will be travelling around Durga Puja," said Chewang Puljor, deputy director at the Kolkata office of the Sikkim Tourism Department. "We expect the several high-end tourists have been giving Sikkim a miss as their tourism destination due to the absence of an air link will now travel to the state."
Tourists travelling to Sikkim avoid trips during monsoons for the fear of getting stuck in landslides which are common in the Himalayan state. Earlier this month national highway 10 which connects North Bengal with Sikkim was shut for at least three days due to landslides.
"The new airport opens up a new business opportunity during the three months of monsoon when people would avoid Sikkim. With the new airport, tourists can just take flights in and out of Sikkim. It will also attract several high-end tourists from Kolkata," said Akash Gidwani of Blue Lotus Travels in New Market.
Sikkim receives more than 15 lakh tourists every year sixty-five per cent of which are from West Bengal. Close to 1 lakh tourists are from outside India. Currently, tourists visiting Sikkim take a flight to Bagdogra in north Bengal and undertake an onwards journey of over 125 km through NH 10 which is congested at several places and prone to landslides. Earlier this Sikkim was cut off for a couple of days due to a landslide. During the Gorkhaland agitation last year the tourism to Sikkim was affected for several months due to the indefinite strike in the hills. Vehicles headed to Sikkim have to pass through Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts.
The airport located around 30 km from state capital Gangtok will also attract more foreigners to the state who can even arrive chartered flights, C.P. Dhakal, secretary of the tourism and civil aviation department of the government of Sikkim told TOI.
"It is a moment of pride for the people of Sikkim that we have our own airport now. Sikkim is a beautiful place with an abundance of flora and fauna, scenic beauty and the Himalayas. The new airport will help people savour the offerings of Sikkim without undertaking the hardship of travelling such a long distance," said Dhakal.
The casino industry in Sikkim has also expected a big fillip with the opening of the new airport.
"We have dedicated guests who come to Gangtok just to spend their time at the casino. They arrive on weekends and spend most of the time in the casino. We are expecting more high-end tourists to visit the state and visit casinos," said Sherep Lepcha, general manager of Casino Mahjong in Ranipool near Gangtok.