The unrest in Darjeeling during its peak tourist season has led to a boon for the Sikkim tourism industry as travellers are selecting the neighbouring hill state instead of Darjeeling due to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha agitation which is going on there.
The unrest in Darjeeling during its peak tourist season has led to a boon for the Sikkim tourism industry as travellers are selecting the neighbouring hill state instead of Darjeeling due to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha agitation which is going on there.
C Zangpo, Secretary of Sikkim Tourism said, "The tension in Darjeeling has led to a sudden boom in the tourism industry here...Toursism related establishments in Gangtok are currently packed with customers and have full bookings in the coming days as well."
The GJM agitation in Darjeeling has led to many cancellations by domestic and foreign tourists in the 'Queen of hill stations'.
According to the Sikkim Tourism secretary, majority of the tourists who are visiting Sikkim were initially planning on visiting Darjeeling on the second leg of their journey or had been there before reaching Sikkim.
Travel operators along with the secretary echoed concerns as to the difficulty of managing so many tourists at the same time.
"We have asked travel operators and hotels to try and accommodate as many tourists as they can without compromising on the service standards as any mismanagement at this time could give a bad name to the tourism industry," said Zangpo
Hotels have started cancelling new booking enquiries as presently they have been booked up till mid-July.
A tourist from Kolkata, Santanu Bose, commented saying, "We had been in Darjeeling for holidaying when all this happened. Our travel agent immediately contacted operators in Sikkim and we were lucky to get reservations. We spent only one night in Darjeeling. We are enjoying our stay here now."
Bose further told PTI at the Mall that many tourists had to cut short their visit and return.
Tourists from Sikkim are now being provided with Sikkim Nationalised Transport buses every day with security which is making them feel secure and allowing them to avoid getting stuck in the hills due to the ongoing bandh.
Darjeeling has witnessed clashed between GJM activists and the police over the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state since June 8.
The Sikkim government's sources said that they had requested their West Bengal counterpart on June 18 to provide security to vehicles passing through NH 31A in Darjeeling district in view of the agitation.
The West Bengal government in return had assured them that security would be provided to all Sikkim bound vehicles and the police would carry out extensive patrolling on the highway.
Sevoke in Darjeeling district is connected to Gangtok via the 92 km-long NH 31A and is considered the lifeline of Sikkim.
Around 30 km of the highway passes through West Bengal.
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 "Darjeeling unrest: A boon for Sikkim tourism")
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