Tourism

Tourism is considered as the backbone of Sikkim's economy. It has brought economic prosperity in the state. With the salubrious climate, the natural beauty and the fine cultural heritage of Sikkim, the growth in tourism sector has immense possibilities. There are large number of places of tourist attraction particularly the snow-clad mountains, the lakes and unspoiled forest areas and valleys of flowers. Sikkim has the advantage of having very fine that attracts Buddhist tourists from countries like Japan and the southeastern countries.

Small but beautiful, Sikkim is situated in the eastern Himalayas. Spread below the Mount Khanchendzonga (8534 mts), the third highest mountain in the world, and revered by the Sikkimese as their protective deity. With an area of 7,300 sq kms and measuring approx. 114 kms from the north to south and 64 kms from east to west, the elevation ranges from 300 mts to over 8540 mts above sea level.

Amidst the grandeur of the mountain peaks, lush valleys, fast flowing rivers, hills, Sikkim offers her visitors a rare and singular experience. Within a matter of hours one can move from the sub tropical heat of the lower valleys to the cold of the rugged mountain slopes that reach up to the area of perpetual snow.

Tourist Arrival

Tourism sector has also seen a robust growth during 2004-05 in tourist arrival (both domestic and international). The growth is clearly defined in the following table:

Eco-Tourism, Mountain Tourism & Horticulture innovations

Eco-tourism, mountain tourism and horticultural innovations are other areas that hold enormous potential in the tourism sector of the state. Sikkim draws attention due to high altitude mountain trekking and climbing and pilgrimages to hill top monasteries.

The state is endowed with some of the rare varieties of orchids, flowers, fruits, rhododendrons, butterflies as well as the rarely sighted snow leopard, bears and many bird's species. According to Department of Information and Public Relations, more than one- third of the 5,000 flowering plants found in the country, are located in Sikkim. Similarly, almost fifty percent of 1400 butterflies, recorded in Indian subcontinent, have been identified in the state.

Also, Sikkim is the state, whose Chief Minister was adjudged as the most eco-friendly (the greenest) head of the administration among the Indian states some years back. The state has identified Dendrobium Nobile as the state flower, rhododendron as the state tree, red panda as the state animal and Blood Pheasant as the state bird.

Thrust Areas

• Eco-tourism including hotels, resorts, spa, amusement parks and ropeways.
  
• Handicrafts and handlooms.
  
• Wool and silk reeling, weaving and processing, printing, etc.
  
• Floriculture.
  
• Precision engineering including watch making.
  
• Electronics including computer hardware and software.
  
• IT related industries.
  
• Food processing including agro-based industries, processing, preservation and packaging of fruits and vegetables.
  
• Medicinal and aromatic herbs- plantation and processing.
  
• Raising and processing of plantation crops i.e. tea, oranges and cardamom.
  
• Mineral based industry.
  
• Honey
  
• Biotechnology

Investment Incentives

• Special promotional measures for rural and traditional industries
  
  
  • Special promotional measures are undertaken by the state government to strengthen potential areas such as flower processing, herbal processing, sericulture, spices and oilseed processing, cane and bamboo products, power looms, brick manufacture, pottery, rural tourism, etc.
    
    
  • Traditional industries such as handloom and handicrafts, cottage and khadi are encouraged.
    
    
• Establishing industrial estate and growth centre to facilitate integrated development of state
  
  
  • The Government encourages the setting up of self contained industrial estates and growth centers to facilitate an integrated approach towards optimization of available resources and infrastructure, including creation of infrastructure, marketing facilities and communication networks.
    
    
• Revamping the public sector undertakings
  
  
  • The government is poised to undertake business ventures only in core sectors.
    
    
  • The state public sector undertakings in the core/ thrust areas are to be revamped to improve their efficiency and functioning.
    
    
  • Sikkim Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (SIDICO) plays an active role in the industrialization process of the state.
    
    
  • SIDICO provides escort services to entrepreneurs who propose to set up projects valued at rupees fifty lakhs or above.
    
    
• Creation of appropriate organizational arrangements
  
  
• Developing of market support system
  
  
• Single window clearance