TAAS promotes Sikkim at ‘Destination East’

GANGTOK, 04 Mar: Two senior tour operators and TAAS advisors from Sikkim attended DESTINATION EAST – an International Buyer Seller Mart on 01 – 02 March in Kolkata which was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Eastern Region at Hotel Grand Oberoi, Kolkata.
A press release informs that this is the third edition of this initiative to focus on promotion of Eastern and North East Indian states as world class tourism destination among international buyers.
During this two-day event Sikkim tour operators Director of Marcopolo World Travels, Karma Bhutia and Director of Yak and Yeti Travels and Expeditions, Satish Bardewa , both having over 18 years of experience in the tourism industry participated in the promotion of Sikkim including the North Eastern states amongst foreign buyers and foreign media, the release informs.
Both the tour operators from Sikkim shared their expertise and suggested ways of exploration of new territory in the East and North East, as well as religious, rural, health, eco and riverine tourism, cultural & home stays and adventure circuits for International buyers mainly from Europe, USA, South East Asia and Asia Pacific countries.
DESTINATION EAST unveils a hitherto unchartered tourism trails for travel buffs from these regions. During an Interaction meet at Hotel Sonar Bangla both Sikkim promoters made the presentation on Sikkim and invited a majority of the foreign clientele to the state, who will be visiting Sikkim for the first time. Yak and Yeti Travels & Expeditions and Marcopolo World Travels will be sponsoring this FAM trip in April as the follow up to Sikkim Snow and Cultural fest, the release mentions.
Chairman, Tourism subcommittee of CII eastern region, Manab Pal during his Theme address informed the gathering that the need for promoting Sikkim and other North East states as an exclusive destination is the prime focus as the Incredible India campaign has not sufficiently covered the promotion of Northeast. Therefore, it was necessary to organize such an event like Destination East with a focus to promote the East as a potential tourism hub so that more International tourist arriving in India also visit and look East, he added.
The meet was also attended by Minister of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, Rachhpal Singh who assured his personal attention in serving the requirements of foreign tour operators in organizing their future trips to the state of Bengal.
The concluding remarks were presented by Deputy Chairman, R K Agarwal and the welcome address was presented by Chairman, Ranaveer Sinha, both from CII eastern region.
Destination East 2012 has received around 73 registrations of International Buyers from 17 countries like Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Singapore, USA, Vietnam and many others, who were informed about the exclusive dedication of the Government of Sikkim under the leadership of Chief Minister, Pawan Kumar Chamling. The tour operators from Sikkim also addressed the gathering and congratulated Sikkim Chief Minister for receiving the Most Innovative and Unique Tourism Project Award 2010-11, the release adds.