Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Stakeholders condemn SKM member’s comment on tourism industry

GANGTOK, 25 Nov: Travel Agents Association of Sikkim [TAAS], Sikkim Association of Adventure Tour Operators [SAATO] and Sikkim Hotels & Restaurants Association [SHRA], in a joint press release issued on behalf of all tourism stakeholders have condemned the statement ascribed to Pabitra Bhandari, formerly of Nepali daily Hamro Prajashakti who joined Sikkim Krantikari Morcha on Sunday. They have demanded that she tender an apology to all the tourism stakeholders of the state.
In a press release, the three organisations have stated that the statement made on the tourism industry by Ms. Bhandari was “unethical” and “an attempt to defame the young and growing tourism industry of Sikkim”.
A news-report published in her former newspaper today quotes Ms. Bhandari as alleging that under the SDF government “flesh trade was prospering in the name of tourism in Sikkim”. She is reported to have made the statement while addressing an SKM meeting at Mangalbaria in West Sikkim on Sunday.
“This statement has hurt the sentiments of the tourism stakeholders of Sikkim especially when Tourism Department, stakeholders and NGOs of the tourism industry have nurtured the tourism industry with their sincere and selfless hard work,” the release stresses.
The statement, they add, “will tarnish the image of Sikkim and its people especially the women of Sikkim”. Any “adverse, baseless or negative comments will give a wrong picture of the state to the outside world”, they have added. Warning of legal action, they have further demanded that an apology be tendered to the tourism stakeholders of Sikkim especially the women who are equally involved in the tourism sector.

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