Mountain Tourism Development and Impact of Tourism : A case study of Himalayan State Sikkim

Tourism has been developing into the largest sector in the world and Sikkim, Indian Himalayan state has increasingly become a popular tourist destination for both domestic and international tourist/visitors in India. The sustainable tourism industry has the potential to contribute to the economic development of Sikkim. Therefore, this paper attempts to analyze the factors contributing to sustainable development of tourism in Sikkim such as, inbound tourist, types tourist arrival, the number of tourist arrivals from seven important generating countries, and neighbor states, effect of seasonality of tourist arrival, duration of stay and home stay facilities to tourist in Sikkim. The study comprises of questionnaire surveys and group discussions with the different stakeholder in the study site, Department of tourism, including International and Domestic tourists, guides, operators, hotel and lodge operators. Two peak seasons (spring and autumn) were chosen following the in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires of 250 visitors in the study. Educated young visitors with higher income prefer to visit Sikkim more than another group of visitors. Tourist arrival in Sikkim shows some seasonal variations. Tourist visits to the Sikkim takes place throughout the year, but rapid increase in number occurred from March and reach to peak in May of every year. The state has benefitted from tourism in different sector as it provides employment in the form of transport operator, guides of tourist, cooks, porters, hotel, restaurant, transportation, promotion to indigenous cottage industries. The number of tourist arrivals has been increased together with the gradual increase in the numbers of hotel and travel agencies in the mountain state. Development of infrastructure, political stability, implementation of good tourism policy, construction of the road, and opening of new tourist destinations and proper campaigning of a tourist destination in the world and to highlight its attractiveness are seen as the main contributing factors in the region. Lack of regular monitoring and evaluation of culture and environment of the state will be the major cause of future destruction. Proper planning, regulation and review of experience as well as the market-based experience of the industrialized country such as South Korea is required to develop Economically and environmentally sustainable tourism.