Take both Covid jabs, head to Sikkim freely

The Sikkim government has waived the mandate of a negative RT-PCR report for fully vaccinated tourists visiting the state. The transport department and tour operators heave a sigh of relief with the development.

Siliguri: In a move to rekindle tourism in Sikkim, the state government has permitted the entry of fully vaccinated tourists. There is no mandate for negative RT-PCR reports for such tourists, sources said. COVID-19 has hit the tourism sector hard and the re-opening of tourism is all set to boost the economy.

The development has alleviated fears of tour operators and transporters of North Bengal. Silguri being the gateway of the hill state is to fetch umpteen benefits for them during Durga Puja season, as per sources. Samrat Sanyal, secretary of Himalayan Hospitality and Tour Development Network, said the decision of the state government to reopen tourism has come as a big respite for those involved in the tourism business. “This decision will help the revival of the tourism segment in the forthcoming festive season and new year,” Sanyal said.

Raj Basu, convener of the Association for Conservation and Tourism said the circuit for the North Bengal tourism sector is mainly dependent on Sikkim. “Tourists coming to Sikkim also prefer tourist sports like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Terai and Dooars. This decision of the Sikkim government will surely revive the tourism sector in the entire region,” Basu said.