Tourism Development In Sikkim Essay

playistry increment in Sikkim has passed finished umteen phases.At Government level the nurture of snagist facilities was taken up in a schemened manner.The Government took several significant steps. A read Policy on tourism was announced in 1992. Later in 2000,The Tourism formulated a comprehensive pattern for achieving a sustainable growth in tourism. In 2001, The Ecotourism and Conservation Society of Sikkim (ECOSS) is a registered nongovernmental organization and operates out of Gangtok, ECOSS believes in the conservation of biodiversity, topical anaesthetic culture, publicity of sustainable livelihoods through community mobilisation and empowerment. It conceptualised and hosted the South Asian Regional Conference on Ecotourism (SARCE 2002) at Gangtok with the external Ecotourism Society (TIES) and the Ministry of Tourism which essentially brought ecotourism into the development visibleness of the normality Eastern States and put Sikkim on the ecotourism map of Indi a. ECOSS has successfully penalise the Sikkim Himalayan Home stick Project funded by UNESCO under their heathen & Ecotourism in Mountain Regions of Central and South Asia programme from 2004-2007 for onward motion of community home tolerates in Yuksom, Dzongu, Kewzing and Pastanga through mental object structure of ecotourism service providers.ECOSS has been a key player in The Gangtok Water put out and Sanitation Scheme Project funded by the Australian Government International maturement Assistance (AUSAID) Programme under their Community Small Grants Scheme. It has been actively involved in the improvement of water supply, sanitation and solid waste management in Greater Gangtok ara covering 55 confused schemes and benefiting over 26,000 heap.ECOSS has executed the Rural Tourism Cluster Project funded by NABARD for the promotion of community based home stays and ecotourism activities in the liquidations of Rey Mindu in East Sikkim and Lingee Payong in South Sikkim . ECOSS continues to conduct numerous aw argonness and capability mental synthesis readings in the ecotourism sector both within Sikkim and in the North Eastern accedes.ECOSS has conducted a pilot project for the revival of the ancient distort practice of giant nettle fiber cloth amongst the Lepcha community of Dzongu. It has as well as provided consultancy serve on ecotourism for the ADB funded SASEC Tourism Infrastructure Project in Sikkim In 2011 ECOSS has been instrumental in creating the Vision Document for Quality Elementary teaching method for the Human Resource exploitation discussion section, GoS. ECOSS is also currently engaged in the JICA funded Sikkim Biodiversity and Forest Management Project covering the North District exposition connect to Sikkim Ecotourism1. Ecotourism A form of tourism that involves travelling to natural areas with the particular proposition objectives of learning, admiring and enjoying personality and its wild plants and animals a s well as local peoples cultural aspects including religious monuments, while conserving the natural and social environment, and modify the welfare of the local people.2. Ecotourism Activities Activities coordinated by a qualified nature and cultural interpreter designed to entertain and educate clients. Examples of above mentioned activities are- a. activities in mountains much(prenominal)(prenominal) as trekking, bird and wildlife watching, hiking, photography, mountaineering etc b. activities in rivers and lakes much(prenominal) as angling, rafting, kayaking, photography etc c. participating in cultural and traditional events such(prenominal) as agro-tourism, handicraft making, fairs and festivals and Himalayan folkways.3. Sustainable Ecotourism Development Development of ecotourism in the State of Sikkim, which plays the needs and aspirations of the current generation without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations.4. Ecotourism Assets Natural and c ultural features that attract visitors, such as landscapes, endemic or rare flora and fauna, local agricultural products, local culture including festivals, local folktales, history, historical monuments and heritage sites.5. Ecotourism Products A combination of activities and services which are sold and managed through qualified ecotour operators including local communities or man-to-mans.6. Ecotourism function Services including transportation, local cuisine, camping, home stay, guiding and interpretation. These services should cause stripped-down damage to the natural and cultural environment and promote a transgress recognizeing of the natural and cultural aspects of an area .7. Interpretation Communication that helps visitors to understand and appreciate the community resources. Interpretation includes facts, but also reveals the reason of the wideness of those facts so that visitors are able to understand why the resources should matter to the individual visitors. Inte rpreter is a person who provides interpretation in natural and cultural areas, interpretation center, parks and etc.Sikkim ecotourism councilThe Sikkim Ecotourism Council allow for be an autonomous council as outlined in the organizational diagram. The Sikkim Ecotourism Council forget have an executing tree branch which is the Ecotourism Directorate (ED) deeding under the Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management subdivision (FEWMD). The Council will have a local village level consummational outline which incorporates various Community-Based Organizations (CBO) locking in tandem with Panchayat, Non Governmental Organisation, Tourism Development Committee (TDC), Self-help Groups (SHG) and otherwise local peoples representative groups. components of Sikkim Ecotourism Council are as follows.Chief Patron Chief ministerTwo Patrons Minister of Forest and Minister of Tourism, Chairman Chief secretaire constituent Secretary PCCF-cum-Secretary, Forest Department (FEWMD)Mem ber Chief Wildlife WardenMember Secretary, Tourism DepartmentMember Secretary, Rural Management & Development Department Member Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services Department Member Secretary, Home DepartmentMember Secretary, Sports & Youth affairsMember Director, Ecotourism DirectorateMember Person of National Ecotourism Expertise Member National Level nongovernmental organizationMembers Four Local Level NGO and CBOMember Travel factor Association of Sikkim (TAAS)Role of ecotourism councila. bring all key stakeholders on a common platform of understanding of ecotourism activities .b. coordinate all key stakeholders to regulate on the ecotourism activities carried and reflect their opinion to the activitiesc. testify guidelines for ecotourism, and revise them in interview with the key stakeholders including NGO, CBO, local communities, tour operators, tour agents and relevant government politics from time to time as per the requirements d. turn back that the new guidelines are self-consistent with the Code of Conduct for responsible tourism prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India and select by Dept of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Govt. of Sikkim)e. oversee the activities of ecotourism to ensure negligible negative impacts on the biodiversity and eco organisations of Sikkim. Emphasis should be on the carrying condenser of the protect Areas (PAs) in Sikkim including Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP)f. evaluate the negative impacts brought by ecotourism activities and animated rules and regulations, and review and revise the rules in consultation with the stakeholders which have direct or indirect influence to the ecotourism activities as and when unavoidableg. review and finalise a draft ecotourism action plan and a long-term development plan which are prepared by EDh. varan the trainings and capacitance building carried out by ED i. monitor and influence the activities of p rivate entities which botch up the main principles of Sikkim Ecotourism, through relevant organizationsj. request tour operators, guides and home stay owners to provide information on Sikkims ecotourism products and ecotourism services, since this information is needed for homework and monitoring of ecotourism activitiesRole of ecotourism Directorate of SikkimRole of ecotourism council is as follows(A) intentning and Developmenti. ensure the implementation and execution of the ecotourism guidelines ii. coordinate with the Home Department, and other related to key government organizations in border sensitive ecotourism sites to ensure the silver operation of ecotourism activities iii. implement the strategies described in Sikkim Ecotourism Policy iv. organize seminars, workshops and internationalist conferences among concerned government officials, NGO, CBO, and other stakeholders, from time to time so as to consider the emerging needs/suggestions etc from all sections of socie ty.(B) Financingi. monitor the tax revenue generation and allocation of funds for the development of ecotourism ii. develop a waggon back mechanism with an autonomous status for funds generated for sustainability of ecotourism related activities.(C) public presentation and Managementi. work in close collaboration with NGO and state level of CBO to implement the ecotourism activities ii. collaborate with NGO, CBO, TDC, SHG and other local peoples representative groups to implement the ecotourism activities at the village level iii. set standards for the carrying capacity in the Protected Areas and other Reserved Areas to prevent damage to the biodiversity and eco corpses iv. impress newsletters, bulletins, pamphlets, status reports and other information and disseminate important government notifications and rules v. ensure visitors, tour operators, tour agencies and guides to follow the prescribed guidelines.(D) Monitoring, Evaluation and Researchi. monitor the environmental impa cts which are caused by tourism activities and plan/take necessary remedial measures to mitigate the same ii. enlist ecotourism operators in the state and monitor their activities iii. facilitate scientific assessment of relatively unexplored ecotourism destinations for their potential and promotion iv. develop participatory tourism monitoring plans in collaboration with NGO, CBO, SHG, TDC, Panchayat, EDC, PSS and JFMC v. monitor the training and capacity building programmes that are conducted by various other agencies and provide relief and cooperation Strategies for Sikkim tourism development1 Strategies for planning, zoning and good example for the Ecotourism sites and other general tourism sites are a. FEWMD and Tourism Department work together to trace the tourism zones and general tourism zones b. prior to face of the tourism zoning, plan consultations with the local NGO, CBO, TDC, SHG and other local peoples representative groups as well as key government organizations s uch as Rural Management and Development Department on the geld of the ecotourism zoning at each area c. establish zonings for tourism development sites, which will be called tourism zone hereafter, and general tourism development zone, and differentiate the two zones in Sikkimd. select villages from the tourism zone and establish a model from each district and focus on efforts on allocating finance, manpower for capacity building and facilities and equipments, and disseminate the successful cases to the other ecotourism zone e. make some variation of the tourism zone which has precise objectives such as, tourism zones for trekking, tourism zones for bird watching, tourism zones for flower photography f. range the design and appearance of new ecotourism infrastructures such as, accommodations, view points, footpaths, and restaurants that blend with the landscape etcStrategies for Training and Capacity BuildingStrategies for training and capacity building area. train and build the capacity of local communities including home stay owners, juvenility and womens groups who wish to engage on ecotourism activities. The topic of the training and capacity building are specific themes such as, environmental education, home stay management, waste management, computing, finance, ecotour program designing, interpretation, hazard management, cooking local cuisine, guides for trekking, bird watching, fauna and flora photography, angling, rafting, religious monuments and languages b. prepare and provide training materials including training manuals, school text books and training courses c. provide technical capacity building for tour operators, CBO, NGO, frontline provide of FEWMD as well as various stakeholders including STDC, EDC, JFMC, PSS and Panchayat d. identify village level CBOs engaging on ecotourism activities, and provide necessary capacity building to them e. identify and review the existing regulations and bye-laws and other regal issues related villa ge level ecotourism activities. Support CBO to clarify those issues prior to commence the ecotourism activitiesf. plan certificate courses for nature interpreters and ecotour guides for trekking, bird watching, fauna and flora photography and other activities g. identify low season income generation activities to complement ecotourism such as handicraft souvenirs, food and fruit processing, production, repairing and maintenance of adventure equipments h. provide training and capacity building to FEWMD staff as well as Tourism Department staff within the state to understand the clear  signification of ecotourism as an activity supported and monitored by FEWMD to be driven by CBO. Strategies for Benefiting the Economically Disadvantaged People Strategies for Benefiting the Economically Disadvantaged People are a. facilitate self employment opportunities for the economically disfavor people in ecotourism enterprisesb. encourage supply of goods and services to tourism enterprises b y the economically disadvantaged people c. facilitate direct sales of local goods and services to visitors by the economically disadvantaged people (informal economy) d. encourage establishment and running of tourism enterprises by the economically disadvantaged people e.g. micro, small and medium coat enterprises, or community based enterprises (formal economy) e. set up systems of voluntary support by tourism enterprises and tourists to the economically disadvantaged people.Strategies for SafetyStrategies for safety areEnsure to have insurance set by all the tour operators, guides, tour agents whose clients may have accidents and injuries during their trip, and guides to carry first aid kit out when they are in the field with their clientsPlan training and issuing certificates system for safety including risk management. The training will focus on methods of risk management avoid problems, medication to save clients and quick rescue operation to all the tour operators, guides, tour agents whose clients may have accidents and injuries caused by the intricacy of tourism activitiesPlan a system of notifying landslides high risk areas as well as other dangerous places for visitors by ED to the tour operators, tour agents, guides and drivers of vehicles through the related associations on a regular tooshieDevelop a series of hazardous maps of ecotourism sites (places, characteristics of hazardous, etc.) in Sikkim in sustainable manner and update it regularlyPlan a quick reception team for an event of any kinds of accidents related ecotourism activitiesPlan a system of emergency call for medical doctors an event of visitors sickness or injuries.Strategies for franchiseStrategies for certification arePlan a committee which includes STDC, TAAS, SAATO, TDC, NGO and CBO to work on certification related to the ecotourism activities (e.g. home stay, tour operators, environmental companionable lodges) The certification process has to be transparent based on s pecific guidelines which are monitored through social auditing  ED, STDC, TAAS, SAATO, TDC, NGO and CBO work together to identify necessary certification items related to ecotourism activities such as renewable energy, ecotour guide. They will plan further courses for the identified items.Strategies for FinanceStrategies for finance arePlan a mechanism of financial system through banks at sensitive interest rates targeting the local people who wish to engage in tourism activitiesInform the financial system to the people in Sikkim including the local villagers