CONCLAVE ON INNOVATION AND PROGRESS OF ECOTOURISM IN SIKKIM

16th February, 2017  |  Forest Secretariat, Deorali, Gangtok, Sikkim

As the custodian of the state’s natural wealth viz., forests, wildlife, wetlands, etc. the Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department (FEWMD), Government of Sikkim is taking proactive steps to develop ecotourism in Sikkim especially in and around forested areas of the state adhering to the sustainable tourism principles and best practices. Forest, Environment and Wildlife Management Department has established the Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate as the executive arm for the purposes of planning, regulating, developing and promoting ecotourism in the state. For the effective functioning and achieving its organizational objectives, Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate has chalked out plans and actionable strategies to work closely with important stakeholders (government and non-government).

Towards this end, Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate has decided to convene a forum where stakeholders from the tourism industry can converge, deliberate, share and learn about different facets of tourism and ecotourism in Sikkim’s context and imbibe values of sustainable tourism principles and practices. As an important step in this direction and considering the significance of 2017 being the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism, Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate has decided to organise a state level event titled “CONCLAVE ON INNOVATION & PROGRESS OF ECOTOURISM IN SIKKIM” on the 16th of February, 2017. This one day event is being organised at the department Head Quarters and is expected to be attended by around 300 participants representing key stakeholder groups namely goverment departments, tourism industry representatives, NGO’s, community organisaitons, media and members of various ecotourism zones which are being developed by Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate through the JICA assisted Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation and Forest Management project.

Our goals are:

1. Bring awareness among key stakeholders of Sikkim’s tourism industry about the importance of ecotourism and sustainable tourism
2. Enhance the livelihood opportunities of forest dependent communities by promoting eco-friendly tourism
3. Establish market linkages for the ecotourism zones being developed by SED
4. Raise the knowledge of Sikkimese community about the rich and fragile natural resources of the state and motivate them to conserve.
    

Source: Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate, FEWMD