Sikkim government to constitute separate directorate for revamping tourism sector 

In accordance with the new Sikkim Registration and Licensing of Tourist Trade Act 2022, a new independent Directorate of Tourism will be established within the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation to handle the day-to-day management of operations and activities linked to tourism.

This will be facilitated through e-Governance initiatives and online transactions for the delivery of services, through the Tourism portal, supported by a Digital Operations Task Force. BS Panth, the minister of tourism, introduced the bill on Monday in the tenth legislature (sixth session part II).

The Directorate, which will be led by an officer with the rank of Special Secretary or Additional Secretary to the Government, shall be the entity responsible for carrying out and implementing the policies, programmes, and schemes of the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation in accordance with the delegation of powers as announced by the State Government.

The Directorate shall organize its operations and manage its affairs under various divisions with manpower commensurate with the nature, scope, and extent of operations and activities.

Promotion of Sikkim Tourism, formulation of attractive packages, corridors for high end, value-added tourism, facilitating the operations for MICE tourism, adventure tour operations, health and wellness centres, rural tourism, homestays, farm-based attractions for tourists, trekking, camping, mountaineering and community based cluster approaches for managing and maintaining tourist attractions; issue of Tourism Trade Licenses and Renewal thereof; registration of tourism entities, operators, partners, facilitators; development of Portal, updating and validation of contents on the portal, convergent multi-mode delivery of information to tourists and stakeholders; management of digital operations in the portal for delivering information and services to tourists aided by the back end team and digital operations task force entrusted with the task of overseeing digital operations;  engaging, managing, and enabling online transactions facilitating the operations of various stakeholders are some of the functions of the Directorate. 

The bill is intended to give the department the ability to provide online services to tourists and travelers while involving stakeholders in the tourism industry, including hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and partner agencies. It also aims to ensure that mechanisms are put in place to enforce compliance with government policies, rules, and notifications. Must mention that CM Prem Singh Tamang just introduced an online permission system for protected areas and restricted areas (PAP). 

After the Bill is passed, provisions will be made for restructuring the department with the creation of a Diradate and through executive action, a Consultative Committee will be formed to solicit input and feedback from stakeholders for improvements to be made in the operations and activities related to tourism.