'Village Home Stays' in Sikkim gaining popularity
Gangtok (ANI) : In a bid to boost tourism in Lingee Payong village of Sikkim, the tourism department has decided to set up village home stay locale which is gaining popularity among the domestic as well as international tourists. The home stay is deliberated as a great opportunity for the villagers as it would create a sustainable source of income and provide a market for their produce. The youth from the village have involved themselves in various training sessions to inspire the village tourism.
"Everyone does not come to stay in urban areas; there are some people who wish to visit villages also. They want to enjoy their holidays and they want to rejuvenate their body, mind and soul. For this, village is the best place to go and to be in a home stay with their people, with their tradition, with their culture, eating together and sharing knowledge. All these things indirectly or directly boost state tourism," said a local trainee, Gompu Tshering Bhutia. The students who visit the village undergo training sessions in home stay locale, which provides them an insight to the ethnic culture by interacting with the locals as well as the home stay owners.
"Now, we can see the difference like youngster whoever, I mean, after completing their graduation, whatever their college and now we can see that they are coming to tourism, like, through, like some of them are working as a guide, some of them are in a home stay. From different point of views, we can see the difference now," said the general secretary of Travel Agent Association of Sikkim, Norgay Lachungpa. The trainers appreciated the initiative of the tourism department for providing an impetus to locals as well as the tourism industry. The district authorities said that all the arrangements had been made to facilitate the visitors in the town. Around ten home stay locales have been constructed in the village, which are attracting a large number of tourists from across India.
( Source -Newstrack India)