Sikkim tourism department organizes exposure trek for students

The Tourism & Civil Aviation Department of Sikkim successfully conducted an exposure trekking programme aimed at providing hands-on training to students pursuing tourism studies. The initiative, titled Sikkim Students' Trek, was organized as part of the state’s 50th Statehood Celebration and focused on adventure tourism, hospitality management, and environmental conservation. With the theme "Sikkim: Where Nature Smiles", the programme sought to equip students with practical knowledge of the tourism sector.

A total of 100 students from various government colleges participated in the programme, which was conducted in two phases, with 50 students in each batch. The trekking expedition took place at the Dzongri Trek within the UNESCO-listed Khangchendzonga National Park (KNP), offering students an immersive experience in adventure tourism and sustainable ecotourism practices.

Organized by the Adventure Cell of the Tourism & Civil Aviation Department in collaboration with the Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco-tourism (IHCAE) Chemchey, the programme was supported by the Yuksam Tourism Development Committee (YTDC), a government-registered tourism body. Medical assistance during the trek was provided by the Yuksam PHC medical team.

Throughout the five-day trek, students received training in trekking and tour operations, adventure tourism skills, hospitality management, and environmental conservation. Resource persons from the Adventure Cell and YTDC guided the participants through various aspects of tourism operations and the significance of preserving local biodiversity.

The trek, which commenced on March 29, successfully concluded on April 2. A valedictory ceremony was held at Yuksam on April 3 to recognize the students' achievements. Karzang Bhutia, President of YTDC and Panchayat Vice President of Yuksam-Dubdi GPU, attended as the Chief Guest and presented certificates to the participants. The event was also attended by Manoj Kr Chettri, Deputy Director of the Adventure Cell, DoT&CAv, along with other officials including D.B. Chettri, YTDC Vice President, Roji Pradhan, and B.S. Subba from the Tourism Department, as well as YTDC Publicity Secretary Pritam Lama and Resource Person Laxman Gurung.

Speaking at the event, Karzang Bhutia praised the students for their enthusiasm and highlighted the vast potential of the tourism sector in Sikkim. He encouraged students to consider entrepreneurship in tourism, leveraging the state’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

Manoj Kr Chettri said that the programme was designed to inspire students and promote adventure tourism in Sikkim. He noted that by providing such experiential learning opportunities, the government aims to nurture skilled professionals in the tourism industry, ultimately contributing to the state’s economic growth and sustainable tourism initiatives.