Sikkim’s Tourism Lodgings Should Support the Sustainable Development Fund

The Sikkim government has mandated that all tourist accommodation providers in the Himalayan region contribute to the Tourism Sustainable Development (TSD) fund, as reported by PTI. In an official directive, the state government’s Tourism and Civil Aviation department instructed all types of accommodations—including hotels, resorts, homestays, bed and breakfast establishments, and service apartments—to contribute ₹50 per tourist to the TSD fund, or face penalties.

Accommodation providers are required to collect a ₹50 fee from each tourist at check-in and remit it to the government, which tracks the payments through the Atithi Guest Information System.

This initiative was launched by the Sikkim government in March 2025 to promote sustainable tourism development, aiming to enhance tourism-related infrastructure and services, such as roads and connectivity.
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According to Additional Director of Tourism, Tenzing Gelay Bhutia, it has been observed that while some accommodation units have complied with the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade (SRTT) Act, 2024, many have not yet met this legal requirement.

“The Tourism and Civil Aviation department insists on immediate compliance; otherwise, as outlined in Rule 83 under the SRTT Rules, 2025, any entity that fails to meet the TSD fund requirements will incur a fine of ₹5,000 for the first month of default, followed by ₹10,000 for the second month. Continued non-compliance for three consecutive months may result in de-registration,” he added.

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