The Sikkim tourism department has won the Sanctuary Asia Award 2025 for Best State for Sustainable Wildlife Tourism, presented by Travel Operators for Tigers (TOFT) in recognition of the Himalayan state’s conservation-led, community-driven and responsible tourism practices.
The award acknowledges Sikkim’s sustained commitment to protecting biodiversity while promoting ethical and sustainable tourism. TOFT is a leading organisation promoting responsible wildlife and nature tourism in India and South Asia, working in partnership with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation.
The award ceremony was held in New Delhi on December 12.
“The 2025 TOFT Wildlife & Nature Tourism Awards, themed ‘Rewilding Tourism’, celebrate initiatives that regenerate ecosystems, empower local communities and uphold high standards through eco-lodges, trained guides and conservation efforts,” an official of the Sikkim tourism and civil aviation department said.
Officials said Sikkim has emerged as a national model in conservation-based tourism through flagship initiatives such as Mero Rukh Mero Santati, Mero Bato Mero Bot, My Child from the Wild, the State Green Mission, Smritivan, A Day for Mother Earth, the Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation and Forest Management Project and focused tiger conservation programmes.
The department has also made significant progress in promoting birding and butterfly tourism, supported by nature-based guide training programmes introduced by the state, the official said.
At the same event, Sonam Wangchuk Lepcha, president of the Butterfly Society of Sikkim, won the Wildlife and Tourism Initiative Award 2025, while Prem Kumar Chhetri of the Sikkim forest department secured third place in the Champion of the Forest 2025 category for his exemplary conservation and scientific work in the Sikkim Himalayas.
“Lepcha’s initiatives have played a key role in positioning Sikkim as the ‘Land of Butterflies’, enhancing the state’s profile on the national eco-tourism map and promoting environmental stewardship among local communities,” an official said.
Sudesh Kumar Subba, adviser to the tourism and civil aviation department, said: "Such awards motivate people to conserve nature while strengthening sustainable tourism in Sikkim."