Sikkim recorded more than 17 lakh tourist arrivals in 2025, marking an increase of over 82,000 compared to the previous year, even as foreign tourist numbers declined sharply, an official said on Wednesday.
According to official data, domestic tourist footfalls rose to 16,35,650 in 2025 from 15,40,421 in 2024, reflecting a growing preference among travellers for the Himalayan state. However, the number of foreign visitors dropped to 71,710 last year from 84,710 in 2024.
Tourism Department Additional Chief Secretary C.S. Rao said the decline in foreign tourist arrivals was primarily due to extensive road damage, especially along National Highway-10, following heavy destruction in October. He said the poor road conditions had adversely affected travel plans of overseas visitors.
Rao said efforts were underway to attract more foreign tourists while strengthening sustainable and responsible tourism practices in the state. He added that if road conditions across Sikkim, including NH-10, continue to improve and remain stable, the state could expect nearly 20 lakh tourist arrivals in the current year.
Meanwhile, Sikkim saw the season’s first significant snowfall on January 4, covering vast stretches of the state in a white blanket. Although the snowfall arrived later than in previous years, it has generated fresh optimism within the tourism industry.
Fresh snowfall was reported at Nathula and Tsomgo (Chhangu) Lake in East Sikkim and Yuksam in West Sikkim, while Zero Point and Yumthang Valley near Lachung in North Sikkim have been experiencing heavy snowfall for the past week. Snow remains a prime tourist attraction in Sikkim during the winter months.
However, the tourism industry, particularly in North Sikkim, has been struggling to recover fully since the October 2023 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), which caused widespread damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure, disrupting access to key tourist destinations for several months.
“Massive snowfall was reported recently in Nathula and Chhangu areas of East Sikkim. Zero Point near Lachung in North Sikkim has remained covered under a thick blanket of snow for the past week, and Yumthang Valley has also been witnessing similar snowfall for the last few days,” said S.K. Subba, adviser to the state tourism and civil aviation department, on Sunday.
Lachung, located around 120 km from the capital Gangtok, is among the most popular winter destinations in Sikkim and typically draws large numbers of tourists when blanketed in snow.
“Tourists have already started enjoying snowfall and occupancy rates in most lodges and hotels are high so far,” said Kalpak De, a hotelier in Lachung.
Another hotelier said the impact of the 2023 GLOF was still being felt in several ways, including damaged infrastructure and reduced tourist footfalls, while acknowledging that North Sikkim remains a major driver of the state’s tourism industry.
The 72nd Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal, which guards the India-Nepal border in Sikkim, reported that Yuksam was covered by snow over the past 24 hours.
“Despite the challenging weather conditions, the jawans of 72nd Bn SSB are standing firm ….they are well-prepared to tackle the situation arising out of the snowfall and are working tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of the people,” a written statement issued by the SSB said.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast further snowfall in the region.
“Light to moderate rain and snow are likely over the higher reaches of Mangan, Gangtok, Pakyong and Namchi districts of Sikkim during the next 24 hours,” an IMD official said.
Cold conditions also prevailed in the Darjeeling hills and other parts of north Bengal over the past 24 hours. Darjeeling recorded a minimum temperature of 1.8 degrees Celsius, while Kalimpong registered 9 degrees Celsius. North Bengal plains remained largely gloomy and foggy, with brief spells of sunshine in the afternoon.
