The Sikkim government has decided to develop 1,000 additional homestays to give a push to rural tourism.

C.S. Rao, the principal secretary of the state tourism and civil aviation department, who was present at the Sikkim Rural Tourism Meet 2025, a three-day event that concluded on Monday in Gyalshing district of the Himalayan state, said the government set a target to develop around 1,000 more homestays.

“These days, the majority of the visitors prefer homestays to experience Sikkim’s traditional and cultural heritage. This has made rural tourism an essential aspect of the state’s plan to expand tourism infrastructure,” he said on Sunday.

“As part of the mega homestay initiative, 1,000 homestays will be developed. Each of these accommodations will have three rooms with attached toilets and essential facilities to provide a comfortable experience to tourists,” Rao added.

According to him, 1, 908 homestays are registered with the department at present and they can accommodate around 15,500 tourists a day.

Added to it, 1,170 hotels are spread across the state, which is situated on the China border, and they can host another 32,000 tourists.

“If guest houses and youth hostels are included, Sikkim can accommodate 51,000 tourists a day. Considering the rise in the footfall of tourists, the plan is to increase the accommodations, especially homestays,” said a source in the department.

T.T. Bhutia, the state minister of the department who was present at the tourism meet at Gumpa Dara in Uttarey of Gyalshing, flagged off a hot-air-balloon ride, paragliding and off-road mountain biking trial.

On Saturday, the department formally launched the bungee jump, another popular adventure sport, from Singshore Bridge which is also in the same district, on the first day of the rural tourism meet.

The minister, while addressing the event, laid emphasis on homestays. He asked the local entrepreneurs to incorporate farm stays, village walks, traditional cuisine and cultural experiences to attract more tourists.

“The government is working on the plan to host major tourism events in the state to promote Sikkim,” said a source.