GANGTOK: In a testament to its burgeoning tourism potential, Soreng, West Sikkim, was honored with the “Most Promising New Destination Award” by TTF Kolkata on Friday.
The prestigious award, presented a day ahead of the official closing ceremony of the Travel & Tourism Fair (TTF) 2025, acknowledges Soreng’s exceptional presentation and top-tier promotional efforts at the event, a press release informs.
The award was presented early as a special arrangement by TTF Founder Sanjiv Agarwal, who personally handed the accolade to the Sikkim delegation. This adjustment was made to accommodate the delegates’ schedule, as they would be unavailable for the formal ceremony on July 12.
Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), a high-level Sikkim delegation made a significant impact at the prestigious TTF 2025, held at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Kolkata, the release mentions.
The delegation was led by Rajkumari Thapa, MLA and Deputy Speaker, and Aditya Golay (MLA Soreng-Chakung). It also included MLA and Advisor (Tourism) Sudesh Kumar Subba (MLA Maneybung Dentam), Bikash Basnet (Political Secretary to CM), Karma Subba (OSD to CM), Eras Lepcha (Additional Political Secretary to CM), along with key tourism stakeholders and representatives from the Yangang Tourism Development Committee (YTDC) and Soreng Tourism Development Association(STDA).
The delegation also prominently featured representatives from various vital tourism organizations of Sikkim.
Commenting on the award and the potential of Sikkim’s newly promoted destinations, Rajkumari Thapa expressed her gratitude: “We are very grateful to Mr. Agarwal, who personally came to give us this award. As a state that heavily depends on tourism, participating in TTF Kolkata has been a great experience. This is the first time that we have participated with such a significant capacity, and it’s been a great learning experience, especially for all travel stakeholders from our State. We are a new, upcoming tourist destination, and Yangang has all the potential to be placed firmly on the tourist map. Under the guidance of CM Prem Singh Golay, we have achieved many milestones, and this one adds another feather to our cap.”
The 2025 edition of TTF Kolkata boasts more than 500 exhibitors from over 25 Indian states and 14 countries. Over its three-day run, an estimated 5,500+ travel professionals are anticipated to attend. The event is exclusively designed as a B2B platform, concentrating on both domestic and international travel prospects. Speaking about the award and Soreng’s participation, Aditya Golay, MLA Soreng-Chakung, also shared his enthusiasm: “As a young district and an elected member representing Soreng, this award greatly motivates not just me, but the entire people of Soreng. It’s been a great learning experience for all of us and the entire team of Sikkim, and we look forward to a long, fruitful, and meaningful collaboration with TTF in the future as well.”
He added, “This recognition for Soreng not only celebrates our natural beauty, but also validates our commitment to empowering local communities, fostering our dedicated stakeholders, and nurturing the incredible young entrepreneurial talent emerging from our region.”
Mr. Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman & CEO of Fairfest Media Ltd., the organizers behind TTF and India’s leading travel show network, highlighted Sikkim’s strong presence. He said, “I am very happy to see Sikkim’s large participation and its high-level delegation. Sikkim was one of the busiest pavilions at TTF Kolkata this year, demonstrating its significant potential as a destination. New destinations like Soreng have deservingly won the Most Promising Destination Award, and I was pleased to present it to the delegation. We look forward to Sikkim’s continued participation in our forthcoming travel shows across India, as there’s immense potential to attract high-end tourists. This fruitful association, which began with my visit to Yangang, is something we aim to strengthen, working closely with both the government and private sector. I wish all stakeholders the very best and look forward to visiting Sikkim again.”
He specifically praised Soreng’s winning presentation: “Soreng’s presentation was top-notch; its video was on par with any top-tier work. It is vital that branding and promotion are done correctly, highlighting the unique USPs of the place.”
Bikash Basnet, Political Secretary (Press and Publicity Affairs) to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, commented on the state’s renewed focus:
“Our participation reflected Sikkim’s renewed focus on promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism under the guidance of the Chief Minister. The TTF platform provided an excellent opportunity to showcase Sikkim’s diverse tourism offerings, build strategic partnerships, and highlight new initiatives undertaken by the State Government to make Sikkim a preferred travel destination in the Eastern Himalayas.”
- SA Report
