Accommodation providers for tourists in Sikkim should invest in a sustainable development fund.

The government of Sikkim has mandated that all tourist accommodation providers in the Himalayan region contribute to the Tourism Sustainable Development (TSD) fund, as reported by PTI. The state’s Tourism and Civil Aviation department issued an order requiring all accommodation providers, including hotels, resorts, homestays, bed and breakfast establishments, and service apartments, to collect ₹50 from each tourist for the TSD fund, with penalties for non-compliance, according to the official.

Accommodation providers are to charge a ₹50 fee from each tourist upon check-in and submit it to the government, which keeps track of payments via the Atithi Guest Information System.

The initiative to collect funds for the Tourism Sustainable Development Fund began in March 2025 to foster sustainable tourism development, which includes enhancements to tourism infrastructure and facilities like roads and connectivity.
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Additional Director of Tourism, Tenzing Gelay Bhutia, stated that the department has observed that some accommodation units have not adhered to the provisions of the Sikkim Registration of Tourist Trade (SRTT) Act, 2024, while several others have yet to meet this legal obligation.

“The Tourism and Civil Aviation department calls for immediate compliance; otherwise, as outlined in Rule 83 under the SRTT Rules, 2025, any entity failing to meet the TSD fund requirements will incur a fine of ₹5,000 for the first month of default, increasing to ₹10,000 for the second month, and may face de-registration if non-compliance persists for three consecutive months,” he noted.

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