Sikkim Tourism Booms: Over 10 Lakh Tourists Visit in the First Five Months of 2026
Sikkim Welcomes Over 10 Lakh Tourists in Five Months, Domestic Travellers Drives Strong 2026 Growth
Sikkim has welcomed more than 10 lakh tourists in the first five months of 2026, with domestic travellers making up the vast majority of visitors. Data from the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department shows that 1,060,665 tourists visited the state between January and May, including 1,030,363 domestic travellers and 30,302 foreign visitors. Domestic tourists accounted for 97.14% of the total footfall. Tourist arrivals also picked up from March onwards, with May recording the highest number of domestic visitors so far this year. The figures point to another strong year for Sikkim Tourism, even as international arrivals continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels.
Domestic Travellers Drive Sikkim’s Tourism Growth
The latest figures show that domestic tourism remains the mainstay of Sikkim's travel economy. Of the 1.06 million visitors recorded between January and May, more than 1.03 million were domestic travellers. The latest tourist footfall in Sikkim figures also show how arrivals have varied through the first five months of the year.
January recorded 220,717 domestic tourist arrivals.
February saw arrivals dip to 108,418.
March recorded a strong recovery with 218,964 visitors.
April saw the figure rise to 232,748.
May recorded the highest monthly domestic footfall of the year at 249,516.
The rise during the spring and summer months coincided with the holiday season and extreme heat in several parts of India, potentially encouraging travellers to choose the cooler Himalayan climate of Sikkim, which remains among the top trending holiday destinations in Sikkim.
Sikkim Tourism on Track for Another Strong Year
The state recorded its highest-ever annual domestic tourist arrival in 2025, with 1,654,838 visitors. The 2026 figure for January to May has already crossed 62.3% of last year's total, putting Sikkim in a strong position for another year of high domestic demand.
The upcoming monsoon months, however, could influence the final annual numbers, as heavy rainfall and landslides can affect road connectivity and travel across the Himalayan state. This could also have an impact on visitor numbers to some of the top tourist places in Sikkim during the wetter months.
International Tourism Remains a Challenge
Foreign tourist arrivals stood at 30,302 between January and May 2026, accounting for only 2.86% of total visitors.
April recorded the highest monthly foreign arrival figure during the period, with 8,913 visitors.
The numbers remain below Sikkim's pre-pandemic international tourism performance. In 2019, the state recorded 133,388 foreign tourists, while the figure dropped to 11,508 in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although international arrivals recovered to 93,908 in 2023, they declined to 68,992 in 2025.
The latest figures suggest that while domestic travelers continue to drive growth, attracting more international tourists visiting Sikkim remains an important challenge for the state's tourism sector.
What the Numbers Mean for Sikkim Tourism?
The latest numbers underline how strongly domestic travelers are driving Sikkim Tourism this year. The state's appeal as a cooler mountain destination continues to bring visitors from across India, with North Sikkim and South Sikkim remaining popular parts of the wider travel circuit.
The picture is different when it comes to overseas visitors. Foreign arrivals are still well below the levels recorded before the pandemic, and the numbers from the first five months of 2026 suggest that international tourism has some way to go before it fully recovers. For now, it is domestic travel that continues to keep Sikkim's tourism sector moving.
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