AIZWAL, April 29: Over 1,96,000 tourists including foreigners visited Mizoram in the year 2023, the state Tourism department said.
A total of 1,96,880 tourists visited the northeastern state in 2023 of which 1,93,445 were domestic and 3,435 were foreigners, the state tourism department.
With 1,162 tourists, Americans topped the list of foreigners visiting the northeastern state, it said, adding that tourists from other foreign countries including Japan, Australia, Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom, also visited Mizoram last year.
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The tourist footfall in 2022-23 was over 2.22 lakh of which 2.18 lakh were domestic tourists and 3,551 were foreigners. The tourist footfall in the state was minimal during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was 20,564 in 2020-21 and 1.32 lakh in 2021-22.
Mizoram is famous for its stunning landscapes, which include rolling hills, serene valleys, and cascading waterfalls. The state is also rich in flora and fauna.
The northeastern state has several tourist destinations or attractions and the most famous are Reiek Tlang (highest hilltop in the state) located about 29 km from Aizawl, Vantawng Falls, Phawngpui peak, Hmuifang Tlang (hill station), Dampa Wildlife Sanctuary, Murlen National Park, Tamdil or Tam lake (largest natural lake in the state) and Mizo heritage villages in Falkawn and Reiek (model village depicting the lifestyle of the Mizo people).
Mizoram tourism is making headway with a ‘responsible’ tourism policy that came into force in August 2020, it said.
The ‘responsible’ tourism policy envisages a sustainable development strategy, coordination, strengthening institutional framework and skill development.
The policy also focuses on making tourism a tool for development of villages and local communities, eradicating poverty and providing a livelihood for the local population while upholding the principles of economic, social and environmental responsibilities.
In the past, foreigners had to obtain Protected Area Permit (PAP) from the Union Home Ministry in order to travel to Mizoram.
However, the Home Ministry has suspended PAP and all foreigners except from Afghanistan, Pakistan and China are now exempted from PAP.
Although PAP is no longer required for foreign tourists, every foreigner has to report themselves at the Foreigner Registration Office in Aizawl within 24 hours of their arrival in Mizoram. (PTI)
