IMPHAL, Aug 11 � With the inflow of the tourists on the rise in Manipur following the relaxation of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) since January last year, private parties have urged the government to develop Moirang and Loktak Lake as a model tourist centre.
Moirang is a beautiful historical town, about 44 km south of Imphal, in Bishnupur district, and located on the bank of Loktak, the largest fresh water lake in the Northeastern region.
�It is high time we select Moirang/Loktak as our model destination,� said a functionary of Manipur Tourism Forum (MTF). �The villagers/community should be taken into confidence by letting them know how tourism can make them economically self- sustained.�
Sharing their experience of their recent Europe tour, the MTF functionary said that the road side amenities in European countries are excellent. �They have such facilities with hygienic toilet facilities every 30 km on their highways where one can have snacks or meals. Some even have facilities for shopping souvenirs. It is compulsory for the driver to stop his vehicle every two hours and he is penalised if he fails to do so�, they said.
Reacting to the State Tourism department�s plan to submit a project proposal for developing Loktak Lake as a major tourism destination of the State, to the Union Tourism Ministry, the MTF representative said, �But before submitting the proposal they need to discuss the matter with the stakeholders.
Mention may be made that after the relaxation of PAP, the visit of foreign tourists are on the rise in the State. According to State Tourism department sources, more than 200 foreigners visited the State in April alone this year. In the year 2012-13, a total of 768 foreigners (602 in 2011-12) and 1,31,803 domestic tourists (1,33,224 in 2011-12) visited the State.
