The 6.8 magnitude quake has shaken the anticipation of a great tourist season this October in the Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills. With Sikkim and Darjeeling being the worst effected, anxious queries are being made by the tourists who have already planned their holidays in this region.

The tourism sector is jittery as people who had made plans to visit Sikkim next month are now having second thoughts about their trips because of the earthquake on Sunday. Tour operators were busy on Monday, answering calls from apprehensive people enquiring about how safe it would be to visit the area.

The hills earn from the tourism sector in a major way. In the next seven days those who had Sikkim on their travel itinerary may avoid the place. Sikkim without tourists for a whole week means loss of lakhs. Though not many trips during the puja festival in WB have been cancelled, there are a superstitious few who will seriously consider not going now, said experts from the travel industry.

But some tour operators, understandably, are not willing to take a risk & are taking no fresh bookings for Sikkim during the Puja. They have ot first make sure that the tourism infrastructure of the state is back to normal. Only then they can think of sending tourists there.