Expectation from Sangai Fest
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: Ocotber 06, 2014 -

The Sangai Festival has been organized as the annual tourism festival of Manipur for the last few years.

Its objective is to promote tourism and make Manipur as one of India’s tourist hotspots. The State Government is trying hard to bring up the festival at the international level.

However, the last few editions of Sangai Festival were not that impressive. It simply looked like a local fair where few foreigners and non-locals added little charm to the festival.

Last year’s Sangai Festival witnessed the DoNER Minister and Chief Ministers of Mandalay and Sagaing Regions of Myanmar making glittering appearances at the inaugural ceremony.

There were also foreign delegates from Myanmar, Thailand and China besides polo players from the United States, Germany and Thailand for participating at the Manipur Polo International, a component event of the Sangai Festival.

Significantly, the Tulihal International Airport was also inaugurated with the landing of Golden Myanmar Airline in connection with the Sangai Festival last year.

But, the festival failed to attract people from beyond Imphal. Apart from the foreign delegates who were invited by the Government, not many tourists even from outside the State turned up at the festival.

Cultural and adventure events of Sangai Festival were not up to the mark. The festival venue at Hapta Kangjeibung was jam-packed with visitors, but there was hardly any tourist from outside.

The Sangai Festival largely failed as a tourism festival, though it succeeded in strengthening diplomatic ties with the neighbouring country.

Manipur's tourism festival needs to have a distinct identity which could help in attracting tourists from other states and abroad.

The organizers of Sangai Festival have to collaborate with some leading tour operators to draw large number of tourists for the festival.

The State Tourism Department should strive to bring up the Sangai Festival in line with the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland and Ziro Music Festival of Arunachal Pradesh, which have been able to draw many tourists from far and wide.

Moreover, the venue of such important tourism festival should not be confined only to the crowded Hapta Kangjeibung. The festival should reach out to every nook and corner of the State.

The people of Manipur have lots of expectation from this year’s edition of Sangai Festival. It should not only serve the purpose of the Government, but also benefit the people to great extent.

It has been observed by many eminent economists that the State has good prospects in tourism and it can be developed fully to boost the State’s economy.

However, this is a great challenge for the State Government. The present law and order situation has been a hindrance to the growth of tourism industry in the State.

The first and foremost responsibility of the State Government should be maintenance of proper law and order in the State. The Sangai Festival should act as the platform for promotion of State’s tourism to the world.

The Government should also encourage investors and entrepreneurs to set up luxury hotels and resorts in the State.

Considering the recent media report of an eminent Bollywood film-maker planning to shoot his upcoming movie in the jungles of Manipur, the State can also be developed as one of the film shooting destinations.

All these prospects of Manipur tourism can be best materialised only when the Sangai Festival is organized in a remarkable manner with large number of tourists coming from outside the State.