Minister urges joint efforts for tourism recovery

Kathmandu, July-10 Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kripasur Sherpa has said private sector and government agencies should put joint efforts to bring tourism, which suffered severe setback due to the devastating earthquake, back on track from the autumn season.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘Role of Stakeholders and Media in Tourism Recovery’ organized in Kathmandu on Wednesday by IMAGE NEPAL — a bi-monthly international travel magazine to celebrate its 27th anniversary, Minister Sherpa said media has a greater role to play in tourism recovery as there is a need to disseminate positive message to major tourist generating markets.

Similarly, Tourism Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha said the government has put tourism sector in priority. “The main focus of government’s policy and programs for fiscal year 2015/16, which was unveiled on Wednesday, is on infrastructure development,” he added

On the occasion, Minister Sherpa felicitated tourism entrepreneurs Ambica Shrestha, Tek Chandra Pokharel, Ang Tshering Sherpa, Chhabi Phuyal, Rajan Simkhada and Kami Sherpa as well as the magazine’s long serving employees Kishor Man Singh Basnyat and Bishnu Bhattarai.

Speaking at the program, Hari Raj Joshi, editor of IMAGE NEPAL, said the tourism industry should treat tourism-based media as their partners and extend necessary support and cooperation accordingly

Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, chief administrator of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), suggested to the tourism entrepreneurs to devise innovative programs to engage foreign tourists in Nepal. Similarly, Ramesh Prasad Dhamala, president of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), said the ministry should devise programs and policies for the tourism industry in consultation with travel trade associations.

Young entrepreneur tourism entrepreneurs said the government should put focus on infrastructure development. “We have comparative advantage over our neighboring markets in terms of tourism. We have abundant raw materials (for tourism) throughout the country, we only need to exploit our potentials,” added Simkhada

Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), DB Limbu, president of Joint Tourism Coordination Committee, and Devi Prasad Pant, president of Journalists Association for Tourism-Nepal, also spoke on the occasion.

Source:Republica