Tourism business, country’s important economic sector: President Bhandari

OKHALDHUNGA, April 14: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said a huge publicity is needed to promote agriculture and tourism business as these sectors are important areas of the national economy.

Inaugurating the first Thole Demba Tourism Festival amidst a function here today, the President urged tourism entrepreneurs to work hand in hand to bring more and more tourists into the district. Environment management, guarantee of security, effective communications system, neat and clean hotel and lodges, home stay and medical facilities are prerequisites to promote the tourism sector of any place and for its sustainability, according to the President.

The Head of the State further insisted on the need of rebuilding the earthquake-damaged religious and cultural heritages including temples and monasteries for the sustainable development of tourism sector, and of keeping such properties safe for future generations.

“To create employment opportunities for youths in the tourism sector is the need of the hour,” the President asserted, emphasizing on the need of producing organic and pesticides-free food and vegetables.

On the occasion, the President remembered Siddhi Charan Shrestha, a prominent poet from the district, whose poem ‘Mero Pyaro Okhaldhunga’ has earned huge acclamation in the Nepali literature.

There is a tradition that people from different castes and communities respect the Thole Demba as a sacred site and worship it wishing for progress and prosperity of the country and unity and world peace, the President added.
The festival kicked off with the theme of ‘Promotion of natural beauty, art and culture is our campaign: local attire and lifestyle our identity’ will run for three days.

On the occasion Nepali Congress leader Sujata Koirala and CPN (UML) General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel spoke of the need of promoting tourism sector.

Lawmakers Shakuntala Rajbhandari, Ramhari Khatiwada and Yagyaraj Sunuwar pledged all possible support from their side to promote the district’s tourism sector. RSS