Nepal could become tourism capital of South Asia

Kathmandu, Jan 23: Tourism entrepreneurs on Saturday stressed on a trade treaty between Nepal and Bangladesh to promote Nepal’s tourism and trade.

The concerned stakeholders argued Nepal could be developed as the South Asian capital of tourism due to its natural beauty, diverse topography and climate.

Participants at a two-day seminar organized jointly by Bangladeshi Embassy in Kathmandu and Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs with an aim to enhance Nepal – Bangladesh trade, stressed on using the nature’s bounty in Nepal at the fullest.

On the occasion, Nepal Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi said Nepal could become tourism capital of South Asia.

Nepal has many more tourism destinations and Nepal can become the best destination with a liberal foreign policy, Joshi said adding that Nepal succeeded in becoming a major attraction in the world due to its natural beauty, climate and hospitality.

Joshi further pointed out that tourists from more than 70 countries visit Nepal and that tourism is the prime basis of the country’s economic prosperity. He added that a joint travel package between Nepal and Bangladesh would increase the influx of tourism considerably in both the countries.

At the programme, Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh President Prof Dr Akbaruddin Ahmad said Bangladesh shared a deep relation with Nepal since long ago and that it wanted cooperation also in capacity of being a SAARC member state.

Tourism entrepreneur Ambika Shrestha said Nepal could be advanced as a tourism industry as it was essentially a mine of natural heritages.

Nepal Fine Arts Academy Chancellor Ragini Upadhaya said art could also become a basis of trade and tourism.

The seminar inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa on Friday is chaired by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ananda Prasad Pokharel.