The government has said it is doing necessary homework to attract "quality tourists" basically from India and China to make the proposed Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) a phenomenal success.

According to Dhruva Narayan Shrestha, member of working committee of NTY 2011, a considerable number of Indian as well as Chinese tourists have now become as capable as visitors from third countries in terms of spending for recreational activities.

"So, we are targeting high-end tourists from these two neighbouring countries, says Shrestha, who is also immediate past president of NATA (Nepal Association of Travel and Tours Agents).

"The total contribution of tourism industry to the country's GDP currently stands at 2.5 percent. And, we are expecting that NTY 2011 will be instrumental to increase this contribution to the level of 20 percent," adds Shrestha.

The mega tourism campaign aims to bring 1 million tourists in the country.

In order to smoothly deliver required facilities to the tourists visiting the country, the committee is also mulling to construct apartments in conjunction with private sector. "This planning is focused on ensuring every basic amenity to the visitors without any hassle as the probability of big hotels closing down due to strike and bandh always looms large, "justifies Shrestha.

According to Shrestha, the committee in collaboration with private sector is penciling strategies to promote Nepali tourism products and products in promising markets like India, China, America and other European countries.

He also divulged that ten more committees are being formed to identify more tourist destinations so that the flow of visitors into the country will not be concentrated in certain places.

"The proposed committees will work towards involving local people to attract tourists in a widely diversified manner," Shrestha related. Nepalnews.com

Write comment

Name: Email:   Title:

View Comments	Search
As postings are shown online immediately, please be warned of offensive comments

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."