Nepal-India reps discuss post -covid cross-border tourism prospects

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, DHARAN, 27 MARCH: A three-day East Tourism Mart (ETM)  2022, attended by representatives from Nepal and various neighbouring areas of India, concluded in Dharan in Eastern Nepal today.

According to officials of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Dharan Sub-metropolis, the organisers of the event, the idea was to promote internal and cross-border tourism amid the post-Covid 19 situation, and especially after the tourism industry suffered huge losses.

Chief Minister of Province 1, Rajendra Kumar Rai, after inaugurating the ETM, said that his state government was working for further development of the tourism sector.

According to Mr Rai, it was necessary to promote tourism as it was the basis of economic development. There are a lot of potential and huge prospects for tourism in province number one," Mr Rai said. "Such marts would help in the promotion of domestic and cross-border tourism," he added.

Chief Minister Rai further said that the state government was working in collaboration  with various donors for the development of tourism infrastructure in the province.

Similarly, Speaker of Province 1 Pradip Kumar Bhandari said: "Economic development and employmernt could be created through tourism as there is immense potential for tourism in this Province."

Minister for Tourism and Culture of Province I Khinu Langwa Limbu said that it was necessary for the government, private sector and other stakeholders to promote tourism in Eastern Nepal.

According to Dharan Municipality Chief Tilak Rai, the town, Dharan, could be developed as a gateway for tourism in the East.

Manju Bhandari, the Deputy Chief of the Dharan Sub-metropolis, said that the mart was organised with support from the Dharan Sub- metropolis since 2018.

According to Krishna Shah, a number of the Nepal Tourism Board, the NTB has organised various programmes for the promotion of domestic tourism with its limited resources.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rai felicitated various persons who have contributed to Province 1 Pradip Kumar Bhandari said: "Economic development and employment could be created through tourism as there is immense potential for tourism in this Province."

Minister for Tourism and Culture of Province I Khinu Langwa Limbu said that it was necessary for the government, private sector and other stakeholders to promote tourism in Eastern Nepal. According to Dharan Municipality Chief Tilak Rai, the town, Dharan, could be developed as a gateway for tourism in the East.

Manju Bhandari, the Deputy Chief of the Dharan Sub-metropolis, said that the mart was organised with support from the Dharan Sub metropolis since 2018.

According to Krishna Shah, a number of the Nepal Tourism Board, the NTB has organised various programmes for the promotion of domestic tourism with its limited resources.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rai felicitated various persons who have contributed to the tourism sector in the eastern region.

Dr Dhananjay Regmi, Chief Executive Officer of NTB, said that the Board was organising a mart for the promotion of tourism in the domestic and border areas to gradually revive the tourism industry after the Covid restrictions.

"These programmes have been conducted in accordance with the policies and programmes of the current fiscal year of the Nepal Tourism Board, which is organized by Travel Mart," said Dr Regmi.

According to Bhavesh Kumar Shrestha, the president of the East Tourism Mart , the event is being organised in Dharan with the objective of promoting the overall tourism activities and destinations of the country nationally and internationally.

Indian towel traders from border areas of India, including Siliguri and Bihar, also took part in the mart. On the second day of the mart, there was a business interaction between Nepal's tour operators, hoteliers and tourism service providers to promote the sale of tour packages in the region, along with the participation of tour operators from bordering Indian towns and cities.