An interaction programme was held in Kathmandu on March 30 to discuss various issues related to Chinese outbound tourists and possible cooperation between China and Nepal for promoting pilgrimage tourism in Kailash Mansarovar of Tibet. Chinese authorities Tuesday asked Nepal not to differentiate between Chinese and Indian tourists.
Organised by the Tourism Industry Division and Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, speakers said that Nepal should capitalize the close proximity of China by luring more tourists to Nepal because both China and Nepal share the long history and cultural nearness.
Inaugurating the programme, Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Civil Aviation, Sarvendra Nath Sukla said that provision has been made for issuing free visas to Chinese tourists in order to lure them to Nepal. He stressed on effective tourism promotional strategies and informed that the government was working to facilitate Chinese tourists in Nepal.
Ambassador of China to Nepal Sun Heping disclosed that more than 20 million Chinese tourists visited overseas countries in 2003 and this figure is expected reach 100 million in 2020. " In recent years, both China and Nepal have enhanced the cooperation in tourism by signing MoUs on promoting mutual tourism. Presently, the arrivals of Chinese outbound tourists in Nepal occupy a small portion of the total arrivals of foreign, but it has kept the momentum o annual increase," he further said.
Cheng Ji, Political and Press Chief at the Chinese Embassy presenting paper from Chinese side requested Nepal not to differentiate between the tourists said, ?Charges on Chinese are higher compared to Indians.?
?Airfare for Indians from Pokhara to Jomsom is $70 while the same is $120 for Chinese,? he added. ? Nepal should lower the travel cost to and in Nepal to attract large number of tourists.?
Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shankar Koirala said that the government has taken different policy measures for bringing in the maximum number of Chinese tourists to Nepal. He further said the government was trying to bring private sector into the forefront of this sector. The Chief of Tourism Industry Division and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shaker Prasad Pandey highlighted the tourism link between Nepal and Tibet and said that Nepal can play the role of catalyst for the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage. Tek Bahadur Dangi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, emphasizing on costs to carryout promotional campaigns in an international level asked the government to provide adequate amount of the budget. Dr. Bed Prasad Uprety, tourism expert and Sumit Baral, Assistant Manager, Nepal Tourism Board presented paper from Nepal side. Deepak Mahat, President of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal outlined the problems faced by Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs while sending and receiving third country tourists to and from Tibet.
Meanwhile, Air-China landed in Kathmandu Tuesday for the first time with 80 Chinese tourists. Air-China, currently operating two weekly flights between Kathmandu to Chengdu, is planning to increase its flights along with the increase in the Chinese tourists to Nepal.
Organised by the Tourism Industry Division and Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, speakers said that Nepal should capitalize the close proximity of China by luring more tourists to Nepal because both China and Nepal share the long history and cultural nearness.
Inaugurating the programme, Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Civil Aviation, Sarvendra Nath Sukla said that provision has been made for issuing free visas to Chinese tourists in order to lure them to Nepal. He stressed on effective tourism promotional strategies and informed that the government was working to facilitate Chinese tourists in Nepal.
Ambassador of China to Nepal Sun Heping disclosed that more than 20 million Chinese tourists visited overseas countries in 2003 and this figure is expected reach 100 million in 2020. " In recent years, both China and Nepal have enhanced the cooperation in tourism by signing MoUs on promoting mutual tourism. Presently, the arrivals of Chinese outbound tourists in Nepal occupy a small portion of the total arrivals of foreign, but it has kept the momentum o annual increase," he further said.
Cheng Ji, Political and Press Chief at the Chinese Embassy presenting paper from Chinese side requested Nepal not to differentiate between the tourists said, ?Charges on Chinese are higher compared to Indians.?
?Airfare for Indians from Pokhara to Jomsom is $70 while the same is $120 for Chinese,? he added. ? Nepal should lower the travel cost to and in Nepal to attract large number of tourists.?
Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shankar Koirala said that the government has taken different policy measures for bringing in the maximum number of Chinese tourists to Nepal. He further said the government was trying to bring private sector into the forefront of this sector. The Chief of Tourism Industry Division and Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Shaker Prasad Pandey highlighted the tourism link between Nepal and Tibet and said that Nepal can play the role of catalyst for the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage. Tek Bahadur Dangi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, emphasizing on costs to carryout promotional campaigns in an international level asked the government to provide adequate amount of the budget. Dr. Bed Prasad Uprety, tourism expert and Sumit Baral, Assistant Manager, Nepal Tourism Board presented paper from Nepal side. Deepak Mahat, President of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal outlined the problems faced by Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs while sending and receiving third country tourists to and from Tibet.
Meanwhile, Air-China landed in Kathmandu Tuesday for the first time with 80 Chinese tourists. Air-China, currently operating two weekly flights between Kathmandu to Chengdu, is planning to increase its flights along with the increase in the Chinese tourists to Nepal.
