Hotel Association Nepal focuses on cross border tourism development
TRAVELBIZNEWS Reporter-
Kathmandu – Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha urged the travel professionals to focus on cross border tourism between Nepal – India and other neighboring countries.
Inaugurating the 42nd Annual General Meeting of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) on Friday, he underlined need of marketing destinations, strengthening human resources, developing tourism products and infrastructures.
Ambassador Jayant Prasad of India, presenting his keynote address on ‘ Cross Border Tourism Development ‘, highlighted on possibilities of tourism development between the two countries.
The envoy said the South Asian countries lag behind in getting maximum benefits of tourism despite their attractive cultural and adventure tourism products. He emphasized to connect Buddhist tourist sites between Nepal and India including joint promotion in the world tourism market.
On the occasion, Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal Leela Mani Poudel said,’ As Nepal is far behind in tourism development, it is necessary to go ahead with concrete plans to develop tourism.’
‘Nepal and India should focus on connecting and promoting Hindu and Buddhist circuits along with strengthening infrastructures to attract large number of tourists from international market,’ he added.
Hotel Association Nepal President Shyam S.L. Kakshapati urged the government to recognize the contributions and potentials of the tourism to encourage and support the industry to provide a conducive environment for its revival.
‘The problems of power crisis, labour unrest, political instability and forceful donation drive of the political parties has worsened overall business climate in the country,’ Kakshapati added.
B.K. Shrestha, first Vice-president of HAN, noted that aggressive promotional activities in the international market and joint efforts of the government and private sector could change tourism scenario of the country.
On the occasion,HAN Souvenir was released by the Chief Secretary.
Earlier, the 42nd Annual General Meeting of Hotel Association Nepal passed the annual report presented by the Secretary General Amar Man Shakya and audit report presented by HAN Treasurer Abhishek Shrestha.
Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) was established in 1966, when it had just eight hotels and all of them in Kathmandu itself. More than Rs 150 billion has so far been invested in the hospitality sector and it has generated 300,000 jobs in Nepal.
Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) is the leading representative organization in the hospitality industry, representing more than 300 hotels, resorts and guesthouses of Nepal.
June 8, 2013
