Joint efforts with India needed to promote tourism

Kathmandu, June 9: Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) Prem Kumar Rai Thursday emphasized on joint bilateral efforts to promote tourism products in Nepal and India.

Addressing a conference on ‘Enhancing India – Nepal bilateral cooperation tourism’ Rai said that Nepal could have great benefit if it could attract Indian tourists since Nepal could offer religious, cultural and natural attraction to Indian visitors.

“The collaboration in tourism development not only promote tourism destinations in the two countries but also contribute in employment generation and enhanced economic activities,” he said.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Roy said that more entry points were needed to enhance the tourism activities between the two countries.

“We can hope that within couple of years the situation will be improved. The Integrated Check Post at Raxaul-Birgunj border is at the final stage of completion while a motorable bridge will be constructed on Mahakali river at Banbasa. The bridge will increase flow of people across the border,” said Roy.

President of Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) Saurya SJB Rana said that the NICCI would work to facilitate the entrepreneurs in both the country in tourism. He stated that India was a huge market for Nepalese tourism.

According to a study conducted by a Joint Working Committee of tourism entrepreneurs of both the countries, in 2014 Indian arrivals was dropped by 25 per cent from previous year because of Nepal’s tired tourism product, weak destination marketing, temporary casino closures, high air fares, and competition from other low cost haul destinations in South East Asia.

Indians comprise 22 per cent repeat visitors and 40 per cent of Nepal air arrivals are from India.

The committee recommended attracting Indian employees that go on visit foreign countries on Leave Travel Concession (STC) scheme. The Indian government has approved a proposal to allow more than two million employees to travel to Nepal along with Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka on STC.

Likewise, it recommended increasing the entry point in case of Nepal. “Encourage low cost carriers to create direct flights from other Indian cities like Amritsar, Lucknow, and smaller cities.”

The committee also suggested simplifying visa process, currency exchange and bilateral tourism countries between the two countries.

Overland travel, extension of travel benefits, air travel, currency and international joint promotion were identified as the areas of cooperation between India and Nepal.