KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal expressed the hope that Country’s tourism would take a stride with the Netra Bikram Chand-led group entering the peaceful politics.

With the agreement reached with the group on March 5, the country has turned into a full peaceful country and the campaign to administer Covid-19 vaccines in place, inflows of foreign tourists would increase, he expressed his confidence.

The minister was inaugurating the 44th annual general meeting of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Nepal chapter here on Friday. “We brought CK Raut to mainstream politics. Likewise we also brought Biplav group which engaged in rebel and violence to mainstream politics. This has ended terrorism and fear. Now tourism will flourish,” he said.

The Ministry has written to the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre to allow foreign tourists into the country after presenting negative reports of their PCR tests for the infection and manage on arrival visa for them and the provision would get passed from the Cabinet soon, he said.

To resolve problems surrounding tourism and address demands of tourism entrepreneurs to ease arrivals of foreign tourists, a decisive step has been taken after inter-ministry discussions and results would come soon, he said.

The Ministry secretary Yadav Prasad Koirala said the Ministry has taken initiatives to ease the arrival of foreign tourists to Nepal. Calling on the tourism entrepreneurs to come up with strategic plan and programmes for diversification and international marketing of the tourism sector, he said the Ministry would extend support for the same.

PATA which is an organisation taking the major initiatives for promoting tourism sector in partnership with the Nepal Tourism Board has been carrying out exemplary works in bringing in foreign tourists in coordination of the government and the private sector.

Secretary Koirala thanked PATA Nepal Chapter for bringing many people from the Pacific region for the promotion of tourism in Nepal. BBC Master Chef Santosh Sah underscored the need of collaboration among all sectors for internationalization of Nepali’s indigenous dishes through proper packaging and branding in order to promote Nepal’s tourism.

He suggested giving priority to ‘food tourism’ and bringing special promotional programme on the agro-products required for that. PATA Nepal Chapter president Bibhuti Chand Thakur underscored bringing effective promotional programmes through collaboration of the government and the private sector for reviving the tourism activities in the post-COVID-19 situation.

On the occasion, PATA presented the ‘PATA Lifetime Achievement Award’ to former Tourism Secretary Deependra Purush Dhakal in recognition of his significant contribution to the promotion of tourism sector and the ‘PATA Personality of the Year Award’ to chef Sah for making special contribution to the promotion of Nepal.

Minister Dhakal handed over both the awards on the occasion. Similarly, Tourism Secretary Koirala, on behalf the PATA, felicitated the members of the team of the Nepali mountaineers who set the world record by climbing Mt K2 of Pakistan in the winter season, presenting them with Letter of Commendation. The Sursudha band made a special musical presentation at the function.