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“My aim is to further develop attractive tourism related products and services for Outbound Chinese Tourism Market within Nepal. We aim to connect society and institutions both in Nepal and in China for mutual tourism promotion, people-to-people relationship and trans-Himalayan bond”, said Lila Dhar Bhandari, the Chairperson of Nepal-China Tourism Promotion Society and Going Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
Bhandari talked about the tourism promotion between China and Nepal in the APD interview after the Belt and Road Green Industries Integration Forum, a sub-forum of the 2018 Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo concluded on October 26 in Guangzhou.
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Narayan Kazi Shrestha in the Belt and Road Green Industries Integration Forum, October 26, 2018. /APD Photo
The Nepal Delegation was led by Narayan Kazi Shrestha, former Deputy Prime Minister along with 19 delegates, including Sunil Shakya, Chairman of PATA Nepal Chapter (PNC) and KGH Group of Hotels and Resorts, Suman Pandey, Immediate Past Chairman of PNC, Lila Bhandari, Proxy Executive Member PNC, President of Nepal China Tourism Promotion Society, Bimala KC, Minister of Agriculture, Karnali Province along with Member of Parliament, Mayors and other members.
According to Bhandari, in the first trimester of 2018, China has topped the tourist source market for Nepal for the first time. China’s outbound tourism has a market share of about 17%-20% and it is growing in Nepal with average estimate of about 100,000 Chinese tourists visiting Nepal every year. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal has set a target of attracting 500,000 outbound Chinese tourists in the year 2020.
Concrete policy like free visa for Chinese tourists has been carried out to facilitate and attract tourists. “Nepalese authorities and private sectors have to train more Chinese-speaking guides and local shopkeepers, produce more notes and basic mandatory information in Chinese language as well as open shopping malls and dutyfree shops to make Nepal a Chinese tourists friendly destination”, said Bhandari.
As the Chairperson of Nepal-China Tourism Promotion Society, Bhandari said the Society is trying to find logistic support to address the underlying problems. “Nepalese people expect more Chinese tourists in Nepal to enjoy the beautiful scenery, diversified adventures and also the cordiality of Nepalese people. Meanwhile Nepalese people want to learn Chinese language and culture as well”, he said.
As the Chairman of a tourism company, Bhandari said he and his company warmly welcome Chinese tourists to Nepal and a part of the profit goes for the charity.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)