NTB-led Sales Mission visits US
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the national tourism organisation of the country, has organised a Sales Mission in major cities of the United States.
The Nepali delegation met and interacted with the US media and travel agencies and tour operators in the key outbound cities of Los Angeles (June 20), San Francisco (June 23), Denver (June 24), Washington DC (June 26) and New York city (June 27) during the Sales Mission programmes.
The delegation comprising of five private sector tourism companies was led by the Chief Executive Officer of NTB Prachanda Man Shrestha and supported by the Nepal Embassy in Washington DC and the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in New York.
Shrestha informed the US media and trade representatives that with Nepal being declared the youngest republic, the Nepal's travel trade industry was ready to take up the challenge to institutionalise the new system.
Saying that tourism in Nepal was not a choice but a compulsion, he further explained about the vital role that the tourism industry has played in the socio-economic sector of the country.
Speaking during the programme in Washington DC and New York respectively, Nepal's ambassador to the US Suresh Raj Chalise and Madhu Raman Acharya, ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, stressed that since safely and security were no longer any issues, the Nepali tourism industry was all geared up to welcome the visitors from the US.
NTB under its brand "Naturally Nepal - Once is not Enough" has been focusing in the US market with various once in a life time adventure packages. The drive of the new tourism brand is reinventing Nepal's natural and cultural diversity while stressing on sustainability and environmental tourism efforts. The Nepal brand focuses on sharing the warm Nepalese hospitality, friendly culture and rich history.
This year till May 2008, the total tourist arrival has shown an increase of 8 percent as compared to the same period in 2007. The increase in the US arrival is a robust 25 percent compared to the same period in 2007.
The five private sector companies taking part in the Sales Mission were: Cho-Oyu Trekking, Royal Mt. Trekking, Shangrila Tours, Sherpa Brother Treks & Expeditions and Yeti Travels. nepalnews.com June 29 08
