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Kathmandu,Monday January 24, 2000 Magh 10th, 2056.
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Hijacking incurs Rs 100 m
loss to tourism
-By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, Jan 23 - Hotel industry has lost
more than 100 million rupees following the hijacking of Delhi bound Indian Airlines' plane
on December 24, 1999, hoteliers claimed today.
Speaking at a press meet organized by the
Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) today, president of the association Gautam Das Shrestha said
negative publicity through Zee News has damaged the image of Nepalese tourism industry in
the global market.
Though tourism entrepreneurs made efforts to
reposition Nepal’s image in the international arena, nothing concrete has come
out yet, lamented Shrestha.
They have asked for cooperation from all the
concerned sectors to resume Indian Airlines’ flights to Kathmandu, he said.
A press release distributed by HAN on the
occasion says that with the suspension of Indian Airlines’ flight to Kathmandu and
negative news reports broadcast by Zee News has resulted into a loss of more than 100
million rupees which has reduced hotel occupancy by more than 40 percent.
Tourism entrepreneurs flayed Nepal Tourism
Board (NTB) for its failure to restore the image of Nepal damaged by Indian media.
NTB’s attitudes has hurt the entire
hotel industry which alone contributes 90 percent to the board’s coffer, say
hoteliers.
Hotels pay two percent service tax to the
board.
Hoteliers demanded NTB to make efforts to
restore Nepal’s image bringing Indian press, travel agents, tour operators to
Kathmandu to prove that Nepal is not an unsafe country rather a peaceful one.
During the press meet, president of
International Hotel and Restaurant Association Dr Osmane Aidi stated that Nepal is a
secured place to travel, adding that Nepal is rich in culture and natural resources which
could help in attracting global tourists.
General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza
Ribhu Chatterjee and First Vice-President of HAN Narendra Bajracharya also spoke about the
adverse impact on Nepalese tourism made by recent hijacking.
Meanwhile, HAN also informed that the 33rd
annual general meeting (AGM) of the association is taking place on January 25, which is
scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
The AGM will also form a new executive
committee.
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