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Kathmandu Wednesday October 03, 2001 Ashwin 17, 2058.
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Nepal voted second in the Top
Country Category
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Oct 2 - Nepal has been voted second in the Top Country Category
out of 180 countries in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2001.
According to information provided by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the award is
based on a survey carried out by Wanderlust Publications - an UK based prestigious travel
magazine.
"It is a pleasure to know that Nepal has been voted amongst the best
countries in the world. And this is in addition to another announcement that put Annapurna
trekking route among the best twelve in the world," said Pradeep Raj Pandey, Chief
Executive Officer of NTB, talking to The Kathmandu Post. "It is a matter of real
pride to Nepal."
The response to the survey carried out by the magazine was with nearly 1,600
questionnaires completed by the deadline. In all, the respondents had visited 180
countries, 557 cities, travelled with 342 airlines and had used over 500 tour operators.
The survey was based on travels from January 2000. The final positions were
based on an average score for the entry (converted to a percentage), so that satisfaction
rather than the number of votes were what mattered.
"Nepal has been a traveller's favorite for a long time and still
fascinates the visitors," quotes the September 2001 issue of the magazine. In the
reader's survey, Nepal scored 96.1% while New Zealand, voted first, scored 97.1%.
"The rating Nepal got in the magazine will play a major role in
promoting the Nepali tourism industry in the global market," said Pandey, adding,
"The advantages are twofold." First, the award will enhance the level of
awareness of the international tourists. Second, it will encourage tourists to visit
Nepal.
Nepal's high rating in the international arena comes at a time when the
global tourism industry, in the aftermath of the September 11 terror strikes in the United
States, is in the doldrums.
NTB officials and tourism entrepreneurs have expressed here tremendous
satisfaction over the rating, which they believe will play a key role in the promotion of
Nepal as a tourist destination.
"Such rating will provide a tremendous leverage to Nepal’s efforts
for the promotion of its tourism industry in the international market," said Narendra
Bajracharya, President of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN).
The rating shows that Nepal is still one of the best tourism destinations in
the world and it is a new milestone achieved by the Nepali tourism industry, Bajracharya
added.
Since the rating was done on the basis of the respondents’ independent
views and perception, Nepal’s impression in the international market is likely to get
a good boost, say tourism experts.
Wanderlust magazine asks its readers for some
feedback from their travels and to express their satisfaction on everything from the
countries they have visited to the companies they used once in every two years.
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