Need to attract more tourists stressed

Kathmandu,Sept. 4 (RSS): Participants at an interaction programme here yestreday stressed the need for massive publicity for the Nepalese tourism product in the international market, and for ensuring better facilities and security and emphasizing eco-tourism for attracting European tourists to Nepal.

They were critical of the recently introduced practice of collecting high service charges from tourists for entry into Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and other tourist spots in the valley.

Vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission Prithvi Raj Ligal said if it is felt that the service charges collected by local authorities from tourists are too high tourism entrepreneurs and the authorities concerned can sit together and work out reasonable rates.

Eco Himal president Dr Kurt Luger said trekking and mountaineering are the two sectors which attract European tourists most but these sectors are lacking in proper physical infrastructures.

Dr Franz Heffeter of the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, Austria said that Nepal should be able to fully exploit its cultural and natural assets and biodiversity, which have remained the main attraction for European tourists.

Nepal Tourism Board member Yogendra Shakya said the board is spending 60 percent of its total budget on tourism market promotion and the European market is top of the priority list.

President of Hotel Association Nepal Narendra Bajracharya, Bharat Basnet of Explore Nepal, tourism entrepreneur Shyam Bahadur Pandey and others also expressed their views.