KATHMANDU: Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Nepal Chapter Chairman and tourism entrepreneur Suman Pandey received honorary tourism lifetime achievement award in Kathmandu, on Tuesday.

A selection committee comprising journalists Madhu Jung Pandey, Sangam Baniya and Sharad Raj Subedi, in latter's coordination picked PATA chairman Pandey for the award.

In the function organised on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of gantabyanepalnews.com yesterday, PATA chair Pandey, while receiving award, said that he wished to utilise his national and international networks for the development of the nation.

On the occasion, tourism entrepreneurs Lok Prasad Dahal, Anil Lama, Chiranjivi Bhatta, Rajendra Adhikari, Gita Gurung, Anneli Sofiya Ryker including social workers Ramhari Adhikari, Rajan Thapa and Motiram Dhakal were also honoured.

Addressing the function, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun said, "For the nation, economic prosperity is now at the top of the agenda."  He cited various political and social factors as the cause of failure in Nepal's tourism sector's development as expected. He stressed the need for holding the provincial and parliamentary elections in free and fair manner. He said, the government going to be established after concluding all the elections should focus on economic development.

It is necessary to build tourist destinations in all seven provinces as all the places in Nepal are suitable as well as important, the Vice President stressed.