POKHARA: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has stated that the ministry is moving ahead with an aim of bringing in two million tourists in the year 2020.

Addressing the one-day workshop organised by Nepal Tourism Board in Pokhara, on Tuesday, to discuss branding of Gandaki Province with stakeholders, Minister Adhikari said, "As Gandaki Province is a chief tourist destination in the country, it is important to start tourism branding from here."

Highlighting the importance of tourism, Minister Adhikari said that Tourism Ministry has emphasised development of tourism-related infrastructure as tourism development helps in boosting country's economy. In this context, he added that tourism is connected with employment.

On the occasion, Province Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment Bikas Lamsal said, hotels in Gandaki Province at present had the capacity to accommodate 25,000 tourists on a daily basis, however, it was vital that hotels in the region increase their capacity through infrastructure development in order to facilitate the entry of two million tourists.

Likewise, Minister Lamsal added that it was necessary to give a clear identity to Gandaki Province to take the concept of tourism forward with a new perspective.

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