KATHMANDU, JULY 24

In bid to promote sustainable development of COVID-battered tourism sector, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has released a 74-point Tourism Revitalisation Action Plan- 2022 today.

As per the action plan, the MoCT- CA has declared that 2023-33 will be declared 'Visit Nepal Decade', and the campaign will be formally launched within three months.

Likewise, the tourism ministry in coordination with the Non-Resident Nepali Association is planning to pilot a tourism promotional campaign 'Send a non-resident Nepali and foreigner to Nepal'.

In line with the concept of initiating and promoting night tourism within Kathmandu valley, the action plan has also mentioned night heritage tours in Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Kirtipur. A 'Hop On Hop Off City Bus' service is to be operated in collaboration with the private sector in the major tourist spots of the valley.

With the concept of 'Clean Nepal: Green Nepal', the federal government in cooperation with the provincial and local governments, civil society and the private sector, will conduct a national cleaning and colouring campaign in prominent tourist destinations.

The MoCTCA also plans to amend the laws related to tourism, aviation, national culture, tourism board, and mountaineering sector.

It is also preparing to develop Chitwan and Pokhara as wedding and other ceremonial destinations targeting Indian and Bangladeshi tourists, where the government is planning to enhance the interconnection and networking of air and land transport services.

According to the action plan, all international flights to Gautam Buddha and Pokhara International Airport will get to use the LPN (landing, parking and navigation) facility for free for the time being and also get a certain discount on ground handling charge. Moreover, legal arrangements would be made for transit cargo to encourage chartered flights.

The ministry has also announced duty-free shops will be set up at the departure hall of international airports to sell Nepali handicrafts and liquor.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha expressed his belief that the action plan would be the blueprint of promotion of sustainable tourism in the country and help to revive the COVID-battered tourism industry.

'There are immediate and midterm and long-term plans to develop Nepal as a touristic destination.

It will help to revive and promote tourism,' Shrestha added.

He said that the concerned departments and sectors under the MoCTCA will prepare a budget on the basis of this action plan, and also urged for its effective implementation.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 25, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.