Kathmandu, May 15:

Seven tourism related organisations submitted memorandums to prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, deputy prime minister, ministers and main political parties urging them to end the

lock- out at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), which has been shut for last seven days.

Tourism organisations, including Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), PATA Nepal Chapter, Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN), Sagarmatha Mountaineering Association (SMA) and Tourist Guide Association of Nepal (TGAN) have expressed serious concerns over the lock-out at NTB which has damaged Nepal’s image in the global tourism arena, said a joint press statement issued here today. Despite NTB being an apex body of the tourism industry, it has failed to serve the interests of the tourism sector even after the great people’s movement. Therefore, the dispute at NTB should be ended immediately for which all concerned authorities are requested to take initiatives, said the statement.

The statement added that the tourism sector is one of the major foreign currency earners of the country and provides employment to more than 200,000 people. Tourism people have stressed on ending the conflict at NTB through a dialogue and ending the lock out to save tourism from further collapse as it has already been hit from the 20-day strike. The NTB closure has already affected revenue collection and employment generation, it noted.