Pokhara, March 21:

At an interaction programme organised here by Sambad Nepal on the ‘Prospects of Visit Pokhara Year 2007 and Challenges’, speakers emphasised the need to promote the ailing tourism industry of the country by observing this year as the year of peace and tourism.

They noted that tourist arrivals had increased since the restoration of the peace process.

The speakers stressed on the need to develop tourist destinations in and around Pokhara as also in Annapurna, Lumbini, Chitwan, Palpa by developing infrastructure there.

At the programme, presided over by chairman of Nepal Sambad Nilkantha Sharma, tourism

entrepreneurs highlighted the need to extend

direct flights between Pokhara and major cities in India and introduce attractive package programmes for tourists.

The Visit Pokhara Year 2007 hopes to increase the number of domestic tourists by 40 per cent and that of Indian tourists and the third world countries by 25 per cent while extending the duration of their stay from one and half days to three days. Daily expenses of overseas tourists are expected to grow from $25 to $40 while that of Indian tourists from IRs 1,500 to 2,000.

According to members of the NTB and coordinator of the Visit Pokhara Year Basu Tripathi, the year-long promotion would add a new dimension to the development of the Pokhara region.