Kathmandu, August 27 :

With a view to promote regional cooperation in tourism development, the second BIMSTEC tourism ministers’ roundtable meeting is being held in Kathmandu from August 28 to 30.

Keeping in mind that multilateral efforts and regional cooperation could be more beneficial, the meeting will seek common agenda and programme to promote tourism as a pertinent tool for socio-economic development in the member countries, said Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation.

The meeting is aimed at expanding and exchanging multi-sectoral cooperation among the member countries, particularly in reaping benefits of rich natural beauty and diverse cultural heritage, which are of huge tourism potentials. “We are confident that all the BIMSTEC member countries can benefit a lot through proper exploitation of tourism potentials. Thus, we are proposing for the collective efforts and a concrete plan of action,” Gyawali added.

The event will take place in two phases — senior official meeting (SOM) and the ministerial roundtable. The SOM will extensively discuss on the proposed agendas and prepare a report, which will be forwarded to the ministerial roundtable for the final approval, said Madhav Pras-ad Ghimire, secretary.

According to Gyawali, “The event will extensively discuss on 10 main agendas which includes common travel visa for the citizens of BIMSTEC member counties on arrival for 30 days.” The meeting will also discuss on issuance of common driving licence, setting up air link network and utilisation of Asian Highway Network for the tourism promotion. Joint tourism product development, packaging, marketing and promotion will also feature in the meeting, while further enhancement of eco-tourism and Buddhist circuit will be discussed extensively in order to promote tourism as an effective tool for poverty alleviation and sustainable socio-economic development of the region, he added.

Gyawali also informed that Nepal would propose for two different forums of tourism entrepreneurs and tourism journalists to be set up under BIMSTEC in order to expand business relations as well as information.

Lauding the role of media for the promotion of tourism, he said that the proposed BIMSTEC Media Forum for Tourism Journalists will bring together media persons of the region .