Call to promote rural tourism

Dhampus, May 31:

A two-day long workshop held for tourism entrepreneurs by the committee in Dhampus concluded here yesterday stressing on infrastructure development, solving problems of tourism entrepreneurs, protecting the nature and culture of the region and investing at least 50 per cent of the revenue generated from the tourists for local development.

Committee president Kisan Gurung accused the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) of discriminating against rural tourism entrepreneurs. Tirtha Shrestha, advisor to the committee, inaugurating the workshop also accused the authorities of ignoring the rural tourism.

Tourism entrepreneurs at and around the Annapurna trail have formed Annapurna Century Tourism Entrepreneurs’ Committee to work for the professional welfare of the entrepreneurs, develop tourism infrastructure and protect the nature and culture of one of the best trekking trails in the world.

Around 300 hotel entrepreneurs of Kaski and Myagdi districts alongwith the world famous trail are affiliated with the committee. The trail stretches from Besisahar in Lamjung to Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat and Kaski.

The Annapurna trail is considered one of the top 10 best routes for trekking in the world. It takes around seven to 21 days to complete trekking on the route depending upon the starting and the ending of the trekking.

“On one hand, NTB has been spending a huge sum of money on promotion that has not shown any results. And on the other, it is neglecting to promote rural tourism,” they

accused.