Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 24:

Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand have jointly reiterated their aim to double tourism productivity through a ‘Kolkata declaration’, over the next five years, at a meeting concluded in Kolkata on February 23. According to a press release issued by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the participating countries’ ministers have agreed to utilise the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) for providing a fresh impetus to further development of tourism within the region. The meeting also recognised the need for future development of tourism in the region through mutual cooperation by transport networks by air, land and water.

Tourism can be effectively promoted through the exploitation of a plethora of heritage, cultural, adventure, eco-tourism and MICE tourism products that our countries have to offer in a sustainable manner. The meeting has decided to establish a BIMSTEC Tourism Information Centre in India for producing and updating all publicity and collateral materials including brochures, CDs and other materials. Similarly, BIMSTEC countries would explore the possibility of establishing a BIMSTEC Tourism Fund with suggested contribution of $10,000 from each member country, said a NTB press statement.

The fund would be utilised for the promotion of BIMSTEC.