Kathmandu, January 17:

World famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner has requested European tourists, particularly Germans, to visit Nepal and be blessed with the experience of a lifetime.

He was speaking at a press conference organised in Stuttgart, Germany on January 15 to disseminate information on Nepali tourism. The conference was attended by 40 press representatives from Germany, according to Nepal Tourism Board.

The main attraction of the press conference was Messner, the first person to climb all the 14 above-8,000 metre high mountains, without supplement oxygen. The conference was basically centred on the changed scenario in Nepal after the signing of the historic peace accord. Madan Kumar Bhattarai, Nepali ambassador to Germany and Ann-Katrin Bauknecht, honorary Nepali consul general, briefed the audience about the changed political situation in Nepal.

Reinforcing the fact that there was no problem for tourists coming to Nepal even during the crisis, Messner asked them to imagine how the situation would be with all the smiles on Nepali faces welcoming tourists in the changed context.

After the conference, Messner visited the Nepal Stand and signed his books for the public.

Later in the evening, Messner delivered a lecture to 400 well-known business people, sharing his experiences and frequently talking about his time in Nepal.

Madam Bauknecht took the opportunity to request the distinguished people to come to Nepal in the light of the historic peace having been achieved in Nepal.