Kathmandu, June 11:

In a bid to promote Nepal as an interesting tourist destination, various public-private tourism bodies organised a three-day long Nepal sales mission in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and PATA Nepal Chapter in coordination with Nepal Association of Tour Operators, Nepal Airlines Corporation and private travel-trade companies organised the South East Asia Roadshow on June 5, 6 and 8 in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, respectively.

The event was divided into two segments, press meet for the media of the respective country and tour operators’ meet for people from the travel-trade sector, states a NTB press release here.

The first leg of the roadshow was held in Bangkok at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and attracted participation from about 38 individual media (both print and electronic) organisations and around 60 tour operators.

Arjun Kanta Mainali, charge de’ affaires, Nepali embassy in Bangkok briefed participants on the security situation in Nepal and also assured of all necessary assistance for visa and information on Nepal.

Subash Nirola, officiating CEO of NTB highlighted Nepal’s new brand, ‘Unleash Yourself, Naturally Nepal — Once is not enough,’ and the Visit Pokhara Year 2007 campaign and invited everyone to visit the spectacular land of the Himalayas.

The second leg of the event was held at the Meritus Mandarin Hotel in Singapore. Prithvi Subba Gurung, minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation and Madhav Prasad Ghimire, tourism secretary graced both the functions.

Ghimire said that Nepal has everything that a tourist seeks and briefed about the preparation of new tourism policy and aviation policy to ensure air transport and to attract more foreign international airlines to Nepal.

The Singapore event observed the presence of about 28 media people and 55 tour operators.

The Roadshow ended at the Hotel Legend on June 8 in Kuala Lumpur. There were about 37 media persons and more than 75 people from the Malaysian travel-trade industry.

Raju K C, director at NAC, highlighted the flight operation in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur and assured the gathering about NAC’s commitment in operating the flights regularly.