Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 9:

As a part of promoting regional tourism, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), in collaboration with Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), has launched a campaign in Dubai for the Middle East, especially focussing on products like Golf and leisure tourism in Nepal. The campaign — aimed at high-end tourists — was formally launched at the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) held in Dubai from May 4-7.

The potential travellers from the region include the expatriates and the local Arab population. The NTB has identified the Middle East region as a promising tourism market for Nepal.

During the three-day long event, Nepal was promoted as a leisure and recreational destination for the local Arab and the South Asian expatriates. It was showcased as an adventure destination for expatriates of Europe, America and Asia-pacific region, who have strong trading, manufacturing and warehousing base in the Middle East. The Arabian Travel Mart, (ATM) representing more than 1,000 exhibitors from 55 countries, provided a unique platform for making business contacts with trade buyers, public, and apprised the media about travel and tourism information about Nepal.

Nepal could be a neutral and safe destination for the Arab travellers following the September 11 attack and the current SARS problem in some of the South-east Asian countries, according to NTB. Besides this, Nepal could also be a totally different experience for the travellers from the Arab region due to contrast in the landscape, lifestyle, mountains, greenery, easy accessibility and pleasant weather. With RNAC, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air flying directly to Kathmandu from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, there is an immense potential for increasing tourist traffic to Nepal from the Middle East in close cooperation and co-ordination with the recently established Nepali Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Enhancing foreign remittance through labour market and promoting tourism in the Gulf markets could be one of the best strategies for building up the Nepali economy.

Fulbari Resort & Spa and Yeti Golf Course, Pokhara, Himalayan Golf Course Pokhara, Nirvana Country Club, Health & Golf Resort, Dharan, Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge & Camps, Chitwan, Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu, Natraj Tours & Travel and Gokarna Golf Resort took part in the ATM. Earlier, similar campaigns were organised in Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala-Lumpur.