Kathmandu, November 3:

Tourism cannot prosper in the absence of democracy and the government is working towards making the peace process a success, Tourism Minister Pradip Gyawali said today. Tourist arrivals have gone up due to the ongoing peace process, he said.

There is an increasing trend of tourist arrivals while new international airlines are keen on beginning their operations in Nepal all because of prospects for peace and stability, said Gyawali. “Political stability plays a major role in enhancing the tourism industry,” he said at a programme titled the ‘Role of cultural aspect in the promotion of SAARC tourism’ organised by South Asian Relation Council of Nepal (SARC) here today.

He said the South Asia region is rich in culture, landscape and biodiversity and thus has a great tourism potential. “There is a lack of tourism coordination among countries in this region”, he said, pointing out that a regional tourism network could boost the entire region’s economy and help raise the standards of living.

The lack of effective marketing skills of Nepal’s tourism products in the international market is the main reason why the country is lagging behind in the tourism sector, he added.