KATHMANDU, AUGUST 14
Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Jivan Ram Shrestha has said the government will gradually open new peaks for ascent.
Addressing an event organised by Nepal Mountaineering Association today, Minister Shrestha said the government was aiming to open new peaks for ascent. "The ministry has forwarded the plan to allow mountaineering. A study is being conducted on which peaks are appropriate for the ascent."
Nepal's mountains are alluring to foreign tourists. So, the government wants to move ahead by forging collaboration with the private sector for mountaineering development, Minister Shrestha said, adding that tourism could contribute significantly to the country's prosperity. "It has the capacity to create new jobs," he reminded. According to him, Nepal is also a destination of adventure tourism which needs further expansion.
Currently, 114 peaks, including Sagarmatha, are open for ascent. Minister Shrestha shared that a 74-point plan was being enforced to revive the tourism sector hit hard by the COV- ID-19 pandemic. On the occasion, Secretary at the Ministry Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane seconded Minister Shrestha saying that tourism, an important pillar of national economy, would be strengthened by collaborating with the private sectors.
Vice-chairperson of Nepal Tourism Board Chandra Rijal and Chair of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal Khum Bahadur Subedi stressed the need for effective collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders in a bid to boost tourism.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 15, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
