Kathmandu, July 29:

The Nepal Tourism Board has called for tenders from the private sector to draft the Tourism Master Plan (TMP). So far, the NTB, which has been assigned the task to prepare the

Master Plan, has sketched the guidelines. If it takes shape, it will be the country’s second TMP. “We have called for tenders from consulting agencies. Whoever gets the deal will have to prepare a draft for the TMP,” said Tek Bahadur Dangi, chief executive officer at NTB. Once the concerned company submits the draft to NTB, it will be forwarded to the government. The entire process, could take a year, he said. “We plan to focus on developing the country’s tourism sector through an integrated approach and concentrate on the kind of policies that would be suitable for the overall tourism development,” Dangi said. The TMP must incorporate short-term, mid-term and long-term policies, which are practical, said Deepak Mahat, president of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal. He stressed the need to focus on the entire tourism sector, particularly adventure tourism. Rabi Poudel, president of Nepal Association of Travel and Tour Agents, called on authorities concerned to focus on developing roads, highways and international airports. He stressed on the need to build an alternative international airport either in Pokhara or Lumbini. The TMP must chalk out policies that would draw at least one million tourists to Nepal a year, he added.