Tourism entrepreneurs urged not to harass tourists

Kathmandu / Nov 1: Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Maheshwar Neupane has urged the tourism entrepreneurs not to harass tourists in the name of selling their products.

He said this while addressing a programme marking the 44th anniversary of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).

“The time has come for us all to think about how the beauty and the prestige of Nepal’s Himalayas could be enhanced and many foreign tourists brought into the country,” he said.

Stating that the private sector has been given much power for the development and promotion of tourism sector, he said the Ministry would not stop the renewal of mountaineering on certain mountains.

Director General of the Department of Tourism, Dinesh Bhattarai said the NMA has played a significant role in the promotion of adventure tourism in Nepal and urged the tourism entrepreneurs to make the services and the facilities to the tourists more systematic and better in the coming days.

“The facilities to the tourists should not be compromised in the name of competition for price,” he said.

NMA president Santabir Lama expressed his commitment to carrying out works for the development and expansion of the tourism sector while fulfilling the goals of the NMA set at the time of its inception.

The NMA also announced the winners of the various prizes that it has been presenting to individuals and institutions every year.

Accordingly, Mingma Sherpa has been named the winner of the Kumar Khadga Bikram Shah Memorial Adventure Tourism Award. Sherpa has climbed 14 mountains above eight thousand metres.

Similarly, survey expert, Buddhi Narayan Shrestha has been named the winner of the Late Dr Harka Gurung Mountaineering Award and Ballav Mani Dahal, a correspondent for The Rising Nepal the winner of the Late Dawa Norbu Tourism Journalism Award.

The Late Kumar Khadga Bikram Adventure Tourism Award and the Late Dr Harka Gurung Mountaineering Award carry a medal and letter of appreciation while the Late Dawa Norbu Tourism Journalism Award comprises a cash prize of Rs 25 thousand.

The awards would be presented to the winners on the occasion of the NMA’s general assembly. RSS