The Himalayan country of Nepal, which was once a kingdom, is making great efforts to get more tourists to visit from neighboring India. Both countries have long had close ties in various endeavors.
- The perception of the country of Nepal is being changed with a focus more on the many attractions in the hill and plain areas.
- There are multiple entry points where no visa is required to visit Nepal making travel simpler.
- To ease travel once COVID-19 curbs are lifted, two new airports are coming up.
Pilgrimage is one area where Nepal has always attracted Indian visitors to the Pashupatinath Temple and other places of worship. But today, Nepal Tourism is emphasizing that the country has much more to offer, as Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, Chief Executive Officer of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), stated in New Delhi on March 23.
Dr. Regmi, who is a scholar in geography and has done much research before heading the NTB, listed multiple reasons why Indian tourists should come to Nepal’s various regions.
For one, there are multiple entry points where no visa is required. Also, the country has seasons for visiting all the year round. Trekking, mountain climbing, wildlife, and many rivers are some of the reasons to come to Nepal, he said, adding that educational tours of students was another avenue waiting to be explored.
The perception of the country is being changed with a focus more on the many attractions in the hill and plain areas, the NTB chief said. The Ramayana Circuit in the places connected with Lord Ram was a major draw, he cited, along with the living goddess, Kumari, which is unique to the country.
Two new airports coming up will ease travel once the COVID-19 curbs are lifted. As it is, Nepal has made travel formalities simpler, he pointed out. Also, in recent years, many more luxury and other hotel chains have come to the country, and these are not only in Kathmandu but in other parts of India as well.
Dr. Regmi in an NTB release stated that the previous year had disrupted the business of travel and tourism the world over. Nepal, too, suffered as other nations have, but the country’s administration was quick to respond to the pandemic by ordering a nationwide lockdown and preparing for the months to follow by procuring essential medical supplies and equipment, upgrading the health infrastructure, training medical personnel, and spreading awareness.
Nepal was the first country several decades ago, where Indian tourists went on holiday to shop and enjoy the entertainment of the casinos, long before outbound tourism to other countries picked up. The Nepal Tourism Build is working to build on that kind of foresight to bring India tourists back to the country’s ancient culture and traditional architecture and seven World Heritage sites, to name a few tourist hot spots.
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