Kathmandu, Jan 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today said Visit Nepal Year, 2020 could draw the global attention to minimising climate change risks apart from promoting tourism of Nepal.
In his address to the meeting of tourism ministers of various neighbouring countries including India and China, who have arrived in Kathmandu to participate in the inauguration of Visit Nepal Year, 2020, PM Oli said the issue would be drawn to the world through the Sagarmatha Sambaad slated for the first week of April, 2020 in Nepal to hold a multi-stakeholder dialogue on climate change.
The meeting held at Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar was attended by Representative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, Wang Xiaofeng, Minister of State for Culture of India, Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister for Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar, U Ohn Maung, minister of Jamaica and director generals of tourism departments of Bhutan, Cambodia and Qatar.
Stating that Nepal has been pursuing prosperity alongside social justice and equality, ending political inequality following big achievements in the country, he said the country's national campaign is speedy economic growth rate, and it wanted to increase the gross domestic product through tourism.
"Basic character of Nepali society is 'atithi devo bhaba (guests are god)'. The society here is good and helpful to tourists," he said. He also pointed out climate change risks as world's challenges, stating that world's attention has turned to the damage to Himalaya's beauty due to climate change.
On the occasion, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali expressed the hope that the Visit Nepal Year, 2020 helps make Nepal known to the world and promote its tourism, maintaining that nature, culture and adventure activities are specialties of Nepali tourism.