By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 17: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai said on Thursday that the recent visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping created a ground to bring 500,000 tourists from China during the Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020.
Addressing an interaction on ‘Tourism Promotion in China’ with travel agents and China related organisations and experts today, Minister Bhattarai said that a clear message was delivered by President Xi for the promotion of VNY 2020 and Buddhism.
“If the Chinese people follow the instructions of the government to choose their travel destinations, we will be welcoming 500,000 Chinese tourists during the VNY 2020 if the message of the President was properly disseminated across China,” Minister Bhattarai said.
Minister Bhattarai directed Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and VNY 2020 secretariat to disseminate the message of President Xi by transcribing it in Chinese language for attracting more Chinese Tourists during the VNY 2020.
“ The country is likely to receive more than 200,000 Chinese tourists in 2019 as per the normal growth trend and bringing in additional 300,000 tourists would be possible if we apply additional efforts by increasing our accommodation facilities and other infrastructure.”
He said that the Chinese during a meeting with him had said that sending additional 300,000 Chinese tourists to Nepal was not a big thing if Nepal could manage accommodation and other facilities for them.
Chinese tour operators have asked about the accommodation facilities to cater with additional number of tourists in Nepal, mostly in Lumbini, Minister Bhattarai said.
Bhattarai urged the private sector to invest in hotels and other tourism infrastructures in Lumbini to accommodate the increased number of tourists.
He said that the ministry was requesting the Chinese Airlines operating in Kathmandu to operate their service in Bhairahawa Airport which was coming into operation soon.
Minister Bhattarai said that the Ministry was going to announce special discount packages to airlines within a week to operate services to and from Bhairahawa Airport.
He said that he was going to organise similar types of interactions with stakeholders and experts in other major 10 destinations, including India.
On the occasion, tourism entrepreneurs and experts suggested focusing on China promotion to meet the target of attracting two million tourists in the VNY 2020.
They suggested focusing on small things, including facilities of the Chinese language, improvement in sanitary condition in tourist places and facility of digital payment to the Chinese tourists among others.