Travel Nepa

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Friday urged the Nepali mission envoys in the North America to make an effective dissemination of the country’s potential.

The newly appointed ambassadors to the United States and Canada, Shankar Sharma and Bhoj Raj Ghimire respectively are scheduled to departure to their respective countries of assignment shortly.

Focusing on the tourism business prospect of mutual interest between the two countries, the NTB suggested the envoys to perform actively, in regard to remove the negative travel advisories that had been gripped the people’s mindset outside.

Nepal is still not considered as feasible tourist destination due to negative travel advisory, said Prachanda Man Shrestha, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at NTB. “Negative international media coverage on Nepal’s stability and security can hinder the visitors flow,” he said.

He said that existence of Nepali missions abroad could fulfill the absence of the physical presence of Nepalese tourism industry.

The NTB has targeted over 50,000 visitors from the North American destination on the upcoming NTY-2011. The Nepal tourism industry, which is the major foreign exchange and employment generator have witnessed 5.5 percent visitor’s growth in September compared to the corresponding period last year.

In the gross foreign exchange earning, the year 2008 recorded US$350 million as against US$230.6 million of the previous year. The amount surged by over 54 per cent in the first eight month of this year, the NTB said.

Of the total visitors recorded until the September this month, the visitors from the North America has contribution of 10 percent.