NEPAL - Right Track Ahead for Nepal

eTN Nepal (NE) Jan 03, 2008

Year 2007 proved to be an encouraging year for Nepal and its tourism industry. Thanks to steady development in the Peace process and return to political stability in the country, Nepalese tourism succeeded to bounce back after suffering badly in the past 6 years.
Nepal enjoyed 27.1% growth in Tourists arrival by Air in 2007 with the arrival number reaching 360,350 all time high since the year 2000. As per Nepal Tourism Board, the total number of tourists arrival to Nepal is expected to cross half million mark after adding the number of tourist who arrived by road.

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NEPAL - Tourist arrival up by 17.6 pc

nepalnews.com, Dec 4 2007

The number of visitors coming to Nepal by air in November has registered a healthy growth of 17.6 percent compared to the same month last year.
According to the data released by the Immigration Office, the total number of visitors to Nepal in November reached 34,480 with major tourist generating non-Asian markets showing encouraging growth.
The data shows that the major European markets have recorded average growth of 46 percent in this month, with UK (56.9%), Germany (42%), France (50.8%), Spain (27.9%), the Netherlands (48.4%) and Switzerland (69.2%), showing growing consumer confidence for travel to Nepal and a positive sign for Nepalese travel trade.

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NEPAL - should opt for 'environment for development' approach, say experts

Nepalnews.com, Jan 25, 2007

Rather than engaging in the environment versus development approach, Nepal needs to adopt environment for development approach in order to strike a balance between economic growth and environment, say experts.
"Nepal is endowed with rich natural resources, which must be used judiciously, giving much attention towards environment," said Surendra Shrestha, senior official of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Asia Pacific regional office.
"The needs of environment should be enshrined in the new constitution as the current moment provides Nepal with unique opportunity," Shrestha said, addressing a press conference organized by ICIMOD in the capital on Thursday.
The ICIMOD also launched a book called Kathmandu Valley Environmental Outlook. The book, which is a product of research of environmental situation, has concluded that Kathmandu's growth could be severely compromised unless effective measures are taken to stem the tide of environmental degradation resulting from economic and human pressures.

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NEPAL - tourism industry to cash in on SPA-Maoist peace

Dailyindia.com, 19 december 2006

In a bid to promote Nepal's ailing tourism industry, in the post conflict period, a year long event- "Visit Pokhara Year 2007"- formally kicked off in the western town of Pokhara.

"The celebration is being held to cash in on an opportunity brought about by the ongoing peace process," Nepalnews quoted Culture and Tourism Minister Pradeep Gyawali, as saying after inaugurating the event on Monday.

"The government is in the process of unveiling a new Tourism Master Plan and Tourism Policy to boost the industry," he added.

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