Tourism plays significant role to improve economy: DPM Singh

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh, has said the tourism has played a significant role in the improvement of Nepal’s economy.

Attending a programme organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on the occasion of the 45th World Tourism Day today, Singh who presently takes charge of Acting Prime Minister applauded the contribution of tourism industry to the economic sector.

He pledged to enable more favourable environment for the tourism industry to seek its additional contribution to the economy including in gross domestic product (GDP).

DPM Singh said that peace is vital for tourism development as it is warranted for spurring socio-economic development. Tourism could be promoted as an engine for Nepal’s development, he added.

Nepal is getting developed as an attractive destination for adventure tourism, sky diving including trekking and mountain expedition.

On a different note, he said the incumbent Nepali Congress-CPN (UML) coalition government was formed to establish a political stability and it is working to improve the economic status of the people within their stay in the country.

At the programmme, Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey said Nepal has abundant potentialities for tourism development and the public-private cooperation is necessary to utilize it as a tool for achieving economic prosperity.

“This year’s theme of the World Tourism Day is Tourism and Peace and peace is vital for tourism,” he said, adding that mitigation of impact of climate change and the establishment of world peace are significant for enhancing the tourism sector.

He took time to highlight the need of strengthening national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation with policy reforms and implementation of commercial market schemes.

Minister for Tourism of State, Arun Kumar Chaudhary, Secretary at the Ministry, Dr Ganesh Prasad Pandey, Nepal Tourism Board Vice Chair Ram Prasad Sapkota (Kamal), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) President Binayak Shah and hotel entrepreneur Sangeeta Shrestha stressed the need for tourism-friendly policies to promote the tourism sector.