Nepal-Malaysia tour fair opens

Nepal-Malaysia Travel Mart 2012, organised by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Tourism Malaysia, opened here on Sunday with the objective of providing a marketing opportunity for tour operators of the two countries.

According to the NTB, the Nepal-Malaysia travel mart which showcases the travel, tourism, hospitality and leisure industry is the first such event in Nepal. Speaking at the launching, officiating chief executive officer of the NTB Subash Niraula said the NTB was ready to help Malaysia to simplify frontier formalities to attract more Malaysian visitors to Nepal.

According to NTB stats, Nepal received 8,286 visitors from Malaysia while more than 30,000 Nepali tourists visited Malaysia last year.

Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab, director general of Tourism Malaysia, said that the travel mart would create a conducive environment for tour operators of the two countries and enhance mutual cooperation to benefit their tourism industries.

Nine prominent tour operators from Malaysia will interact with Nepali tour operators for mutual cooperation. “Tour operators from the two sides will discuss future business collaboration and cooperation for outbound and inbound tourist movement,” the NTB said.

The main reason being holding the mart is to cash in on the direct connectivity of Malaysia Airlines to Nepal. The carrier started Kathmandu-Kuala Lumpur flights on Saturday.

source: The Kathmandu Post,3 Sept 2012