Govt to create tourism zones

Baglung: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has announced its plan to promote tourism throughout the country by creating 18 tourism zones.

Speaking at a workshop organized in Baglung, Lok Bahadur Khatri, a joint-secretary at the MoCTCA, said the idea behind creation of tourism zones was to increase the flow of foreign tourists and their length of stay in the country.

His comments come at a time when tourists are thronging limited number of tourist destinations.

As per Khatri, the government has proposed creation of Sishne-Jaljala-Dhorpatan tourism zone to promote tourism in Baglung, Rolpa, Salyan and Rukum.

Likewise, creation of Annapurna-Manaslu tourism zone has been proposed to give a boost to tourism of Mustang, Manang, Gorkha and Lamjung. Similarly, Pokhara tourism zone has been proposed for promotion of tourism in Kaski, Syagnja, Parbat and Tanahun.

The ministry has already started programs in some of the 18 proposed tourism zones, Khatri said. "Work has begun in Bhojpur, Accham, Rolpa, Parsa and Banke," he informed.

Basanta Kumar Shrestha, president of the Baglung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the private sector, in coordination with Nepal Tourism Board, can work on various aspects like developing trekking trail and promoting programs like home stay to promote tourism in the country.

"A trail from Baglung to Dhorpatan can play a crucial role in developing tourism of this region," he said.

source: republica,6 march 2013