'India ready to assist in Nepal's tourism development'

Pokhara: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae on Tuesday said that India was ready to offer assistance to develop tourism in Nepal.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Nepal-India Friendly Association in Pokhara today, the Indian envoy said that initiatives for promotion of tourism in Nepal have to be taken at the ministerial level in both countries.

Rae added that Indian tourists visit places like Muktinath, Lumbini, Pashupatinath, and Pokhara, among other places. He said that tourism entrepreneurs have to conduct various tourism promotion programmes in different cities of India.

Rae also said that Indian tourists would be attracted if Kathmandu-Delhi, Kathmandu-Banaras, and Pokhara-Delhi direct bus services were run. “International tourists are deterred from visiting Nepal because of its narrow and dilapidated roads,” he added.

He further said that the Indian government was willing to widen the highway that connects India and Nepal. “Nepal can be a location for Indian film shootings,” he said. Rae said that international tourists would visit Pokhara if the lakes were conserved. “Pokhara is beautiful, but the lakes are not protected,” he said.

source:the himalayan times, 6 july 2016