August 28: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha has stressed the need for carrying out tourism activities 12 months a year to attract as many foreign tourists to the country as possible.    
Stating that the country's economy would be boosted through tourism, the minister said, "Nepal has diverse climate and weather favourable to carry out tourism activities 12 months a year. To attract foreign tourists, there is a need to market the country's religious, cultural and heritage sites in the international level."    
Minister Shrestha made such remarks while addressing a meeting of the thematic committee on tourism at the federal, provincial and local levels organised on Saturday by the ministry itself.

“All important tourist destinations in all seven provinces should be branded and sports tourism, medical tourism and education and culture tourism need to be prioritised and promoted,” he said. For tourism development, there should be coordination among the government at all three levels, added Minister Shrestha.    
"Tourism is a vital base for the country's development. The country can attain prosperity by prioritising tourism sector as it helps create job opportunities and bring in foreign currency."    
Similarly, the Tourism Secretary Suresh Adhikari said the ministry had moved ahead with plans and programmes for policy reforms in line with the spirit and framework of federalism.    
All three tiers of governments should come together to revive tourism sector marred by COVID-19, he said.    
During the meeting, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhan Raj Acharya demanded declaration of Pokhara as the tourist capital of the country.    
On the occasion, the joint secretary at the tourism ministry Tara Nath Adhikari and executive chief of the Nepal Tourism Board, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi gave a presentation on tourism activities. -- RSS