April 25: The two-day state visit of Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to Nepal has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs in Nepal. The stakeholders said that the visit spread a positive message in the tourism sector.    
The two-day state visit of the Qatar Amir is the most high-profile visit from Gulf countries, which would undoubtedly help prop Nepali tourism, the stakeholders added.    
Former chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Chhiring Sherpa, shared, "Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal would help increase Qatar tourists to Nepal." The senior tourism entrepreneur further hoped high-end tourists from middle east- Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait could come to Nepal.    
The royal family members from Qatar come to Nepal for trekking and mountaineering. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullha Al Thani is the first person to scale world's highest peak, Sagarmatha from Qatar. He was atop the Sagarmatha on May 22, 2013, while he climbed Mt Amadablam successfully on November 11, 2020.     
Moreover, the royal member of Qatar, Sheikh Asma Al Thani had climbed the Annapurna-I peak.    
The Qatari royals are fond of mountain climbing and trekking. The people from Qatar enjoy luxury hotel stay. Nepal is also expanding the number of deluxe hotels of late.    
Chair of Hotel Association of Nepal, Binayak Shah, also shares similar observation on Qatari tourists. The royal family members of the Gulf countries, including from Qatar, prefer to stay in deluxe hotels like Sintamani of Mustang and Soaltee West End Resort of Chitwan and others. Qatar Amir's visit to Nepal has given a positive message to Nepal’s tourism sector,” he argued.    
"Qatar is an emerging country in the globe. The visit of such distinguished guest promotes Nepal's tourism across the globe," he viewed.    

Moreover, noted tourism entrepreneur Yogendra Shakya hoped that the arrival of foreign tourists would grow in Nepal in the wake Amir Thani's visit.    
According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 255 people from Qatar had visited Nepal in 2023.    
Importantly, Qatar Airways is known as one of the best airlines in the world. It provides air service to over 150 countries through a fleet of over 200 aircraft. Currently, Qatar Airways conducts four flights a day to Nepal.    
In two years since 2021, Qatar Airways has brought more than 733,000 people to Nepal while ferried over 823,000 people from Nepal to different countries across the globe.    
Following the visit of Qatar’s Amir, authorities in Nepal are expecting the launch of air service to Doha, Qatar from Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports.    

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal reportedly requested the Qatari Amir to consider air service to the two new international airports in Nepal. -- RSS