East to hold tourism meet

Kathmandu, Dec. 23 While the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) is on about to be concluded, the 16 districts of Eastern Development Region are going to organize a Destination Development Meeting to explore the tourism development potential of the region. According to tourism entrepreneur Rewat Bahadur Thapa, who is also a member of Executive Committee of Tourist Service Center, said that the meeting will be tremendous for the tourism development in the region. As an effect of the NTY 2011, there has been a rise in awareness among the people living in the eastern region about the importance of the tourism industry. The joint meeting of the districts of eastern development region is also the consequence of the NTY, he added. We are planning to develop trekking routes and other tourism products to lure domestic and international tourists to the eastern region, he said. If the government provides incentives, there is high possibility of huge investment in the tourism sector in the eastern region, he said. He informed that investments in the tourism sector of the eastern region have gone up significantly after the declaration of NTY 2011. Lal Chandra Gomba, President of Dhankuta Chamber of Commerce (DDC), said that around 15 hotels had opened during last one and half years in Dhankuta district alone. Gomba informed that the association, in coordination with the District Development Committee, Dhankuta, Dhankuta Municipality and other district level organizations, is organizing a Dhankuta Festival from January 29- February 9, 2012 to promote tourism, agriculture, industry and trade of the region. The 12-day festival will have 150 stalls from tourism, industry, handicrafts, trade and education sectors. According to the organizers, an estimated 100,000 visitors will visit the festival from which transaction of around Rs. 20 million will made.