Kathmandu, July 6
The second meeting of the joint working group on tourism cooperation between Nepal and India concluded with a 14-point agreement in the Capital today.
The meeting has agreed to facilitate citizens of both the countries while providing leave travel concession (LTC) and also for overland travel of vehicles on a reciprocal basis. The joint working group meeting also decided to jointly promote the Ramayan Circuit and the Buddhist Circuit to develop tourism in both the countries. A decision to construct a ‘Buddha’ gate at Sunauli-Behaliya on the Nepal-India border point was also taken.
It was also decided to promote adventure tourism, start air connectivity to Lumbini and establish a Nepal-India tourism forum. Moreover, meeting also decided to start an exchange of human resources to develop the tourism sector and list medical facilities for tourists in both the countries.
The Nepali delegation was led by Ghanashyam Upadhyaya, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) and the Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Tourism, Suman Billa.
As per Nepal’s plan to establish a tourism university in the near future, both the nations have agreed to exchange faculty and start a student internship programme in their respective colleges and universities for capacity enhancement.
According to Upadhyaya, the Nepali team included representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Greater Janakpur Area Development Council, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hotel Association Nepal and Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, among others.
The joint working group on tourism cooperation was formed in November, 2014 and a memorandum of understanding was signed between Nepali and Indian authorities to seek ways to develop the tourism sector in both the countries. It was established during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Nepal in 2014. At the time, PM Modi had spoken about tourism cooperation between the two nations and about jointly promoting the Hindu and Buddhist circuits.
The first joint working group meeting was held in February, 2015, in New Delhi.
Written by Nikki Hamal
This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/14-point-pact-signed-to-enhance-tourism/ under the title “14-point pact signed to enhance tourism”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
