Nepal Tourism 

cctv.com 02-17-2005 16:34

Tourists from all over the world have discovered the secrets of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini and many of the other scenic sites in Nepal. Many say Nepal has earned its distinction as one of the great nations for tourism. Serving as a backbone of the national economy, the tourism industry of Nepal has undergone rapid development in recent years. Tourism contributes 3.5 percent to GDP. And it also makes up 15 percent of the total foreign exchange earnings of the country. Tourism is not only a top priority of the government; it's also intertwined in the lives of the people鈥檚 daily life.

This is Pokhara airport, one of the busiest domestic airfields in Nepal. Everyday many tourists arrive here, and transfer for the surrounding mountain regions. Today, we are flying with Gorkha Airlines of Nepal, a private Airline, heading for Jomsom, a mountain resort in northern Nepal. In the past, the journey from Pokhara to Jomsom was painstaking, entailing seven days of walking on rugged mountains. But now, it鈥檚 easy, only 25 minutes by air. Today, traveling around Nepal has become much more convenient, thanks to the development of Nepal鈥檚 aviation service.

Jomsom area, at an altitude of 2,800 meters is surrounded by the great Annapurna and Nilgiri ranges, amidst the sharp contrasts of high mountains, open spaces, swift flowing rivers and pleasant orchards. This is a location like no other in Nepal. As an ideal place for trekking, Jomsom accepts over 20,000 trekkers each year. And it's easily accessible by regular flights from Pokhara. Jomsom Mountain Resort is the only destination above the clouds and beyond the mountains that offers all modern day facilities in its deluxe surrounding.

Doing its best to catch up with the needs of tourism development, tourism facilities and services in Nepal have developed very fast in recent years. In the major cities of Nepal, and even remote mountain resorts, there are luxury hotels, as well as simple but comfortable lodges catering to different needs of tourists. This is the Kathmandu Hyatt Regency, one of a few prestigious five star hotels in the capital city. Its manager, Harinder Singh, is from India. Her service in Nepal reflects the country鈥檚 tourism development.

The Nepal Tourism Board is a national tourism organization established in 1998. Since its establishment, NTB has made much progress in promoting and marketing Nepal as an attractive tourist destination. Generally, visitors to Nepal are largely from neighboring India, Europe, North America and a few developed Asian Countries. Now, NTB is beginning to focus on another big neighboring market, China.

Though small in size, Nepal is enriched by a variety of natural and cultural heritages. Exciting and adventurous activities, as well as breathtaking scenery are combined with a collection of cultural attractions -- to make Nepal one of the unique and most interesting travel destinations on earth.

Editor:Hu  Source:CCTV.com