Embassy of Nepal in Beijing, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) jointly organized Nepal Sales Mission 2018 in China. The Sales Mission was conducted in four cities of China: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu which are major tourism generating markets for Nepal.
Nepal China Tourism Sales Mission (A Business to Business-B2B-interaction) between 20 Nepalese tourism companies and Chinese tourism counterparts has been held in Beijing on 19 June 2018. On the occasion, Minister for Foreign Affairs from Nepal, Hon’ble Pradeep Gyawali addressed the Chinese tour operators, media and Nepalese delegates present in the function and highlighted on the Nepal’s priority on tourism mass marketing and promotion in neighborhood countries. Hon’ble Minister also focused on recreation, adventure and pilgrimage as major pillars of Nepalese tourism and also highlighted on the importance and prospect of MICE tourism in Nepal. Similarly, HE Nepalese Ambassador for China, Leela Mani Poudel was also present on the occasion.
Similarly, the similar Business to Business (B2B) and Media interaction between 20 Nepalese tourism companies and Chinese tourism counterparts was also held in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu on 20, 23, 24 April 2018 respectively.
During the B2B and media interaction programs in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu, Secretary for Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mr. Krishna Prasad Devkota highlighted the importance of Chinese market for Nepal and different tourism products to the Chinese tourists in Nepal. During his speech he said that Nepal is always ready and keen to welcome more and more Chinese Tourists.
Nepalese Consul General in Guanzhou, Mr. Ravi Bhattarai highlighted on tourism prospects of Nepal and importance of Chinese travel market for Nepalese tourism. He assured the interested Chinese tourists of a prompt visa service from Nepalese Consulate General Office in Guangzhou.
Likewise, Mr. Binod Acharya, Minister Economic from the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing, said in the program in Chengdu that Nepal and Sichuan are linked closely in terms of geographical proximity and similarity and cultural affiliations. He further highlighted that direct air link between Nepal and Chengdu has put further impetus on people to people exchange and Nepal Sichuan economic and cultural co-operation.
The officials from Nepal Tourism Board Mr. Lila Bahadur Baniya, Sr. Manager and Mr. Gobinda Raj Oli, Manager made a comprehensive destination presentation of Nepal on the occasion and the B2B forums were ideal venues for business negotiation and deals between Nepalese and Chinese Travel Trade Counterparts. While, NATTA First Vice President, Mr. Achyut Sharma Guragain gave his deliberation thanking all the participants, invitees in all the B2B sessions in cities.
The Nepalese tourism participation in COTTM 2018 and Nepal China Tourism Sales Mission-2018 was co-ordinated by Mr. Sudarshan Nepal in association with Nepal Tourism Board. The Nepalese tourism delegation was led by the Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Krishna Prasad Devkota.
China, being the world’s biggest outbound tourism market and one of the top tourism spenders, has been a most prospective and promising tourism market for Nepalese tourism industry. Nepal has been receiving a steady growth of Chinese tourists since 2000 AD with the starting figure of 5,160 and now the figure has reached 104,664 in the year 2017. The figures are encouraging every year as first quarter of this year show China as number one inbound tourist generating market for Nepal.