KATHMANDU, Nepal–The fifth Tourism Fair held in Kathmandu aiming to promote internal tourism accomplished on Sunday. Organized by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the fair witnessed some entrepreneurs across the nation and shared their ideas on travel, tourism, mountaineering among other issues.
Majority of the entrepreneur and stake holders had expressed confidence that the fair would coordinate with the businessman scattered across the nation. Likewise, they hoped that the fair would succeed to strengthen and lengthen the rope of coordination and relation between tourism entrepreneurs.
The main aim of the fair was to boost the internal tourism recognizing major tourism destination. Similarly, activities about package tour of various places were also some of the features of the fair. The weak part of the fair was big entrepreneur did not take part though a few agencies representing from various district and region participate with heavy heart. Not a single representative took part at the stall of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and sports adventure tourism.
Likewise, there was no presence of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel agent (NAAT) and Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO). This clearly indicates the slim representation of Kathmandu based tourism organization and representatives. In this context, how can NTB boasts of grand success of fair? ‘It is fruitless to take part at the fair since the large numbers of expedition team are scaling the peaks’, a member of an expedition team told Nepal Mountain Focus. Since this is second tourism season and tourism entrepreneur are engaged at their business, the representation at the fair was relatively low.
However acting chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Suvash Niraula claimed that the fair was a grand success to promote the internal tourism by gathering the entrepreneurs from the hook and nook of the nation to a common platform despite of abnormal situation where various organizations affiliated to different political political parties were engaged in strikes and protest.
While the NTB was organizing the fair in valley, most of the eastern part of Nepal was marred by a weeklong bandh (shut down). Thus, many entrepreneurs could not attend the fair and did not get chance to introduce their stalls citing insecurity.
Fair coordinator Lila Bahadur Baniya claimed that the fair was excessive attractive and fruitful in compared to previous year. Baniya said a total of one hundred and ten stalls were showcased at the fair. Stating that it was the fifth national tourism fair as per the annual calendar of NTB, Baniy said the fair stressed the special focus for the promotion of home stay and hilly and plain region.
Though the organizers were dreamed of bringing more than 80 thousand visitors, the organizers had to satisfy at forty thousand. However, the fair has been succeeded in few extents in promoting hidden natural treasures at few places of Nepal amassing the entrepreneur at a common platform.
On the occasion the board distributed the prize to the representative of tourism entrepreneur, bagging first, second and third position.