Nepal Tourism Board eyes Rs 951 million revenue

KATHMANDU, Nov 10:

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has started preparations to finalize its annual budget.

At an interaction with private sector on Sunday, NTB officials said they expect to collect Rs 951 million from tourist service fee (TSF) and Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) in 2014/15. NTB expects to welcome 767,937 foreign tourists in 2014/15.

The projected earning is up by 57 percent compared to what NTB had mobilized in 2013/14.

Apart from its regular programs, NTB has proposed a significant fund to organize Himalayan Travel Mart in Kathmandu and to promote Nepal through advertisements different international media and to organize fam trips for journalists from leading media houses.

“As Nepal´s tourism image has deteriorated over the past last year due to various incidents like blacklisting of Nepali airlines by European Union, avalanche on Mount Everest and the Annapurna blizzard, we have planned to organize fam trips for journalists from leading international media so that they can experience Nepal and promote the country through their respective media," Phurba Gyaljen Sherpa, executive committee member of NTB and the coordinator of NTB´s budget sub-committee. "The proposed programs, however, can be changed as per the suggestions of the private sector."

NTB has proposed a budget of Rs 278.6 million for the promotion of Nepali tourism products and services in the international market. NTB´s regular programs include promotion of domestic tourism, organizing national fairs in different regions, and participation in travel marts, sales missions and road shows in international markets.

Similarly, NTB also plans to carry out joint promotional programs with private sectors of different countries. Other budget headings of NTB include research, planning and monitoring, compiling and dissemination of tourist arrival figures, administration expenses, corporate expenses, rescue fund, public relations and publicity, and destination promotion, among others.

"The budget, this year, will be focused more on promotion of mountain tourism and domestic tourism. We will also be opening NTB offices in India and China and developing ´Green Trial´," added Sherpa.

NTB has proposed a budget of Rs 279 million to open its offices in India and China.

"We have been planning to open offices in India and China since long. This year we will materialize our plan," Kashi Raj Bhandari, director-planning and monitoring at NTB, said.

Speaking at the program, Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said private sector has been given the responsibility to formulate budget for the first time in NTB´s history. "NTB should set aside funds for the promotion of Nepali culture, archaeology, civil aviation and domestic destinations. As we are rich in culture and archaeological attractions, these attractions should be promoted," added Shrestha.

Source: Republica