Tourism goodwill ambassadors say Nepal is safe to visit

KATHMANDU, June 27:

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Friday honored different dignitaries as Honorary Public Relations Representative and Honorary Mountain Tourism Goodwill Ambassador.

Minister for Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation Kripasur Sherpa honored 17 foreigners as public relations representatives and five Nepalis as goodwill ambassadors.

The government has nominated Peter Athensand and David Breashears from USA, Peter Hillary from New Zealand, Junko Tabei from Japan, Reinhold Messner and Silvio Mondinelli from Italy, Tashi Tenzing from Australia, Um Hong-gil from South Korea, Edurne Pasaban from Spain, Jean Michel Asselin from France, Wolfgang Nairz from Austria, Ralf Dujmovits from Germany, Nicole Nikki from Switzerland, Katja Staartjes from the Netherlands, Doc McKarr from the UK, and Wang Jing from China as public relation representatives.

Similarly, Nepali mountaineers Mingma Sherpa, Lhakpa Rita Sherpa, Susmita Maskey, Lhakpa Sherpa and Shailee Basnet have been nominated as goodwill ambassadors for promotion of mountain tourism.

Speaking at the program, Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, chief administrator of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said the honorary public relations representatives and mountain tourism goodwill ambassadors will help to promote Nepal in international arena as the country's tourism sector recovers from the devastating earthquake.

Newly appointed Honorary Mountain Tourism Goodwill Ambassador Sushmita Maskey said she would do her level best in promoting Nepal in international arena. "Even the partially standing monuments add beauty to Nepal. People would love to see this if we can promote these monuments effectively," she added.

Similarly, another goodwill ambassador Mingma Sherpa, who has climbed all 14 8,000-meter peaks, said that the government should extend this year's Everest climbing permits for next year so that climbers come to the country. "This will support all the people involved in tourism," he added.

Austrian mountaineer Nairz, who has visited Nepal 85 times, said he will tell his friends in Austria, German and other European countries, that Nepal is safe and that there is not much destruction. "The harmony between mountains, landscape, people, religion and culture is same as in the past and this will definitely attract tourists," Nairz, who recently took his 14 friends to Upper Mustang, said.

Paolo Nugari, Nepal's Consulate General in Italy, said Nepal is as enjoyable as before. "It is as safe as before and people can start visiting this country tomorrow," he added.

Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary of MoCTCA, said even disaster can be a tourism product. "One can observe Earthquake Disaster Education Tourism if they visit Nepal now," he added

Speaking at the program, Minister Sherpa said only 15 percent of tourism infrastructures and 20 percent of cultural monuments have been damaged. "We will rebuild them in two to five years," he added. He also requested tourists to visit Nepal in autumn in if they want to help Nepal.

Source: Republica