SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, JAN. 7
Travel trade entrepreneurs are preparing to dispatch an open letter to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to press him to take initiative for purchasing aircraft for Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) at the earliest.
A meeting of major travel trade organisations—Travel Agencies Association of Nepal, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Nepal Association of Tour Operators, Tourist Guide Association of Nepal and Pacific Asia Travel Association, Nepal — took a decision to this effect on Friday.
“We (tourism organisations) will draw the attention of the prime minister towards the current scenario of the national flag carrier and increasing politics in aircraft purchase process,” said Siddhartha Thapa, operation director of President Travel. Thapa said it is not possible to make Nepal Tourism Year-2011 a success until NAC’s capacity is increased. If the government fails to bring in aircraft this year as well, it is sure that NAC aircraft deal will be more complicated in the coming days, added Thapa.
Issuing a press statement, tourism organisations said the prime minister should take a concrete policy level decision for the aircraft purchase. “Bookings of travel agencies and hotels in 2010 indicate that tourist arrivals will grow significantly in 2011 and ahead,” read the press statement. Inadequate connectivity of the national flag carrier in the long-haul routes and other potential markets could be a major setback for the Nepali tourism industry.
On the other hand, Nepali migrant workers will suffer largely, the press release said.
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