Quake-hit Nepal to Come up with Discounts

Kolkata (PNA/PTI) — As Nepal reopens for tourists after the devastating earthquake in April, the Himalayan nation is now coming up with discounted packages to bring back holidayers.

Nepal’s consul general Chandra Kumar Ghimire said they have asked hoteliers, tour operators and airlines to come up with packages at attractive rates ahead of the festive season.

“We want to assure tourists not only from India but from all over the world that Nepal is now ready to welcome tourists in the same spirit as it was earlier. We had meetings with those in the tourism business to come up with new tour packages at discounts,” he said.

Anil Punjabi, chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), said tour operators will soon be ready with a 25 per cent discounted package.

“We want to tell people that this is the best time to visit Nepal. As a tourist you get a good deal from tour operators as well as get a chance to show your solidarity to Nepal for whom tourism is the second-highest foreign exchange earner,” he said.

To bring back tourism in normalcy, some of the monuments in the heritage sites has been reopened on June 15.

Popular tourist areas like Chitwan, Pokhara, Annapurna region and Bardia have escaped widespread damage from the quake. Religious places like Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and temples like Pashupatinath and Muktinath have also been unaffected. (PNA/PTI) CTB/RSM