KATHMANDU – Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai predicts that the number of foreign tourists arriving Nepal would grow significantly in 2021.
Laying a foundation stone for the ‘Forest Front’ hotel to be built by the KTM Hospitality at Ratnagar Municipality-5 in Chitwan district today, Minister Bhattarai estimated that “The tourism sector in the country has begun reviving towards the end of 2020. It will rise in 2021 and will begin to turnaround remarkably.”
The government had prioritized the promotion of local tourism, according to the Minister, who believes that travel culture is becoming popular among middle and upper class families.
He also assured that health protocols are being strictly implemented in the tourism destinations and hotels among others to ensure that COVID-19 does not spread.
A 34-room resort sprawling across over 12 kaththa is to be built with the estimated Rs 250 million. KTM Hospitality Chief Rameshwor Shah is going to construct the resort.
On the occasion, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Rameshwar Ray Yadav lamented that the labour market has been ravaged by COVID-19, and spoke for the need to create jobs in the country for youths who lost their jobs abroad due to the pandemic.
He shared that the government is going to introduce programmes to engage such youths in the productive sector. He also called for ending the unfortunate situation of over 600 Nepalis abroad returning home in a coffin, which according to him, is one of the main reasons why the government has prioritized job creations.
On the occasion, Ratnanagar Municipality Mayor Narayan Ban, NRNA’s founding president Dr Upendra Mahato and Regional Hotel Association Chairperson Deepak Bhattarai also delivered their remarks.
