Kathmandu, June 14: Government has accorded the highest priority for the development of mountaineering tourism targeting the Visit Year 2020 which aims to attract 2 million foreign tourists to Nepal. “Since the Himalayas remain a top priority among the tourists visiting Nepal, the National Planning Commission (NPC) has taken forward the development of mountaineering tourism,” said NPC’s Vice Chairman Dr Prof Pushparaj Kandel.
Kandel shared that efforts were undertaken to build a mountain hub to attract tourists to the mountains and to produce human resources required for mountaineering tourism. A feasibility study was conducted at the base camp of Paldor peak and Pangsang Pasama located below the Ganesh Himal in Rubi Valley that is in the proximity of Kathmandu to develop it as a mountain hub, according to him.
He reiterated, “The preliminary study deemed these two places as the appropriate destinations.” Dr. Ram Kumar Phunyal who oversees tourism sector at the NPC said that those above-mentioned places were selected to develop as mountain hubs in view of attracting the attention of the international community and achieve economic prosperity through tourism. Budget worth over Rs 10 million has been allocated to develop trekking trail from Kathmandu to the base camp of Paldor and to make a detailed project report of Rubi Valley this year.
Machapuchre, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang and Gaurishankar ranges could be viewed from the closest quarter from Pangsang, it was shared. “Paldor peak appears to be one of the prospective mountaineering destinations,” said Phuyal, adding that projects were selected in view of the national need. Similarly, Nepal Mountaineering Association General-Secretary Kul Bahadur Gurung said they were ready for cooperation and collaboration to develop mountaineering tourism.
Government has allocated budget in the current fiscal year for developing East-West Green Trekking Trail in the mountainous area and to construct ways for cable cars and trekking tails in various tourist destinations in the country. RSS
