Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs propose cross-border tourism in Himalayan region

Tourism experts in Nepal have come up with a new proposal of cross-border tourism in the Himalayan region.

At a forum on Wednesday, tourism entrepreneurs proposed to promote the Himalayan region including Nepal, Lhasa of China's Tibet, Sikkim of India and Bhutan as a cross-border tourism route.

"The symbolic route within four different countries can be a major attraction for foreign tourists," Bikram Pandey, president of Himalayan Expedition Nepal, said while addressing the event.

Tourism entrepreneurs have mulled two separate Buddhist and Hindu circuits in the region. They have deviced a guided tour route, including Kathmandu and Mustang of Nepal; Lhasa, Saga and Mount Kailash of China's Tibet; Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Sikkim of India and Paro of Bhutan.

They believed the cross-border connectivity will narrow down the existing gap in tourism sector across the Himalayan region. However, the experts also pointed out the challenges of this new initiative.

"Transportation, tourism facilitation and government policies can be difficult for cross-border tourism in the initial phase," said Prachanda Man Shrestha, chairman of National Tourism Foundation,

Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs have already received a green light from the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation of India. However, they are yet to hold formal talks with tourism entrepreneurs of China and Bhutan. Endite