Bengal Travel Market worries about COVID-19

POKHARA, Feb 26: The Bengal Travel Mart (BTM), one of the biggest tourist fair in India organized a meeting with tourism entrepreneurs of various countries regarding the problem faced in the tourism sector worldwide. According to tourism entrepreneurs, the meeting discussed the outbreak of coronavirus in China which has affected the tourism industry. 

The meeting organized by the BTM was held in Siliguri, India and had participation of Nepal, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Tourism entrepreneurs expressed their concern regarding the widespread outbreak of coronavirus and discussed possible alternative markets for the tourism sector.

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The Nepal room was also established in the BTM.  The Pokhara Tourism Council has set up the Nepal room and 12 tourism entrepreneurs have set up stalls. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) have also set up stalls in the fair. Travel and tour operators from India have inquired about the travel packages in Pokhara.

The council also organized 'Pokhara Night' in Siliguri. Jaya Shakti Shroff, officer of NTB, gave a presentation about Pokhara to the Indian travel and tour operators. Chiranjivi Pokhrel, chairperson of the council invited all the participants of BTM to visit Pokhara.  According to Pokhrel, he is eagerly waiting to welcome tourists from India, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Achyut Guragain, regional member of NATTA said that Pokhara is the best destination for adventure tourism in Nepal. Rajesh Pahari, coordinator of the India Sales Mission requested tourists to visit Pokhara. According to Pahari, Indian tourists will play an important role to make Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020 successful.

According to Pokhrel, the promotion of Pokhara in India has increased the number of Indian tourists to Pokhara. The council has been participating in the fair for the past five years. According to Pokhrel, tourists of Northeast India are attracted to adventure tourism. Indian tourists from West Bengal visit religious and tourist places such as Pashupatinath and Muktinath.  Pokhara has also witnessed significant increase in tourists from Sikkim and Assam as well. According to Pahari, BTM helps to attract Indian tourists to Nepal.      

According to Jaya Shakti Shroff, tourism fairs play an important role to connect travel and tour operators with tourism entrepreneurs.