KATHMANDU, May 30: The government has decided to prioritize meeting, incentive conference and exhibition (MICE) tourism to bring high spending tourists to the country.
Unveiling budget for Fiscal Year 2019/20, Minister for Finance Yuba Raj Khatiwada said that the government will build roads and meeting venues to promote MICE tourism.
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However, the country lacks infrastructures like big conference halls, which are a pre-requisite for MICE tourism. The only proper conference hall in the country, International Convention Center, has been used by parliament for the past many years.
The government has allocated Rs 2.68 billion for tourism sector for the new fiscal year.
“The government will expedite development of infrastructure, identify new tourism products and promote existing products as part of preparation for the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign,” Khatiwada said.
He also said that the government will identify and promote historical forts and trails used during unification of Nepal and promote them as tourist destinations. Khatiwada also said that the government will promote mountain, agri, rural, water sports, heritage, religious and cultural, sports, and medical tourism to bring more tourists to the country.
Similarly, the government has unveiled a plan to build eco trekking trail from Taplejung in the east to Darchula in the west. Stating that the government will prioritize adventure tourism, Khatiwada also said that Rara Lake will be developed into a premier tourist destination.
