Nepal is preparing to bring out a Tourism Master Plan by October this year, The Himalayan Times reported on Friday.

Minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation Pradip Gyawali was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the master plan will incorporate policies, strategies and action plans for development, expansion and promotion of tourism sector.

At a meeting with Nepal Chamber of Commerce delegation on Thursday, Gyawali asked that the private sector should provide their inputs to the government for formulating the master plan.

Reiterating that restoration of sustainable peace is the sole agenda of the government, he said that peace and security are vital for tourism development.

"Political and economic issues are two sides of a coin, thus the government and the private sector need to go hand in hand," Gyawali added.

He asked travel trade entrepreneurs to develop a special package targeting tourists from India and China, which have a vast potential for outbound tourism.

"These two countries are not only growing rapidly but also generating thousands of tourists, which Nepal has not been able to tap in recent years," he said.

Gyawali further said that the government plans to make Nepal Tourism Board a national tourism council with representation from all stakeholders and sectors within the industry.

"The government is considering to convert Nepal Airlines Corporation into a company to make the national flag carrier efficient and a competitive airlines," he said.

Source: Xinhua