1st group of Chinese trekkers arrive in Nepal
Source: Xinhua | 2023-04-14 | Editor:Ines
The first batch of Chinese trekkers arrived in the Nepali capital on Thursday, bringing hope to Nepal's tourism hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We're happy and delighted to welcome you on the eve of our New Year," Sudan Kirati, Nepal's minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation, said at the inauguration ceremony of the eight-day Poon Hill trekking event at the airport in Kathmandu.
"Nepal and China have a long history of friendship," the minister said. "We want to take our relationship to a new height."
He voiced appreciation for China's move to list Nepal among the countries to which outbound group tours for Chinese citizens are resumed on a pilot basis.
The 180 Chinese tourists arrived in Kathmandu on a Himalaya Airlines charter flight, and they are the first of four batches of nearly 1,000 Chinese trekkers to land on the Poon Hill trail located some 270 km west of Kathmandu.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song called the move to list Nepal as a destination for group tours one that shows China's good feelings toward Nepal and the great emphasis placed on promoting bilateral cooperation on tourism.
The arrival of the Chinese trekkers means China-Nepal cooperation on tourism has been restarted in an orderly manner and people-to-people exchanges are ushering in a new beginning, Chen said.
Referring to the fact that China had become the second largest source of tourists for Nepal before the pandemic, the ambassador voiced hope that the resumption of outbound group tours by China will give impetus to the recovery and development of Nepal's tourism industry, a key generator of foreign reserves and jobs for the country.
An Wei, a doctor from Shanghai, chose Nepal as her destination on her first post-pandemic trip abroad because Nepal is "a paradise for trekkers" and "a place I have been longing for."
You May Like
-
Traditional Gahana Khojne Jatra festival celebrated in Nepal
Local people carry on their shoulders a chariot of Goddess Tundaldevi in search for her lost jewellery in a "jewel pond" known as Gahana Pokhari during the trad...
InKunming 2023-04-10 -
Major China-Nepal land port resumes passenger clearance
InKunming 2023-04-04 -
China Focus: Major China-Nepal land port resumes passenger c...
The Gyirong port in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, one of the largest land ports between China and Nepal, resumed passenger clearance on Saturday.
InKunming 2023-04-04 -
Nepal's deputy PM loses citizenship case
Nepal's Supreme Court on Friday scrapped Rabi Lamichhane's status as a member of the House of Representatives on the grounds that he did not have the Nepali cit...
InKunming 2023-01-29 -
Constitution Day celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal
personnel participate in the celebration of the Constitution Day in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 19
InKunming 2022-09-21 -
Artisan fest provides opportunity for local creators to prom...
Artisan fest provides opportunity for local creators to promote products in Nepal.
InKunming 2022-09-19 -
Asia Album: Nepal's "living goddesses" at Indra Jatra festiv...
Nepal held a mass Kumari Puja worship for better health and prosperity during the Indra Jatra Festival here on Thursday, attracting many girls aged below nine...
InKunming 2022-09-09 -
Khadga Jatra festival celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal
People take part in a parade during the Khadga Jatra festival in Kathmandu, Nepal, Aug. 14, 2022.
InKunming 2022-08-15 -
Nepal unveils action plan for tourism revival
The Nepali government on Sunday announced a number of measures to revive the tourism industry battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, including a plan to declare the...
InKunming 2022-07-25 -
Nepal extends ban on import of 10 types of goods to save for...
The Nepali government is extending a complete ban on the import of 10 types of products till the end of August, as the country still struggles against a dwindli...
InKunming 2022-07-18
