23 December 2019, Okhaldhunga
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai stressed on that the promotion of tourism is the first condition for achieving prosperity. Inaugurating Chandeshwori Airport in Okhaldhunga in a programme on Monday, Minister Bhattarai said development of the nation can be achieved by bringing more and more tourists as
Nepal’s diversity and identity was unique in the world.
He further added that the government is committed to the development of tourism sector as it has acknowledged it as the first condition for prosperity. “The government is in the process of accomplishment of ‘prosperous Nepal, happy Nepali’ campaign and the tourism is the short route for reaching the destination,” the Minister said.
He also addressed that the government has announced 100 tourism destinations and is working for infrastructure development to success Visit Nepal Year 2020. On the occasion, Minister Bhattarai spent some time for unofficial interactions with a group comprising people’s representatives and tourism entrepreneurs.
Minister Bhattarai also stressed on the need of operating the airport regularly talking about high potentiality of tourism development in eastern Nepal. He also shared that the district-based touristic sites remained in the list of new tourism destinations will be announced in view of the Visit Year 2020 and underlined the need of making the Year successful.
He took time to give his words for making initiations to ensure that regular flights are operated at Rumjatar and Chandeshwori airports. Also speaking on the occasion, lawmaker Yagyaraj Sunuwar said with Chandeshwori Airport coming into operation, all villages in the district had turned out to be easily accessible. Former lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada said he from the individual level created pressure for contractors to complete the project in time.
On Monday, the Tara Air conducted its test flight at Chandeshwori Airport. Though the project had begun long back ago, the airport was readied for flight with a graveled runaway and a temporary tower house after 13 years. The contract price was Rs 20,533,740 including VAT. Airport’s total length is 650 meters and it has the capacity of welcoming two Twin-Otter at once.
Speakers on the program stressed on that tourists will be benefited much by regular flights and people will come out of the compulsion to charter helicopter for emergency cases.
