New Tourism Pact to Boost Cambodia-Nepal Tourism

September 14, 2017

In a recent move, Cambodia and Nepal entered into an agreement that is set to boost the tourism sectors of both the countries.

The Cambodia Association of Travel Agents (CATA) and Nepal’s Tourism Agents Association (NTAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard in Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh, on September 12, 2017.

“The MoU signing marks another milestone of stronger cooperation between Cambodia and Nepal in the tourism industry. Nepal is one of the choices among Cambodian people when they travel to religious sites. In Buddhism, Lumbini in Nepal is sacred because it was the birthplace of Buddha,” says Chhay Sivlin, President of CATA.

Informing that around 2,505 Nepali tourists visited Cambodia last year, Sivlin expressed hope that the number would increase in the near future.

Director of Nepal’s National Tourism Board Bimal Kandel was also optimistic about the deal. Citing to commonalities in the tourism sectors of both the nations, Kandel said, “These common factors make us feel like home in Cambodia.”

According to Kandel, around 100,000 Nepalese traveled across Southeast Asia last year and a similar number of people from the region visited Nepal.

Meanwhile, Nilesh Adhikari, Managing Director of Aakarshan Travel and Tours Pvt. Ltd. of Cambodia said, “We have tour operators here in Cambodia who are working on a long-term plan to bring tourists to Nepal.”

He also informed that his company was also linking up with Nepali tour companies to drive Nepali tourists towards Cambodia.

This MoU gains significance in the light of a tourism promotional event tilted, Nepal is Beautiful: Visit, and Enjoy in Nepal, held by the Embassy of Nepal in Cambodia capital, in June 2017.