Direct flights from London, Paris, Sydney, a ‘game changer’ in Nepal’s tourism

KATHMANDU: As the tourism industry is undergoing the process of recovery from the impact of Covid 19 pandemic that brought the whole industry to a standstill, Nepal, like many other countries, is looking for different ways to attract tourists. While Nepal still lacks direct flights from the West that could bring a surge in the inflow of tourists, Himalaya Jet, the UK-registered airline owned by the Gurung Family Conglomerate, could be a game changer for the country's tourism industry. The family of Nepali origin has prioritised Nepal with its aviation venture, but will also be operating in India (Delhi and Mumbai). With the operation of direct flights to Kathmandu from London, Paris and Sydney from September 2023, the economy of the country is likely to receive a significant boost with the inflow of tourist dollars. In a meeting held at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Tuesday, a delegation from Himalaya Jet briefed Tourism  Minister Sudan Kirati about the venture, and how the company supported by Boeing Startup would play a significant role to fly in tourists with direct flights from London, Paris and Sydney. It was shared that the airline company has also plans for America in the near future. The visiting delegation comprised Arnaud Brun from Boeing Commercial; Sagar Ghimire, Director of Strategy and Planning at Himalaya Jet; and Devendra KC, former General Manager of Tribhuvan International Airport, who is also the Head of Operations of Himalaya Jet in Nepal. On the occasion, Boeing Executive also expressed willingness to help Nepal get removed from the Safety List of Europe and the UK, which are now two different regulatory bodies post Brexit. Boeing's support in this matter could help expedite the process of allowing Nepali airlines to fly to Europe and bring in more tourists with direct flights from Europe. Nepal has all the resources for tourists, including but not limited to eight of the 10 tallest peaks in the world. However, it lacks aggressive marketing and branding in the international arena. With private sector coming in, especially the UK-registered premium long-haul airline with owners of Nepali origin, the tourism sector of Nepal is expected to get a new start not only in terms of the number of arrivals but also in terms of global branding. Moreover, the removal of Nepal from the European Safety List will further help the nation drive economic growth via tourism. READ ALSO:

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