Kathmandu – A reporter for the Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), Achyut Regmi, was conferred on the NATTA Journalism Award on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents (NATTA).

The award, which carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000 along with a letter of appreciation, was conferred on Regmi, who has long been covering the tourism beat for long. He has been associated with RSS for the past 12 years.

Along with Regmi, photojournalist Hemant Rai was also honoured on Sunday NATTA also felicitated several other personalities at the event. Those honored included Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma (Bhaskar Award), Deepak Raj Joshi (Sagarmatha Award), Binod Neupane (DN Pradhan Tourism Award), and the late Neelam Mani Singh Pradhan (NATTA Tourism Award, posthumously).

Bagamati Province Minister for Culture and Tourism Suresh Shrestha graced the award distribution ceremony. On the occasion, he said that the province government was making efforts to address the problems faced by tourism entrepreneurs.

Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Mukunda Prasad Niroula, applauded NATTA’s role in promoting Nepal’s tourism sector and advised the association to focus on quality and sustainable tourism promotion.

Kathmandu University Vice-Chancellor Dr Achyut Wagle stressed the need for additional policy support, research, and investment for the development of the tourism sector. He opined that Nepal’s economy would benefit only if the country succeeds in attracting quality tourists. Tourism currently chips in nearly three to four percent to the national economy, he reminded.

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, Vice-Chair Ram Prasad Sapkota, and Nepal Mountaineering Association Chair Phur Gelje Sherpa said NATTA’s role in branding Nepal’s tourism internationally is commendable.

Established in 1966, NATTA has been working to promote Nepal’s tourism in India, China, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and the United States, leaving no stone unturned to augment Nepal’s presence in the global tourism market, according to NATTA Chair Suresh Amgain. rss