Namchi, 10th June, 2023: In continuation of the recently held '5th Indo-Nepal Relation Meet' in Siliguri, with the diplomats of Nepal Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism of India, a meeting between the Hotel Association of Ilam and Hotel and Restaurants Association of Namchi was held in Namchi for building tourism relations between Ilam and Namchi, today.
The president of Hotel Association of Ilam, Nepal, Devi Poudyal, along with around 24 representatives from Nepal, including journalists from Ilam, Nepal, met and shared the tourism spots, flora and fauna, trekking trails, road connectivities, night life, tourism destinations and hotels, restaurants and homestays available in Ilam, with the help of a video and power-point presentations, prepared by the association, with representatives of Hotels and Restaurants Association of Namchi.
While sharing the motive of today's meet, the president of the Hotel Association of Nepal, Devi Poudyal, shared that the tourists from Sikkim, Darjeeling and West Bengal usually visits Ilam and neighbouring places. The objectives, however, for today's meeting, were, to discuss the routes and packages both the Associations can prepare for each other, sharing culture and local products, and to provide atleast one each of the vehicle service to and from Namchi and Taplejung, Nepal, via Darjeeling.
The two main tourism spots of Ilam as shared by Devi Poudyal were, Santapur at 3636 mts, which allows view of mountains of four countries; Nepal, India, Bhutan and China, and historical place of Kirati people from the hills called Larumba, which he shared were visited by Kirats from Nepal, India, Hong Kong and UK. And two more places of tourism which were recognized as global destinations in Ilam, which he specifically mentioned, belongs to Nepal.
The president of Hotels and Restaurants Association of Namchi, also shared the ten tourism spots to visit in Namchi, with the help of the video prepared during Baisakhi Parva of Namchi.
However, both the parties came to a conclusion that Ilam of Nepal as well as Namchi Sikkim falls under same altitude, but were long deprived of tourist attractions due to the failure of proper promotion and lack of awareness by agencies of their respective places. The representatives from both the parties have prioritized the solution, with self promotion, but Namchi's Association have shared they may have to take permissions from the Department of Tourism in indulging further with building of relations between the two.
It is yet to be discussed for the vehicle services, to and from Taplejung and Namchi, proposed earlier by Devi Poudyal, which, Sachin Sharma from Namchi, have said, is possible only with the help of syndicate available in the town.
A token of love was presented to the Hotel and Restaurants Association of by the Hotel Association of Ilam, to Hotels and Restaurants Association of Namchi, at the end of the programme.
