Nepal recommended as the best tourist destinations in 2016
Maheshwor Mahat
Nepal has been recommended as one of the best tourist destinations for 2016. Chosen by teams of editors and writers of leading travel magazines and websites, Nepal is among the hotly anticipated list of countries for the international tourists for the year 2016. Rough Guides, a leading publisher of travel and reference and informed contemporary writing recommends Nepal as number one country on the bucket list of travel. Highlighting the varied landscapes – from the Himalayas to jungles inhabited by tigers, elephants and rhinos, the famous printed and online travel guide has suggested Nepal should be the first choice for travel in 2016. The Guides writes, “After a series of devastating earthquakes and aftershocks, Nepal’s tourist industry is on the rise again. Though hundreds of thousands have been left homeless, and daily life is not fully back to normal, the country’s historic landmarks are slowly being restored”.
Everest Skydive in Forbes 11 Places to Skydive
Forbes, a famous American business magazine has announced the list of 11 places to skydive in the year 2016. Mount Everest Skydiving has also been included in the list. “If dropping out of a helicopter at 23,000 feet is always something that you’ve wanted to do, well then, Everest Skydive has you covered.
Breanna Wilson of Forbes writes, “With Mount Everest as your backdrop, you’ll free fall to the Ama Dablam Base Camp, a base camp that sits 15,000 feet above sea level, or the Syangboche Airport, which sits 12,340 feet above sea level,”
The Guide also reiterates that the trekking routes are reopening and the resilient Nepali people are finding their feet. “Thoughtfully spent tourist dollars will go a long way here; choosing independent home stays and grass roots tour companies ensures money ends up in local pockets. Nepal’s cultural landscape is every bit as diverse as its physical one”, Shafik Meghji, co-author of The Rough Guide to Nepal writes. Nepal is also at the top in Rough Guide’s People’s Choice list. According to the travel site, resounding support for Nepal echoed through their ‘travelin2016′ Twitter hash tag making Nepal the top People’s Choice.
Including Nepal, Rough Guides has recommended other nine countries– Colombia, Cuba, Jordon, Albania, Romania, El Salvador, Wales, Kenya, and Sri Lanka as the top ten countries for 2016. Boosting the hope for Nepali tourism industry, Fabweb.org recommends Kathmandu, Nepal as one of the top 18 places to see in 2016. The website is a mixed bag of funny and interesting facts on diverse topics from travel, life-hacks, recipes, and nature. “If you’re looking to travel with a conscience this year, Nepal is the best place to put your money where your mouth is,” says the website. Further to that Nepal’s stunning natural landscapes and cultural centres have been put forth as the main reasons to explore this Himalayan nation in the new year.
Nepal is the only South Asian country to make the list. The other destinations featured include Puerta Princessa in the Phillippines for its untouched beauty, the Bavarian town in Germany for its gorgeous mountains and castles, the French city of Normandy for its old world architecture and more.
Similarly, The National Geographic Traveller magazine has enlisted Nepal as one of the must-see destinations in the world for 2016. In its ‘Cool List 2016’ prepared for the January/February 2016 issue of the UK-based travel magazine, Nepal has been placed sixth in the list of 16 cool destinations in the world. Chosen by its team of editors and writers, the most anticipated list of countries and cities also include Iran, Costa Rica, Washington DC, Ireland, Cuba, Shanghai, Mozambique, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somerset, Rio de Janeiro, Kazakhstan, Argentina, San Sebastian and Great Barrier Reef.
Meanwhile, the National Geographic has already nominated Pasang Lhamu Sherpa from Nepal among the top 10 finalists for the 2016 People’s Choice Adventurer of the year. The country’s rising climbing star has been chosen for her tireless humanitarian efforts in remote areas in the aftermath of devastating April earthquake.
Lonely Planet, another most trusted travel guide had recommended Nepal as the best places to travel in October 2015. The famous travel guide wrote, “From the gateway town of Pokhara, which saw little damage from the April/May tremor, classic trekking routes such as the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary Trek climb breathlessly into the Himalaya, offering the kind of views normally reserved for mountaineers. Pokhara is easy to reach from Kathmandu, also fully open for business, and it’s easy to make arrangements for a trek on arrival.” Lonely Planet stressed that visiting Nepal means the tourists would be performing a valuable social service, helping Nepal to rebuild after the disaster by investing directly in the local economy. Crippled by the devastating earthquake in April, 2015, Nepal hoped to see revival of its tourism industry in autumn. However, the Himalayan nation faced another setback as India imposed more than three month long blockade hindering the essential supplies like petroleum products, food supplied and medicines. As a result, the tourists arrival plummeted by more than 85% during the pick season of October and November. All the same, tourism professionals believe the recommendations – Nepal as the top tourist destination, by the world renowned and trusted travel guides, magazines and websites will definitely boost the confidence of the Nepali tourism industry in 2016.
TOURISM TIMES 