-CB Adhikari
Kathmandu, Dec 24 (RSS): A big and bold ‘Welcome to Nepal’ greets the visitor near the gate to the terminal as one disembarks from the aeroplane and heads towards the ‘Arrival’ building at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
This welcome arch is decorated with paper frame depicting the art and culture of Nepal. Right behind this is a big idol of the Garuda with the hands joined in the ‘Namaste’ position. Namaste is a Nepali style of greeting and taking leave.
There are four metal pitchers with flowers. This is the ‘selfie point’ introducing the Visit Nepal Year 2020 to the foreign visitors.
Once inside the arrival lounge, the visitor is fascinated with a variety of photos of temples and shrines, sceneries, artefacts and such items. Water-filled metal pots with flowers on either side of the gate greet the visitors as they enter the arrival lounge.
The foreign visitors might ask why this welcome again as they move ahead. “It is our culture,” the Nepalis who are there to receive the foreign guests reply. An attractive statue of Kumari, the living goddess of Nepal, is another thing that catches the visitors’ sight at the Tourist Arrival Lounge. The visitors do not miss the chance to click a ‘selfie’ with the Kumari’s statue.
This is the sight at the Arrival Terminal at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Of late, the look of Nepal’s only international airport has changed. Passengers arriving and departing from the TIA will now feel some change as the airport’s interior look has seen a profound change. The exterior is also being decorated in an attractive way.
Reforms in the sole international airport were in the priority of Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation since he assumed the office and results have been reflected in the TIA inner looks. It was TIA general manager Raj Kumar Chhetri who worked hard to materialize the concern of the tourism minister.
As ‘morning shows the day,’ the changing scenario at TIA provides a sufficient ground to claims that it can be established as a ’boutique airport’. Government officials said that plans are being development accordingly.
In a recent programme, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli pledged to convert TIA into a ’boutique airport’
