'Heritage passport' for tourists to visit Panauti cultural sites

KAVREPALANCHOK, Oct 08: Free 'Sampada-Passport' or Heritage Permit is to be issued to tourists visiting Panauti. 

The Panauti Tourism Development Centre has started providing free 'Panauti Heritage Passport' to the tourists coming here. The bid of issuing such permit card is begun on occasion of World Tourism Day.

Purushottam Karmacharya, Chairman of the center, informed that the centre has launched a passport with important religious and historical areas of Panauti, various festivals, heritage, and trail maps. According to him, the passport will be important guideline for the convenience of tourists and the vitality of Panauti's heritage.

Karmacharya said that at present, programmes have been started to create self-employment opportunities for the local people by conducting programmes such as coloring in heritage areas, management and operation of free vehicles for the transportation of tourists, and training for local people to make Sukul (straw mat).

Chairman Karmacharya said that passports with QR codes have been launched with the aim of assisting in visiting the important areas of Panauti. He said the passports contain a brief description of the area's religious and historical importance, festivals, etc.

Twenty five years ago, the area was proposed to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is said.a