KATHMANDU: Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Khad­ak Raj Paudel 'Ganes' received separate courtesy calls on Friday from the ambassadors of three countries — Lithuania, China, and Japan — at the Ministry in Singha Durbar, underscoring growing diplomatic interest in Nepal's tourism sector.

The visiting envoys were Diana Mickeviciene, Non-Resident Ambassador of Lithuania to Nepal; Zhang Maoming, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China; and Maeda Toru, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal.

During the meetings, the ambassadors congratulated Minister Paudel and the new government, and expressed their best wishes for a successful tenure. Minister Paudel, in turn, thanked the respective countries for their contributions to Nepal's economic, social, and tourism development, and called for even deeper cooperation in the future.

Highlighting Nepal's historical ties with China and Japan, the Minister expressed hope for a significant increase in the number of Chinese and Japanese tourists visiting Nepal, and sought greater support from both countries toward that goal.

The Ministry said the meetings are expected to further strengthen Nepal's relations with China, Japan, and Lithuania, and expressed confidence that the discussions will translate into enhanced cooperation for the development of Nepal's tourism sector.