Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, the ambassador of Nepal to China, said the Chinese government's adjustment of its COVID-19 response measures is a very important step that helps to promote economic development both for China and the world, enhance people-to-people exchanges and boost tourism.

Noting that neighboring countries welcome Beijing's latest efforts to optimize its COVID-19 response policy, Shrestha told China Daily that Nepal eagerly awaits the increase of Chinese visitors during the new year, saying that it will help to boost the Himalayan nation's economy.

"Nepal will definitely welcome Chinese tourists because Chinese people and Nepali people share the culture and religion. At the same time, Nepal is full of scenic beauty, such as snow-capped mountains, green hills, white water, and fresh air," Shrestha said.

According to the ambassador, as a fantastic tourist destination for people from all over the world, Nepal has developed hotels decked out with antiques and formulated different rules and regulations to facilitate the seamless entry of tourists.

"Nepal is a popular destination for many Chinese tourists, so we are developing Chinese-speaking guides too," he said.

China has been Nepal's second-largest source of tourists in recent years. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, direct flights have been opened between Chinese cities including Beijing, Lhasa, and Chengdu and Nepal's capital Kathmandu.

Shrestha said he would recommend Kathmandu, Lumbini and Pokhara as the top three destinations for Chinese tourists visiting Nepal.

Kathmandu has a unique culture and has many temples and ancient palaces, he said.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Shakyamuni Buddha, is the holiest place for Buddhists and pilgrims to visit, where Chinese tourists can meet with people from all over the world, the ambassador said.

The ambassador said Pokhara is full of scenic beauty where people can see Fish-tale Mountain from Fewa Lake. The city is also full of other beautiful lakes and visitors can enjoy paragliding and boating there, he said.

"The most important thing is there are international airports in all three cities," he added.