Nepal pleads with nations to lift travel advisories to revive tourism

A man inspects an area that was severely affected in the May 12 earthquake stands tilted in Chautara, Nepal, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. (AP / Bernat Amangue)

KATHMANDU, Nepal - Nepal's government has urged other countries to lift travel advisories that discourage their citizens from visiting the Himalayan nation following a devastating earthquake in April that killed thousands of people.

Tourism minister Kripasur Sherpa said Wednesday that the government has asked other nations through diplomatic channels to remove the advisories because most parts of the country are safe and unaffected by the earthquake.

Sherpa said so far the United States, Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand and Italy have removed their advisories, but that some other European countries have not.

Nepal received nearly 800,000 tourists last year but fears the April 25 earthquake will drive many away.

Tourism is a key source of foreign currency for Nepal, which has many of the world's tallest mountains, including Mount Everest.