Source::My Republica
tourism entrepreneurs have expressed concerns about the lack of effective implementation of these plans
Binayak Shah, president of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), stressed the importance of practical measures to boost tourism. "In the past two months, the government has done little beyond announcing a timely tourism policy and offering fuel discounts to foreign airlines," Shah said. He also mentioned that, as a member of the sub-committee tasked with developing the new tourism policy, progress has been slow. "While any achievement is better than none, mere announcements are not enough. The government needs to do its homework, and progress has been sluggish," he added.
Shah highlighted that the tourism sector is capable of providing double the services compared to the current tourist numbers, urging for result-oriented actions. "Tourism is dynamic and requires more than just discussions and announcements; concrete plans and actions are necessary to produce tangible results," he said. He also pointed out that, while the tourism sector is vast, the minister’s work has been delayed.
When assuming office, Minister Pandey stressed the need for reforms in tourism policy and announced the creation of a study committee. He promised that a timely tourism policy would be based on the committee's in-depth research, but HAN President Shah is concerned that the work may not be completed on schedule.
Challenges such as government instability, lack of timely policies and laws, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic crises, and disconnects between the government and stakeholders have slowed the progress of Nepal's culture and tourism sectors.
Kumar Mani Thapaliya, president of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), emphasized that without improvements to Nepal Airlines, the tourism sector will not see sustainable growth. He noted that regardless of which minister is in office, the development of tourism is tied to reforms in the national airline. "The growth of Nepal's tourism is directly linked to the progress and reform of the national airline," he said.
Minister Pandey acknowledged the significant contribution foreign tourists could make to the national economy and stressed the need for the government to create an investment-friendly environment for economic growth. He assured that the ministry is working on the development and expansion of the culture, tourism, and aviation sectors.
Picture Credit: Fiscal Nepal
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