Tourism Minister Pandey prioritises hotel industry development

KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has underscored efforts to elevate the hotel business to a national priority industry. 

During the National Assembly meeting on Thursday, Minister Pandey addressed concerns raised by lawmaker Madan Kumari Shah and disclosed ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies to officially recognise hotels as industries, considering their role in generating skilled human resources.

In addition, authorities are actively working to maintain fare uniformity for domestic flights. Initiatives like 'road shows' have been launched to attract tourists from India and China. The Minister emphasised continuous efforts to promote Nepal's tourist destinations, aligning with constitutional provisions, the 16th Periodic Plan, relevant laws, sectoral policies, and Nepal's National Tourism Strategic Master Plan (2016-2025).

This year's budget allocation also targets the identification of new tourist destinations within the country. Despite acknowledging the immense tourism potential, Minister Pandey acknowledged the challenge posed by limited budgetary resources for promotion. The government aims to welcome 1.6 million tourists this year through the implementation of the Tourism Strategic Plan and the Nepal Visit Decade.

Furthermore, the current fiscal year's budget includes programmes such as 'Seven Province Seven Destinations' and 'Eco Hill Tourism.' Minister Karki highlighted ongoing federal investment in Khaptad's infrastructural development and discussions surrounding the establishment of the Khaptad Area Development Trust.

By RSS