Tourism ministry hold discussion on draft of tourism policy

KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey on Wednesday held a discussion with leaders from the CPN-UML and his party, Nepali Congress (NC), on the draft of the new tourism policy.

Speaking at the discussion, Minister Pandey said activities of the ministry have remained ineffective despite changes in the governance structure due to outdated laws. “The process of amending existing acts and creating new ones is in the final stage. We are also working to identify potential policy errors and finalize them based on suggestions received from different political parties,” he added.

UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel said the focus should be on practical aspects rather than just theoretical ones when creating policies. “We need to focus more on practical aspects than theoretical ones. Our future is based on the tourism sector. This is also an opportunity for us. Climate change issues should also be addressed in the act,” he said.

Similarly, NC General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa said the policy-making process should be continuous and that existing laws should be reviewed periodically. “Inter-ministerial discussions are essential when making policies,” he added.

Thapa also suggested making the private sector more active and responsible when implementing tourism plans, programs, and projects. “Rather than just counting tourist arrivals, it is more important to track how much tourists are spending during their stay in Nepal,” he added.

National Planning Commission (NPC) Member Gangadatta Awasthi, Tourism Secretary Ganesh Pandey, Executive Director of the Department of Tourism Dr. Narayan Regmi, and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, among others, were present on the occasion.