New NTB CEO assumes office, targets 1.6 million tourists

KATHMANDU: The newly-appointed CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Deepak Raj Joshi, has said that he will work to meet the government’s target of welcoming 1.6 million tourists in a year.

Assuming office at the Nepal Tourism Board in Bhrikuti Mandap on Sunday, Joshi said his focus would be on increasing the number of foreign tourists. “I will concentrate on extensive international promotion, identifying key markets and regions for effective marketing,” he said.

The new CEO emphasized the importance of identifying key destinations for tourism promotion and focusing on attracting high-quality tourists. He also highlighted the need for more research in the tourism sector to develop future strategies and assess market potential.

Nepal welcomed 1,014,882 foreign tourists in 2023, which is lower than the pre-COVID level of 1,197,191 recorded in 2019. However, Nepal seems on track to surpass the 2019 numbers, with tourist arrivals reaching 720,334 in the first four months of 2024. Nepal’s main tourist season, which begins in mid-September, will continue until mid-December.

On the occasion, Joshi said he has devised a four-year strategy to attract more tourists to the country. “I have developed a detailed framework for what to accomplish each year and what outcomes to achieve. I will make this public soon,” he said.

The Executive Committee of NTB appointed Joshi to the position for a four-year term on Thursday. This is his second term as CEO of NTB.