Tourism in priority, gets Rs 11.96 billion allocation

KATHMANDU: The government has allocated a budget of Rs 11.96 billion for the tourism sector in the fiscal year 2023/24.

The allocation is nearly two and a half billion rupees more than the budgetary allocation for the current fiscal year.

Presenting the budget for the fiscal year 2023/24 on Monday, Minister for Finance Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said that tourism has been given top priority in the budget.

The government has allocated Rs 9.38 billion for the tourism sector in the current fiscal year.

Among others, the government has said that it would provide attractive discounts on ground handling fees to international airlines flying to Bhairhawa and Pokhara international airports.

Likewise, the government has decided to observe 2024-2034 as Visit Nepal Decade.

For better regulation of the civil aviation sector, the government has said that it would unbundle the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) into airport operator and civil aviation regulator.

The government has put the construction of an international airport in Nijgadh of Bara in a priority. In the budget for the fiscal year 2023/24, the government has allocated a budget for an environmental impact assessment (EIA) study and other preparatory works.

“The government will begin construction of an international airport in Nijgadh by finalizing investment modality at the earliest,” Mahat said.