Entrepreneurs stress need for women's participation in tourism

 Kathmandu, Apr. 19

Tourism entrepreneurs and stakeholders have emphasised the need for greater participation of women in Nepal’s tourism sector in the context of the digital age.

Speaking at an interaction programme on ‘Women in Nepali tourism in the digital age’ organised by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) in Lalitpur on Saturday, they said now is the time to make a move to increase women’s participation in tourism and other business sectors.

Speaking at the event, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, said that women's entrepreneurship in tourism is now a top priority. “We are committed to establishing this through policies and programmes. If we can bring digital literacy to women in rural areas, tourism can become the backbone of our economy,” he said.

Minister Pandey also stressed the importance of trust and cooperation between the government and the private sector. “Without collaboration, the government alone cannot achieve everything. We must foster an environment of trust between public and private institutions,” he said.

Geeta Kumari Paudel Adhikari, a member of the National Planning Commission, highlighted the integration of technology in the country’s sixteenth development plan and the importance of empowering women in tourism. “Only 30 per cent of citizens have digital access, and among them, women are even less represented,” she said.

Adhikari added that gender equality must be prioritised during policy-making, especially regarding financial access.

Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO of the NTB, pointed out that while female participation in tourism is above 50 per cent, more focus should be placed on the quality and scope of that involvement. “We need to provide more training and opportunities to women to ensure their meaningful engagement in different areas of tourism,” he said.

Likewise, Liladhar Adhikari, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, called tourism a competitive sector and underlined the need to improve women’s leadership skills through digital literacy.

Yuvika Bhandari, head of the Public Relations Committee of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, said tourism cannot grow without women's active involvement. “Women are already transforming the tourism landscape with creativity and access. Without empowering them, we cannot expect the sector to develop,” she said.

Similarly, Nirmala Dhamala, president of the Women Tourism Entrepreneurs Network, said there is no alternative to making women digitally skilled. “It is now essential for the government to make digital training compulsory for female tourism entrepreneurs in its policy,” she said.

Former FNCCI president Bhawani Rana noted that women’s contributions in tourism are often invisible. “Even when women do more, it is not recognised. We must keep this in mind when drafting tourism policies. It is also important to keep tourism free from political influence,” she said.

Meena Baral, founder of Bungee Nepal and a leading figure in adventure tourism, said that financial matters are still male-dominated. “Women are capable when given the opportunity. Now, they need access to finance and technology. Even in adventure tourism, 30 to 40 per cent of participants are women, and they are doing well,” she said.

Dr. Preeti Bista, who is involved in medical tourism, mentioned that Nepal can generate 15 to 20 million dollars annually through this sector, provided proper coordination and policies are in place.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 April 2025.