Tourism Minister to give priority to demands from tourism entrepreneurs

 Kathmandu, June 29

Khadak Raj Poudel ‘Ganess’, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that the government is committed to resolving the existing challenges facing Nepal’s tourism sector and developing tourism as a key pillar of the country’s economic prosperity.

Speaking at an interaction programme with tourism stakeholders organised by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) in Nepalgunj on Saturday, Minister Poudel reaffirmed the government’s commitment to giving priority to legitimate demands and essential initiatives within the tourism sector.

He also invited stakeholders to submit, in writing, proposals that could be incorporated into the NTB's forthcoming budget and programme. He stated that the government was prepared to include practical and necessary proposals among the suggestions received in the current fiscal year’s budget and programme, the NTB informed in a statement on Sunday.

Tourism entrepreneurs from the Nepalgunj and Lumbini region highlighted the need to expand air services, improve the effective operation of Nepalgunj Airport, develop tourism infrastructure, strengthen destination marketing, promote cross-border tourism, enhance coordination with the private sector, and decentralise the programmes of the NTB.

The interaction was attended by representatives of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), the Hotel Federation Nepal, tourism entrepreneurs, officials from the Nepal Tourism Board, the Chief District Officer of Banke District, representatives from Nepalgunj Airport, and other relevant stakeholders.

Tourism entrepreneurs noted that, despite western Nepal’s immense tourism potential, the region had not achieved the expected level of growth due to inadequate infrastructure, limited international and domestic air connectivity, insufficient promotion, and policy constraints.

They stressed the need for a dedicated programme to develop Nepalgunj as a major tourism gateway linking Lumbini, Bardia National Park, Rara Lake, Khaptad National Park, and the Sudurpashchim Province.

Minister Poudel said that the government is designating the next decade as a decade of tourism infrastructure development.

According to him, the tourism industry would be taken to new heights through investment in road and aviation infrastructure, the upgrading of tourism destinations, the development of local tourism products, stronger collaboration with the private sector, and the maximum utilisation of each province’s tourism potential.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 June 2026.