Kathmandu, Aug. 14
Speaker of the House
of Representatives (HoR) DP Aryal has urged business and professional organisations
not to engage in political activities.
Addressing the
inaugural ceremony of the 59th general assembly of the Nepal Association of
Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), he said that since NATTA is a business organisation,
it should be kept away from political disputes and vested interests.
"The most
important issue for tourists is security. An environment should be created in
every sector of tourism services, including airplanes, taxis, and hotels, where
tourists feel safe. We should be discussing these issues," said Speaker
Aryal.
Stating that human
behaviour, services and facilities attract tourists, he stressed that
businessmen, the government, and all concerned parties should work together to
implement the necessary reforms in the tourism sector and urged them to rise
above internal conflicts and personal interests.
He said that sufficient
debate and discussion are required in the proposed bill related to tourism. Laws
should be formulated with a long-term perspective, keeping in mind the next 50
years, he added.
Likewise, Speaker
Aryal emphasised that structural reforms are necessary to make Nepal Airlines
Corporation effective and competitive. “Nepal Airlines will be established, but
it will not be established with the current structure,” he said.
He urged not to make
any discrimination between Nepali and foreign tourists in the course of
services. “The practice of encouraging Nepali tourists to stay in hotels and
spend generously, while discriminating against them, must come to an end,” he
said.
Speaker Aryal also
added the Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Institute (NATHM) should be made
stronger, more organised and equipped with facilities. According to him,
serious debate is also needed on the effective operation and utilisation of
Bhairahawa, Pokhara and Nijgadh airports.
Speaking at the event,
Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Khadk
Raj Paudel expressed the government's commitment to the development of the tourism
sector.
"The government is committed to moving
ahead, collaborating with the private sector for the development of the
country's tourism sector," he said.
"We are actively working to resolve
policy and structural issues for the development of the country's tourism
sector. Without the private sector's involvement, we can't achieve the desired
economic prosperity," stated Minister Paudel.
He also informed that the NATHM is planning
to introduce courses on health tourism at the bachelor's and master's levels.
Likewise, President of the Federation of
Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Anjan Shrestha, said the
government must end the tendency to rush the formulation of new policies, acts
and laws. He urged the government to hold adequate discussions and consultations
with relevant stakeholders and the private sector before formulating policies.
He said the tendency to seek suggestions
from the private sector without creating an environment in which those
suggestions can be effectively incorporated creates problems in policy
implementation.
“Before introducing any policy or act,
adequate discussion and dialogue are necessary. The situation in which
suggestions are sought in haste, and the private sector is then disappointed
when its recommendations are not incorporated, must end,” he said.
According to him, the private sector should
not merely be present as a witness in the policy-making process but should be
involved as a genuine partner.
Emphasising that the relationship between
the government and the private sector should be based on trust and partnership
rather than control, Shrestha said that if the business environment is made
easier and more investment-friendly, the private sector will become stronger,
which in turn will automatically boost the overall economy as well as
government revenue.
Likewise, he said the direct and indirect
contribution of tourism to gross domestic product (GDP), employment, foreign
exchange earnings and other economic activities should be properly assessed.
“The actual contribution of tourism to the economy must be clearly reflected in
the data. If tourism is to be given priority, its contribution, potential and
impact must also be properly assessed,” said Shrestha.
He said the country’s economy could be
further strengthened by making tourism, exports, information technology and
other service sectors more competitive.
Similarly, NATTA President Kumar Thapaliya
said that although tourism has potential to bring prosperity to the country, administrative
hurdles in the tourism sector have made it difficult to operate.
He stressed the need for the government to
coordinate with relevant stakeholders and take the private sector into
confidence in order to address the challenges faced by the sector.
The AGM of NATTA is electing a new
leadership for the next two years.
NATTA’s incumbent Senior Vice-President
Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha, incumbent General Secretary Yubika Bhandari and
tourism entrepreneur Bharat Jung Pandey are contesting for the presidency. They
have also formed separate panels to campaign and contest the election.
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