February 24, 2025

Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has drafted the “Tourism Policy, 2081” to replace the existing policy. This revision aims to align with Nepal’s evolving governance system, attract domestic and foreign investment, adapt to changing tourist preferences and technological advancements, strengthen private sector involvement, and drive economic prosperity through tourism. The ministry has sought feedback from the Policy Research Institute on the draft.

To facilitate discussion, a public policy dialogue was held on 2081 Falgun 12 at the Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti, bringing together stakeholders and experts.

The program opened with remarks from Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma, Executive Chairman of the Policy Research Institute. Representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation provided an overview of the draft policy. Joint Secretary Mr. Indu Ghimire highlighted tourism’s contribution to household income, seasonal fluctuations, post-COVID recovery, and other industry dynamics. He emphasized that the new policy builds upon the old framework’s strengths and welcomed participants’ input. Dr. Giri Raj Sharma, a researcher at the Policy Research Institute, then presented a brief overview of the draft’s key contents. Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, a tourism expert, explained his comments on the draft as a reviewer.

During the discussion, stakeholders proposed that local governments take responsibility for preserving and promoting cultural heritage. They also stressed the need to streamline administrative processes, enhance aviation safety, and address issues related to criminal tourists. Participants recommended broadening the policy’s scope beyond the listed institutions, incorporating provisions for live art exhibitions and information centers, clarifying the roles of General Sales Agents (GSA) and Passenger Sales Agents (PSA), and including topics such as value-added tax and departure tax.

Dr. Khaga Nath Adhikari, Senior Research Fellow at the institute, moderated the program and summarized the discussions. The Policy Research Institute will compile and present integrated recommendations to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation based on the feedback received and further analysis.

ATTENDEES

Guests
Indu Ghimire (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
Gautam Prasad Lasiva (Assistant Director, Bhaktapur Municipality)
Ramesh Kumar Adhikari (Expert)
Yuvika Bhandari (Secretary-General, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents)
Shivraj Regmi (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
Raghunath Bidari (Executive Chief, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents)
Madhav Adhikari (Section Officer, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation)
Ramesh Raj Paudel (Executive Chairman, Patan Museum)
Shankar Bhandari (Secretary-General, Hotel Association of Nepal)
Som Sapkota (Committee Chairman, Non-Resident Nepali Association)
Sharad Khatri (Tourism Officer, Bhaktapur Municipality)
Binod Nepal (Branch Officer, Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Institute)
Uttam Prasad Devkota (Director-General, Nepal Handicraft Federation)
Sharad Kumar Dahal (Secretary-General, Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal)
Tek Bahadur Mahat (Office Chief, Hotel Association of Nepal)
Sangharsha Bista (Chief, Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal)
Vinayak Shah (President, Hotel Association of Nepal)

Policy Research Institute
Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma (Executive Chairman)
Dr. Khaganath Adhikari (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka (Senior Research Fellow)
Laxman Bhattarai (Office Manager)
Dr. Giri Raj Sharma (Research Fellow)
Dr. Manita Kusi (Associate Research Fellow)
Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
Asmita Rijal (Consultant)