Gandaki Province Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey has emphasized that Nepal’s Himalayan region is an outstanding destination for trekking and stressed the need to attract more foreign tourists for this purpose. Speaking at a photo exhibition and book launch event held by the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara on Saturday, in celebration of the 45th World Tourism Day, he remarked on the importance of promoting the Himalayan region globally. The exhibition featured photographs of the Himalayas taken by Russian citizen Yuri Rodichev.
Pandey highlighted the impact of climate change on Nepal’s glaciers, where increased snow melting has been observed, urging the government and tourism-related organizations to focus on preserving the mountains and mitigating the effects of climate change. He also underscored that the Gandaki government is prioritizing tourism development in Pokhara, Nepal’s tourism capital, to achieve economic prosperity for the province.
Pandey praised Rodichev, who spent 21 years photographing Nepal’s Himalayan regions and displaying them across Russia, reaching an audience of 80 million people, raising awareness about Nepal’s majestic mountains. He noted that foreigners often recognize the importance of Nepal’s mountains more than locals, stressing the need for more international promotion to attract tourists.
Gandaki’s Minister for Industry and Tourism, Mitralal Basyal, emphasized that the province is rich in culture and nature, with significant potential for tourism development. He confirmed that the provincial government is prioritizing tourism as the key to Gandaki’s growth.
The event also saw remarks from provincial assembly member Saraswati Gurung, who called for greater collaboration between the federal and provincial governments in developing tourism in Gandaki. Dr. Krishna Chandra Devkota, Vice President of the Policy and Planning Commission, noted the growing effects of climate change on the melting snow in the Himalayas, stressing the need for urgent action.
Rodichev, now 84, shared the challenges he faced in capturing the images and expressed his happiness at seeing the photos on display. Over 21 years, he visited Nepal 32 times, photographing 140 mountains, with his work now showcased at the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara.
