Gandaki Province Chief Minister, Surendra Raj Pandey, has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the development of Pokhara as a tourism capital. Speaking at the inauguration of a workshop on “Innovative Approaches to Tourism Development,” organized by the Center for Social Responsibility Studies in Pokhara today, Chief Minister Pandey emphasized ongoing efforts to promote the region’s tourism under the second five-year plan.
He mentioned that despite limited resources, the Gandaki Province government has allocated budget for the conservation, development, and promotion of key tourist destinations. The Chief Minister stressed the importance of improving both road and air connectivity for tourists and creating an environment where they can explore freely. He also underscored the role of both the government and the tourism industry in facilitating this.
Highlighting Pokhara’s natural beauty and adventure tourism, Pandey noted that Nepal attracts foreign tourists for trekking, natural scenery, religious tourism, and adventure sports. He stated that the government has prioritized budget allocation to further develop Pokhara’s potential as a major tourism hub. Specifically, he pointed out that road construction is underway from Triveni in Nawalpur to Muktinath Temple in Mustang as part of a significant infrastructure project aimed at attracting Indian religious tourists. Additionally, there are plans to extend air services from Gandaki Province to all seven provinces.
Chief Minister Pandey also mentioned that he is actively in talks with international representatives and airline companies to ensure smooth operations of Pokhara’s international airport. He shared that the Gandaki Province government is working on reviving and developing trekking routes in the Machhapuchhre Circuit and exploring new trails that connect northern Kaski to Manang. Further, the government is constructing a high-altitude sports field in Manang, aimed at attracting adventure tourism.
He expressed his vision to transform Pokhara into a hub for yoga retreats, appealing to international tourists.
Former Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Khagaraj Adhikari, also addressed the event, urging the government to formulate tourism policies that would attract more international tourists. He noted that while Nepal has immense tourism potential, the number of foreign tourists remains low. He emphasized the opportunity to attract millions of tourists from neighboring countries like India and China.
Tourism expert Bishwas Gauchan presented a keynote paper on “Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Tourism,” highlighting the untapped tourism potential in Gandaki Province. He stressed the need to integrate local products into tourism development and pointed out that the current low tourist numbers and ineffective spending on tourism promotion are hindering the sector’s growth.
