Hari Bhujel has been elected as the new President of the Pokhara Tourism Council (PTC), defeating former president Krishna Bhandari by 14 votes at the council’s 26th Annual General Meeting and 14th Convention held on Wednesday.
Bhujel secured 25 votes out of a total of 39 representatives, while Bhandari received 11 votes. Three votes were declared invalid, according to the election committee.
Bhujel Secures Leadership with 25 Votes
Bhujel, who previously served as the council’s First Vice President, emerged victorious in the closely contested election. He is also a former President of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN).
His victory comes as the Pokhara tourism sector continues to seek stronger coordination between the government and private sector to promote sustainable tourism and enhance the city’s competitiveness as a major tourism destination.
Five Members Elected Unopposed
The convention also unanimously elected five members to the council’s new executive committee. The newly selected members are Baburam Pandey, Sunil Bahadur Bhattarai, Shobha Adhikari Sapkota, Jeevan Raj Sapkota, and Narayan Prasad Subedi.
The remaining office-bearers, including the First Vice President, Second Vice President, General Secretary, and Treasurer, will be selected by the newly elected executive committee at a later stage.
Government Committed to Sustainable Tourism Development
The convention was inaugurated by Santosh Pokharel, Executive Committee Member of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Addressing the inaugural session, Pokharel said the government is serious about promoting sustainable and quality-oriented tourism development in Pokhara.
“The government is moving forward seriously for the sustainable and quality development of tourism in Pokhara,” he said. He also emphasized the need for greater cooperation between the government and private sector to make Pokhara a more attractive and competitive tourism destination.
Private-Government Partnership Key to Tourism Growth
Pokharel stressed that coordinated efforts between government agencies and tourism entrepreneurs are essential to strengthen Pokhara’s tourism sector.
The private sector has a significant role in developing tourism products, improving services and promoting Pokhara in domestic and international markets, while government support is crucial for infrastructure development, policy facilitation and destination promotion. The inaugural session was chaired by outgoing Pokhara Tourism Council President Taranath Pahari.
