The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has welcomed its five newly appointed private-sector members to the Executive Committee, with a strong emphasis on strengthening collaboration with the private sector, promoting tourism in a results-oriented manner, and ensuring good governance.
The newly appointed members, selected by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Shrawan 1, were welcomed at the Board on Monday. Officiating Chief Executive Officer of the NTB, Hikmat Singh Ayer, welcomed the new members and provided a detailed briefing on the Board’s objectives, policies, programmes, organizational structure, major achievements, opportunities, and challenges.
During the programme, Ayer also briefed the members on programmes completed during the last fiscal year and the Board’s ongoing preparations to make Nepal Wellness Year 2027 a success. The programme also highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation between the NTB and the private sector to advance tourism promotion more effectively.
New Members Call for Stronger Cooperation and Effective Resource Mobilisation
Newly appointed Board member Santosh Pokhrel expressed commitment to working with all stakeholders to promote Nepal’s tourism sector through new ideas and working approaches. He highlighted the private sector as a crucial link in the development of tourism and stressed the need to remove existing obstacles, address sectoral problems, and make effective use of available resources.
Similarly, Board member Srijana KC emphasised the need for the effective use of information technology to make Nepal’s tourism sector more competitive.
She expressed commitment to acting as a bridge between the government and the private sector to help resolve the latter’s concerns. KC also stressed the importance of research and innovation in developing evidence-based policies.
Focus on Protection, Preservation, and Promotion
Board member Sahadev Dhamala expressed confidence that the Board would play an active role in addressing the problems faced by the private sector. He said the budget for the upcoming fiscal year should focus on the three ‘Ps’ of tourism: Protection, Preservation, and Promotion.
Meanwhile, Board member Pemba Sherpa stressed the need to expedite the process of appointing a permanent Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Board. He also expressed commitment to continuing the Board’s priority programmes and placing institutional interests above personal interests.
Quality, Research, and Good Governance Highlighted
Board member Dr. Shobita Shrestha Dhakal stressed the need to place quality, research, and good governance at the centre of policymaking for sustainable tourism development. She highlighted the importance of effective management and collaboration among stakeholders to enhance the quality of Nepal’s tourism products and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in international markets.
The welcoming programme concluded with a shared commitment among NTB officials and the newly appointed Board members to further strengthen Nepal’s tourism sector through active collaboration, effective coordination with the private sector, improved governance, and the implementation of result-oriented tourism programmes.
