In a significant development for the tourism sector in Nepal, the Minister for Industry and Tourism of Gandaki Province, Honorable Mitralal Basyal, along with a delegation of representatives from the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce, tourism business organizations, and private sector entrepreneurs, met with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday. The primary agenda of the meeting was to urge the government to take proactive measures for the initiation of regular international flights at Pokhara International Airport, a vital component in boosting the region’s tourism industry.
The meeting, which took place at the Prime Minister’s office in Singha Durbar, saw the Gandaki Province delegation presenting their request for regular international flights to be made available at the newly built Pokhara International Airport. Minister Basyal emphasized the need for such flights to enhance the tourism potential of Pokhara, which is regarded as the tourism capital of Nepal, owing to its vast cultural and natural resources. He also highlighted the importance of recognizing Pokhara as the country’s official tourism capital by the federal government.
During the discussion, the delegation presented a written memorandum to the Prime Minister, urging swift action on the matter. In response, Prime Minister Oli expressed his commitment to prioritize this issue, especially in light of Nepal’s upcoming Visit Nepal Year 2025, for which the government plans to promote tourism more aggressively. He assured the delegation that he would raise the matter with the relevant authorities during his upcoming visit to China.
Minister Basyal further recalled his connection with Pokhara, emphasizing his longstanding commitment to the city’s tourism development. He reiterated that his political career had been closely tied to the growth of Pokhara, and he remains deeply invested in its continued progress.
The meeting was attended by several prominent figures in Nepal’s tourism and industry sectors, including Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Minister Badri Pande; Managing Director of Nepal Airlines Corporation; Secretary of the Province Ministry, Kumansingh Gurung; Chief of the Tourism and Industry Office in Kaski, Dinesh Acharya; President of the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce, Gokarna Karki; Secretary Shobha Gautam; President of the Pokhara Tourism Council, Taranath Pahari; General Secretary Jibanraj Sapkota; former President Pom Narayan Shrestha; President of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal Gandaki, Krishna Prasad Acharya; President of the Transport Entrepreneurs Association, Pramod Bhandari; former President of Lekhnath Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Baburam Giri; and other representatives from various tourism business associations.
This meeting marks a crucial step in advancing Pokhara’s infrastructure to cater to international tourists, with the hope that international flights will further accelerate the region’s tourism growth and contribute to Nepal’s broader economic development.
