TAPLEJUNG, July 10: Tourism entrepreneurs have suggested pushing the ‘Tourism Decade’ two years later to 2025 against the government's declaration to observe it in 2023. The tourism entrepreneurs have proposed this suggestion because the government has not been able to advance work since declaring the year 2023 to 2033 as the tourism decade.

On July 24, 2022, Jeevan Ram Shrestha the then Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, proposed the concept of a tourism decade considering it essential to revive the tourism sector with long term vision. As per the same concept, the then Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat announced the 'Tourism Decade' during the budget announcement for the fiscal year 2022/23.

The stakeholders suggested that it should commence in the year 2025 instead of 2023 because the government has been unable to initiate the preliminary work related to the tourism decade even after its announcement. Sajan Shakya, Secretary of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) said that the government has failed because the announcement of the tourism decade was made without preparation. “The concept of ‘tourism decade’ has only been used as a name rather than implementing it. There is no special program targeting the tourists entering the country as well as announcement of no discount whatsoever for the facilities for tourists,” said Shakya.

Secretary Shakya said, "Necessary preparations must be made after announcing the Tourism Decade.” The road from Kathmandu to Pokhara, which usually takes 5 to 6 hours, now takes 12 hours to travel. Similarly, the road condition from Pokhara to Bhairahawa is also critical." Shakya said that the condition of the international airport is also pathetic. The action plan has not been publicized.Shakya said that not publicizing the work plan of a project aimed for the revival of tourism even after two years is considered a failure. So, it should be started with full-fledged preparation in 2025.

Shrestha said that the tourism decade is not only a part of the ministry but also the part of the government. 

In the first year of the tourism decade, 2023, there was an agenda to prepare work plan construction and plan formulation. The program were fixed such as ‘Thematic Campaign on Promotion of Cultural Heritage’ of Bagmati Province in 2024, Gandaki Province in 2025, national level campaign in 2026, Promotion of Buddhist tourism in Lumbini Province in 2027, Promotion  of Madesh tourism in 2028, a campaign in Sudurpaschim Province in 2029,  promotion campaign in Koshi Province in 2030, Karnali Province in 2031, and a national campaign in 2032. 

The plan of creating a program by giving importance to one province every year did not seem practical. "It is not good for the government to set plans and programs by prioritizing a particular province every year," General Secretary Shakya said. "Does it mean that tourists will only come to Kathmandu in a certain year? Or only to Lumbini in a certain year? In such cases, how many scenic spots or other attractions in those provinces have been promoted? And where has this promotion been done? Is it enough? Is the combination of these activities possible with the current structure?"

All these activities are not possible without the collective efforts of the government and private sector and local citizens. Shakya said that the 'Tourism Decade' should be promoted by focusing on collective ownership.

Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, under the coordination of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), held discussion with the tourism sector including Nepal Hotel Association (HAN), Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAN), Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and others the relevant authorities.

Stakeholders said that even though the Tourism Decade is an excellent program aimed at reviving the tourism sector that has been halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has not been able to implement it effectively.

Meanwhile, the government formally discussed the tourism decade for the first time with the stakeholders.  Participants said that the government has started to pay little attention to the action plan of the tourism decade.

By accepting that the Tourism Decade Plan could not be extended as per the government's schedule, Mani Raj Lamichhane, Director of the NTB, said that recent discussions with tourism entrepreneurs suggested that the period should be fixed from the year 2025 to 2035.

Director Lamichanne said, "Tourism entrepreneurs have suggested that this plan should be set from 2025 to 2035. We have taken their suggestions positively." He said that the implementation of the action plan had been hindered by the government's lack of stability.

He said, “We have discussed this matter for many times within the ministry, but for various reasons, it has yet to come into effect. This time we are formally holding discussions with stakeholders, following discussions with the ministry. The ministry is also interested in it.”