KATHMANDU, July 20: The Nepal Tourism Board has been without an executive head since January 29, when the tenure of former CEO Dhananjay Regmi ended. Director Maniraj Lamichhane stated that the absence of a leader for five months has disrupted regular works and hindered the development of new plans and programs.
"The board is in a critical situation now. The delay in appointing a new chief executive has negatively impacted tourism promotion efforts and regular operations," Lamichhane said. He also noted that the board is currently functioning with limited budget due to the leadership void.
The Board's budget committee typically decides on budget allocations under various headings. However, with no executive head for the past five months, the board is struggling to determine budget allocation. As a result, urgent tasks are being managed with limited budget. The board is currently unable to pass a full budget and must operate on limited funds, according to Lamichhane.
On Tuesday, Director Maniraj Lamichhane and his team met with Ganesh Prasad Pandey, secretary of the Ministry of Tourism. Lamichhane reported that passing the board's budget is unlikely at this time. "Despite the frequent changes in ministers, we hope the new minister will take our issue seriously," said Lamichhane, adding, "The board has reached this challenging situation due to the political instability."
He also mentioned that this situation sends a negative message about the board not only within the country but also to the international community. General Secretary of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Sajan Shakya, added that the board's responsibility is to promote the country's tourism on a global scale and enhance its reputation and quality.
"The Tourism Board, an important body in the tourism sector, has been running without a chief for months. How can such a situation strengthen Nepal's tourism?" he questioned. Shakya added that the newly appointed Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation should focus on appointing executives to the board as soon as possible.
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"Is it possible to function without spending money?" Shakya further questioned. "Does it mean that no decisions can be made without a chief? What will be the impact on the development of the tourism sector without a chief for months?"
He said that delays in any work lead to reduced effectiveness and quality. Therefore, he urged the government and all stakeholders to be actively involved in appointing the Chief Executive Officer as soon as possible.
General Secretary Shakya also suggested allocating at least 60 percent of the budget for tourism promotion. "We need to allocate 60 to 70 percent of the board's total budget for international promotion and the remaining 30 to 40 percent for domestic tourism promotion," he explained. Shakya noted that the board's budget hasn't been allocated for infrastructure. He emphasized holding federal and local governments accountable for this issue. He urged finding solutions to such challenges of organizing tourism promotion programs abroad amidst budget constraints.
Due to the lack of an executive head, the board is now unable to even organize a regular tea party.
It's ironic for the tourism sector that the government and other stakeholders are unable to to shape tourism policies and regulate the industry in collaboration with other agencies without a leader.
The board has been laying the groundwork for sectoral growth and leadership, integrating government commitments with private sector efforts to boost tourism nationwide. Additionally, it strives to enhance Nepal's image by promoting the country in both domestic and international markets.
After former Chief Executive Officer Regmi's tenure ended, the board initiated the process of appointing a new CEO by calling for applications on April 6. A five-member sub-committee, comprising Kamal Sapkota, Rishi Bhandari, Rajendra Tamang, Milan Devkota, and Madan Acharya, was formed to oversee the selection process. The sub-committee devised a procedure for the executive position and began the selection process. However, this was challenged when a writ petition was filed in the Patan High Court questioning the legality of the sub-committee.
Kundan Sharma Mishra filed the writ petition, contesting the legality of Milan Devkota and Madan Kumar Acharya's nominations to the selection sub-committee.
On April 24, High Court Judge Sudarshan Raj Pandey issued an interim order halting the selection process for the executive head of the board. Prior to the court's order, 20 individuals, including former CEO Regmi, had applied for the executive position. The sub-committee had shortlisted 16 candidates before the process was halted by the court's interim order. Thus, the selection process, which was underway, could not be completed due to the court's intervention.
