Gandaki Province: Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Surendra Raj Pandey, has emphasized the importance of integrating tourism with economic development. In his inaugural address at the 12th Cultural Festival in Bandipur town, CM Pandey highlighted the vast tourism potential of Bandipur, describing it as a rural municipality poised to become a major tourist destination, second only to Pokhara city, the provincial capital.
According to National News Agency Nepal, CM Pandey assured that the provincial government would support the tourism development efforts of this ancient hilltop town. He underscored the necessity of aligning tourism initiatives with the economic interests of local residents, stating, “Tourism should be linked to the income of local people. For this, we will cooperate with the municipality.”
Furthermore, Baish Bahadur Gurung, the coordinator of Bandipur Visit Year 2025, explained that the cultural festival was organized to both promote Bandipur Visit Year and provide entertainment for domestic and international tourists visiting the town in the New Year, 2082BS.