Ljubljana:Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Khadak Raj Paudel, has underscored the importance of inter-ministerial coordination to make tourism development initiatives in Nepal more effective.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Paudel emphasized this point while speaking at an event organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to celebrate the 47th World Tourism Day. He highlighted the necessity of building the capacity of government institutions and fostering continuous collaboration with the private sector to advance tourism development.
The Minister noted that tourism development cannot be achieved by a single ministry’s efforts alone, thus emphasizing effective coordination among various government bodies. He mentioned plans to enhance the capacity of tourism-related government institutions and stressed the importance of strengthening institutional capacity and service delivery in response to the evolving tourism landscape.
Minister Paudel also pointed to Nepal’s indigenous culture, traditions, and community-based festivals as crucial elements of tourism. He advocated for the integration of the preservation and promotion of community festivals and cultural activities with tourism development. Additionally, he highlighted the need to focus on the sustainable tourism utilization of Himalayan heritage, alongside its conservation.
At the same event, Santosh Pant, Acting CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, underscored the importance of integrating lessons learned from the Bhote Koshi floods into the tourism sector, particularly through the use of digital technology. Andrew Jones, Chairman of the PATA Foundation, pledged continued support for Nepal’s tourism recovery following the floods, and he highlighted the growing role of AI and digital media in promoting nature-based tourism.