Tourism Sector Must Be Central to Election Manifestos for Policy Reform, Says Hotel Association President
Summary
Binayak Shah, President of Hotel Association Nepal, emphasizes integrating tourism-centered policy reforms, regulation of informal sectors, and infrastructure development in election manifestos to boost Nepal's tourism industry.
Key Points
- Tourism is a key economic driver for Nepal, impacting job creation and national income, but current policies are neither tourist-friendly nor business-friendly.
- A large informal sector competes unfairly with registered tourism businesses, and digital platforms remain unregulated by the government.
- Nepal's tourism capacity can serve up to 4 million tourists annually, but arrivals are stuck at around 1.2 million, risking investments.
- Infrastructure issues like underutilized airports and poor road conditions hinder tourism growth; public-private partnerships and international expertise are needed for improvements.
