Kathmandu, Oct 5: The Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has initiated efforts to form a Nepal Tourism Federation as an umbrella organisation representing tourism-related associations.
TAAN President Sagar Pandey launched the initiative by convening a meeting of 10 tourism-related organisations on Sunday to discuss the proposed federation.
The meeting agreed in principle to establish the Nepal Tourism Federation as a common umbrella organisation bringing together major tourism associations to make Nepal’s tourism sector more organised, professional, coordinated and result-oriented.
The proposed federation will not replace the roles of existing associations. Instead, it aims to provide an effective platform for tourism organisations to speak with a unified voice, coordinate their activities and work together on common national tourism issues.
The meeting also paid tribute to Nepali and foreign nationals who lost their lives in the devastating floods and other disasters of August 26 (Bhadra 10) and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Participants urged the authorities to intensify search and rescue operations for those still missing. They also demanded adequate relief and compensation for tourism workers who were killed or remain missing, as well as support for their families.
Tourism entrepreneurs also called on the government to establish an international memorial park in memory of the victims of the August 26 disaster.
The meeting welcomed the government’s preparations to introduce a new Tourism Act after a long gap to update the legal framework governing the sector.
Tourism entrepreneurs said the new law should reflect Nepal’s geographical, natural and cultural conditions, the realities of the tourism industry and international practices. They called for legislation that supports practical, inclusive, investment-friendly, safe and sustainable tourism development.
The meeting decided to collect recommendations from tourism associations, businesses and other stakeholders and coordinate with the government during the preparation of the legislation.
Participants also discussed ways to make the Nepal Tourism Board more effective in promoting the country as a destination.
The meeting drew the government’s attention to the need for commercial reforms at Nepal Airlines.
It also stressed that the government should maintain continuous and meaningful dialogue with the private sector while developing future tourism policies, programs and institutional reforms.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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