Although the infrastructure is capable of hosting 3.5 million tourists each year, Nepal ‘s 2023 target is a modest one million visitors. Hoteliers are far from enthusiastic about this objective and have expressed their concerns.
Binayak Shah, the president of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), has criticized the government for setting a tourism target of one million tourists, despite the country’s capability to handle 3.5 million. He has raised doubts about the government’s commitment to improving tourism infrastructure, particularly since the current infrastructure predates the COVID-19 pandemic. He also expressed concerns about the viability of their businesses under these circumstances.
Bhabishwor Sharma, the president of the Thamel Tourism Development Council, has pointed out that government representatives often take credit for high tourist arrivals, even though infrastructure projects are delayed.
He called for a more in-depth examination of tourism-related businesses by the government to gain a better understanding of the sector. Sharma expressed concern that there’s no detailed analysis of tourist demographics, such as actual tourists, non-resident Nepalis (NRNs), and conference attendees. He believes the government’s claims don’t align with the reality, and the tourism industry is struggling.
Sharma argued that the private sector has been more proactive in promoting Nepal’s tourism than the government, which has not fully harnessed the sector’s potential due to slow policy and program implementation.
(eTN):Hoteliers Complain Government’s Inability to Target Tourists in 2023 | re-post license | post content