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Panel submits NTB reforms report

A sub-committee entrusted to recommend structural and functional restructuring of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has suggested changing the existing “definition” of tourist. As foreigners are only known as tourists in Nepal until now, the committee has recommended placing Nepali or domestic visitors on its tourist definition.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines tourist as, “A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay.

On May 15, the committee led by Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint-secretary at the Tourism Ministry, was tasked to carry out assessment for structural and functional changes required at the NTB to make it more professional. The committee submitted its report to the NTB board after the study lasting 75 days.

The committee also recommended for the setting up of academic qualification and experience criteria for candidates from the private sector to be eligible for NTB’s board of directors.

At least a diploma degree and 10-year experience in travel trade sector is required to be eligible for the board of directors of the tourism promotional body, the report said. Sources said that the NTB has often been subject to criticism over the appointments of unqualified people to its board. Besides the CEO, the 11-member NTB board includes five representatives each from the government and the private sector.

The NTB has suffered several setbacks in its efforts to appoint a new boss due to disputes among the private sector representatives. Charged with promoting Nepal’s tourism in the national and international arenas, the NTB is still without its head after the tenure of then CEO Prachanda Man Shrestha expired on October 31, 2011.

Under the NTB Act and Regulation, a three-member sub-committee should be formed among five members representing the private sector on the board to appoint the CEO. However, the process has stalled due to conflict of interests among the members.

The restructuring committee has suggested a five-member CEO selection sub-committee to settle issues and avoid such embarassment in the future. It has recommended appointment of four members representing heads of national level business organisations. “This will also increase ownership from the private sector at the NTB,” the report reads.

However, the committee declined stakeholders’ suggestion to increase the NTB’s board members. In addition, as per the recommendation, if the selection sub-committee fails to appoint the NTB CEO within three months, the board itself should proceed with the selection process, according to the report. In case, if the CEO post becomes vacant, the committed has suggested authorising one of the board members with the executive powers until a new chief is appointed. The prospective members should possess a Masters degree.

The committee has recommended for setting up of regional offices in the eastern and mid western regions to promote domestic tourism more effectively. It has also suggested setting up additional tourist information service centres in Kodari, Birgunj and Janakpur to facilitate the overland tourists. There are only three such service centers at present.

Meanwhile, the committee has suggesting opening NTB office in foreign countries, especially in India and China, to make an effective tourism promotion in the international arena.

Apart from the delay in the CEO appointment, the NTB is also faced with problems concerning budget allocation for the tourism promotion in national and international arenas, lack of professional development activities for its staffers. The NTB has been mandated to spend its revenues to promote Nepal in the global arena, but travel trade entrepreneurs say it has not been able to fully utilise its resources.

The NTB was established in 1998 as an autonomous body to function as a model agency with public-private partnership approach replacing the Department of Tourism under the Tourism Ministry.

source:the kathmandu post,5 Sep 2013