Tourism to be listed as priority industry

The cabinet has finally approved high level committee’s report regarding development of tourism sector as a national priority industry.

“The cabinet recently approved the report submitted by the high level committee for developing the tourism sector as a national priority industry,” said joint secretary at the Division of Tourism Industry Mohan Sapkota. “We will soon start implementing the recommendations,” he said.

According to Sapkota, a meeting between government and private sector will be organised to take a final decision for the execution of plans and programmes for developing the tourism sector as a priority industry.

The private sector, on March 27, had submitted a report to the high level committee formed under the coordination of the secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Lila Mani Poudel about policies and plans needed for the overall development of the tourism industry.

In the report, the private sector had recommended the government to include the tourism industry within emergency services. On March 30, the high level committee submitted the final report to prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai to establish the tourism sector as a national priority industry.

The report was based on a survey made by tourism entrepreneurs and tourism associations in the eastern, western, and far-western development regions and in Kathmandu. It includes suggestions from various tourism entrepreneurs, condition of the world tourism market in 2010, world tourist arrivals, total tourist nights, and tourist arrivals in Nepal from 1962 to 2011.

The report also includes issues related to different charges and taxes in the tourism sector and the overall condition of Nepal in the World Tourism Competitive Index 2011. According to the report, the government should include the tourism industry within emergency services and should ban protest programmes launched by trade unions.

The tourism industry should be included within the National Priority Industry according to the Industrial Enterprises Act, it said. The report has recommended the government to focus on proper infrastructure development and provide more security.

The committee has also recommended the government to allow customs and tax discounts in the tourism and aviation sector, separate electricity charges, develop tourism friendly rules and regulations, and also allow the facility to lease land to attract foreign investment.

The ministerial council meeting in September 2011 had formed a 13-member high level committee to study the overall scenario of tourism in the country and submit a report with recommendations regarding the improvements and facilities needed for the development and promotion of the tourism industry as a national priority industry.

Private sector has suggested for minimum infrastructure development. It has asked on upgrading Biratnagar, Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi airports as international airports. It has also mentioned need to develop another domestic airport to minimise traffic at the only international airport.

source: The Himalayan Times, 8 May 2012