Tourism bill needs timely amendment, says Tourism Minister Paudel

KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel has said the Tourism Bill requires timely amendment to properly manage the development of the tourism sector.

Speaking at a meeting of the International Relations and Tourism Committee of the House of Representatives, Minister Paudel urged the bill to cover modern trekking routes, wellness tourism, cultural and adventure tourism and other multidimensional topics.

The minister said the bill, drafted three years ago, needs comprehensive revision if it is to proceed from the National Assembly to the House of Representatives. "A country with so much tourism potential needs strong laws to systematise the tourism sector, and there should be discussions among stakeholders about the bill and necessary suggestions from the MPs," he said.

MPs at the committee meeting proposed improving the bill after consulting stakeholders, tourism experts, businesspeople and relevant organisations. Committee chairperson Sumnima Udas said the bill, which relates to the shared powers of the three levels of government, must be amended with attention to both drafting and implementation.

MP Jagadish Kharel said the bill should be legislated as soon as possible because it is linked to national development and prosperity. MP Ganesh Bahadur Bishwakarma said the legislation should address the economic, social and cultural aspects of tourism.

MP Bhupendra Limbu Subba suggested including the concept of a multicultural museum, while MP Anushka Shrestha called for thorough stakeholder discussion during the bill’s theoretical stage to gather suggestions. MPs Beena Gurung, Dr Arjun Kumar Karki and Shreedhar Pokharel said the bill must be made broader and more effective to support tourism development suited to the modern era.

By RSS