Kathmandu: The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has, for the first time, endorsed its annual budget before the end of Asar, marking a significant step in timely financial planning and implementation. On Tuesday, the Board approved a budget of Rs. 1.6 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26, aligning with the provision of the NTB’s Economic and Procurement Regulation introduced in 2015, which mandates the budget be approved by 9 July.
According to Rishi Bhandari, NTB board member and coordinator of the budget formulation committee, this year’s budget has prioritized the international promotion and marketing of Nepal’s tourism. Despite the regulatory provision, the board had previously failed to meet the deadline in past years. However, with the initiative and leadership of NTB CEO Deepak Raj Joshi, the board has successfully brought the budget into effect on time for the first time since the regulation was enacted.
The budget has allocated 70 percent of the total amount to international promotion and marketing activities, with the remaining 30 percent earmarked for the development of the domestic tourism market, administrative operations, staff training, and infrastructure development. As part of its plan, NTB will focus on trekking route development in Himalayan regions, capacity-building for its workforce, and implementation of tourism infrastructure projects across all seven provinces.
In a move to decentralize tourism management and align it with Nepal’s federal structure, the board will establish regional offices in Lumbini and Sudurpashchim provinces with a budget allocation of Rs. 90 million. Currently, NTB operates a regional office in Pokhara, but it has announced plans to expand its presence across the remaining provinces in the coming fiscal year.
The board emphasized that timely approval of the budget will ensure effective implementation of its programs and enhance operational efficiency. By bringing the budget into effect from the beginning of Shrawan, NTB aims to strengthen program delivery and achieve better outcomes in the tourism sector.
This year’s budget has been crafted in consideration of the growing investment in the tourism industry. The board has put special emphasis on strengthening Nepal’s international visibility, especially after last year’s digital marketing efforts did not yield the expected results. Accordingly, NTB has increased the budget for digital promotion in the current plan.
The budget also includes programs for workforce development in hospitality, nature guiding, trekking, and river guiding sectors. It further outlines promotion of niche areas such as wellness tourism, coffee tourism, and Buddhist tourism. The board aims to enhance the appeal of Nepal’s diverse tourism offerings while reinforcing its digital presence to attract a broader range of international visitors.
With the early approval of this year’s budget and a renewed focus on strategic promotion, the Nepal Tourism Board looks to make significant progress in revitalizing the country’s tourism industry and strengthening Nepal’s global image as a unique and diverse travel destination.
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