After a four year gap the Nepal Tourism Board has finally appointed a permanent CEO.
Deepak Raj Joshi has been appointed from a shortlist of three candidates – the first tourism chief executive since former CEO Prachanda Man Shrestha left in late 2011.
"Finally, NTB now has a new CEO and it’s a major breakthrough. The country’s tourism promotional body, which had remained defunct for many years in the absence of a chief, will be activated to perform as per its goal," said Tourism Ministry Secretary Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya.
"Within 15 days, we will approve the full budget and start an aggressive tourism marketing in major source markets," added Thapaliya, who is also chairman of the NTB board.
Nepal has experienced many setbacks in efforts to appoint a new CEO.
Due to political differences and various irregularities, numerous writs have been served during the last four years to stop or postpone the appointment of a new CEO.
"The New Year means new opportunities and, of course, new challenges," said Joshi.
"Business confidence in the tourism industry is at a record low. To restore the confidence, I have a challenge to bringing the private sector onboard to jointly promote Nepal in a cost-effective manner with innovative programmes."
Joshi says he will implement a four-step strategy – survival, revival, reinvigoration and building back better – to put Nepal’s tourism industry back on its feet.
The April 25 earthquake and the current trade embargo by India has hit tourism hard.
Hotel occupancy is down to just 20% and international airlines have been cutting services due to scarce fuel supplies because of the embargo.
