Udas said that the average daily expenditure of tourists visiting Nepal is around 48 US dollars and that a clear strategy is needed to increase this.
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Parliament's International Relations and Tourism Committee Chairwoman and MP Sumnima Udas has said that Nepal should not be established as a cheap budget tourism destination, but as a unique spiritual and cultural destination in the world.
Addressing a four-day conference started by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal on Monday, MP Udas said that a new approach is needed for Nepal's tourism development. She mentioned that although Nepal has world-class heritage sites like Mount Everest, Lumbini, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath and Muktinath, there is a lack of effective presentation and 'storytelling' of these heritage sites.
'Nepal's new story should not be about difficult and cheap destinations, but about a sacred land like nowhere else on earth, where mountains and monasteries meet and people can find themselves,' she said in front of more than 100 foreigners and locals from 27 countries.
Udas described the new tourism bill registered in Parliament as the most important legal opportunity for the tourism sector in recent years. According to her, the purpose of the bill is not only to regulate tourism but also to envision the future of Nepal's tourism.
She said that the new law will be formulated keeping the tourist experience and the interests of local communities directly affected by tourism in mind. Udas, who participated as the chief guest of the program, commented that Nepal has not been able to present its heritage and history effectively, citing the example of Lumbini.
Udas said that the average daily expenditure of tourists visiting Nepal is about 48 US dollars and that a clear strategy is needed to increase it. Citing the example of former NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer of India, Amitabh Kant, she reminded that Kerala and Sri Lanka have significantly increased tourism income by converting their cultural and local heritage into valuable experiences. The sixth edition of the Himalayan Travel Mart 2026 began in Lalitpur on Monday with the aim of promoting Nepal's tourism sector internationally.
The event is attended by over 100 international delegates from 27 countries, including 75 global buyers and representatives from over 80 exhibiting organizations.
