The Koshi Province government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gandaki Province to collaborate in tourism promotion in the context of celebrating 2082 as the 'Koshi Province Tourism Year'. At a program organized in Pokhara on Monday, Koshi Province Provincial Secretary Dr. Indra Prasad Sapkota and Gandaki Province Acting Provincial Secretary Tikaram Poudel signed the memorandum of understanding.

This agreement, which will be implemented for a period of two years, aims to strengthen tourism development, promotion, infrastructure expansion, human resource development and institutional cooperation between the two provinces.

The agreement provides for mutual cooperation in 9 areas. Under which, an 'incentive package' and an accessible tourism package will be developed to operate inter-provincial tour programs targeting government employees and community school teachers of both provinces, necessary initiatives will be taken with the federal government to operate Pokhara-Biratnagar direct air service and tourist bus service, and mutual exchange of good practices in the tourism sector.

Similarly, arrangements have been made to coordinate and collaborate for mutual promotion of major tourist destinations of both provinces, necessary cooperation and initiatives will be taken on matters related to airfare, jointly appoint tourism ambassadors and initiatives will be taken to establish sisterhood relations between homestays of both provinces.

An agreement has been reached to develop and promote a religious tourism circuit between the two provinces. The MoU states that both the provinces will provide necessary support and contribution to develop Pathibhara, Barahakshetra and Halesi in Koshi Province and Manakamana, Muktinath and Damodarkunda in Gandaki Province as a religious tourism circuit in the first phase.

There is a provision that the financial management of the programs to be operated under the MoU will be done on the basis of the approved programs of the concerned bodies, annual budget and available resources, and additional resources can be mobilized as per the mutual agreement of both the parties as per the need.

The MoU was signed on the occasion of the goodwill visit and interaction on inter-provincial tourism promotion by the Secretariat of Tourism under the Ministry of Tourism, Forest and Environment of Koshi in the year 2082.

Formation of Gandaki-Koshi Tourism Promotion Coordination Committee

A Gandaki-Koshi Tourism Promotion Coordination Committee has been formed for the effective implementation of the MoU. The committee, which will be coordinated by the minister in charge of tourism of the province, will have the secretaries of the ministries of tourism of both provinces, two co-coordinators of the Koshi Province Tourism Year 2082 Steering Committee, the chairman of the Tourism Council Pokhara, the chief administrative officer of Pokhara Metropolitan City, and the chairmen of the Federation of Nepali Journalists of both provinces as members.

Koshi Province Secretary Dr. Sapkota said that coordination and partnership between the provinces are indispensable. 'We have come here because we realized that Koshi cannot do some activities alone,' he said. He said that it is necessary to learn from Pokhara, which has played a leading role in tourism activities since 1950.

'Connectivity' is the main problem in the program. Gandaki Province Industry and Tourism Minister Mitra Lal Basyal expressed his regret that even though an international airport has been built in Pokhara, regular flights have not been operated and that 'connectivity' has not been established between Gandaki and India via Koshi. He said that the expected progress in tourism has not been made due to national and international adversities. 'After Covid, the flow of domestic tourists increased significantly, but the pace of economic recovery has stopped,' he said, 'unimaginable events occurred on 23 and 24 Bhadra, which devastated the industry and tourism.'

Koshi Province Tourism, Forest and Environment Minister Bhim Parajuli admitted that 'connectivity' is the main challenge. 'Why were the Pokhara-Biratnagar, Pokhara-Bhadrapur flights not successful? It could not have been done by policy decisions alone,' he said, 'If there had been government support, the flights would have been possible.' He informed that preparations were being made to connect Biratnagar with all seven provinces by building a regional airport.

Tourism entrepreneurs pointed out 'connectivity' as the main problem at the Sadbhavana Visit and Interaction Program. Pokhara Tourism Council Chairman Taranath Pahari informed that preparations are underway to study the feasibility of going to Mansarovar from Korala checkpoint. He said that the hotel could not be renovated due to the provisions of environmental impact assessment, and that restructuring of Nepal Airlines and the Tourism Board was necessary.

Former Chairman of NATTA Gandaki Hariram Adhikari said that the efforts of the private sector alone were not enough for air flights to Biratnagar and Bhadrapur. 'We made a package to go around the Koshi, but the flight was stopped within a month,' he said, 'The state should also get involved in this.'

Hotel Association Nepal Pokhara Chairman Laxman Subedi said that a committee should be formed to attract Indian tourists. 'There are 40,000 beds and more than 1,200 hotels in Pokhara alone. We cannot say that we only keep quality tourists,' he said, 'We are also welcoming Indian tourists who bring their own food and tents.'

TAAN Gandaki President Krishna Acharya expressed concern that the trekking trail in Gandaki is being destroyed by the motorway and suggested protecting the Koshi trekking route. Mudra Satahi Sangh Pokhara President Rupak Raj Mishra emphasized on the branding of tea. 'Before Covid, there were a lot of tourists coming to study tea. If we can focus on tea, Koshi will excel in tourism,' he said.

Bhavesh Kumar Shrestha, co-coordinator of Koshi Province Visit Year, informed that Koshi Province exports 83 percent of its tea. 'Rudraksh, red garnet and tea are our main prospects,' he said.

Nepal Tourism Board Director Rohini Khanal emphasized the importance of domestic tourism. 'Domestic tourism forms the basis for tourism in other countries.' International tourists have laid the foundation in Nepal,' he said, 'It is domestic tourists who provide support in times of scarcity.' He said that Koshi Province has not been able to bring the benefits of Mount Everest to the people.