Currently, candidates across the country are seeking votes by presenting the agenda of infrastructure development including health, education, roads, drinking water. However, they are not seen giving priority to environmental protection. Eco-tourism has been accepted as an important industry linked to national development, economy, cultural preservation and job creation.

However, in the commitments, promises, pledges and manifestos brought by political parties and leaders targeting the elections, more emphasis is placed on physical infrastructure, roads, bridges and development. Stakeholders have expressed concern that eco-tourism, environment and climate change issues have been overlooked while giving priority to plans and programs that will impress and confuse voters.

The country has excellent places with geographical diversity of the Himalayas, hills and Terai, fascinating world-famous natural beauty, birds and wildlife attractions. Nepal is world-renowned as a place with the potential to be one of the world's best eco-tourism destinations due to its historical and cultural heritage, spiritual traditions and excellent hospitality culture, said Raju Acharya, Nepal representative of the Latokosero Foundation UK. Acharya, a winner of the world-renowned conservation Whitley Award, said that eco-tourism is now the most flourishing tourism genre in the world due to the increasing attraction of people towards nature-friendly tourism.

Eco-tourists are scholars who come to enjoy the natural environment for happiness, joy and excitement and observe nature closely for study and research. 'The party lacks information about the importance of conservation areas,' he said, 'In that case, not only the agenda in the elections, but also policies and plans cannot be formulated in the parliament.' He said that the mentality of not taking even the slightest risk and not wanting to hinder development work when talking about the environment is also working.

He said that the issue of conservation has been overlooked due to the lack of knowledge that roads, bridges and physical infrastructure are only considered development, but the trees and air we breathe should also be made green and clean. According to conservation experts, Nepal has not been able to get the expected benefits because the party has not worked with foresight on conservation and environmental issues. The party has not given much priority to reducing air pollution, which kills about 42,000 Nepalis every year, the impact of climate change on the mountains and humans, and the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources.

The party has overlooked the issue of building sustainable tourism infrastructure and identifying and promoting new destinations. ‘We are now living comfortably on earth, that is because of the environment,’ said DB Chaudhary, coordinator of the world’s first Jatayu Restaurant (Giddha) Management Committee run by the community in Nawalpur. ‘However, the problem is arising due to lack of environmental knowledge.’ He said that since sustainable conservation work has not been carried out due to lack of policy, the party should work by considering conservation as a shared responsibility and duty.

‘Nature is our life,’ he said, ‘We are failing to make policies, plans and programs knowing that we cannot survive without nature.’ Although Nepal is small in terms of area, it ranks first in terms of biodiversity. 350 species of plants and 160 species of animals are indigenous to Nepal. About 9 percent of the world’s bird species and 2 percent of the world’s flowering plant species are found in Nepal. Similarly, 903 species of birds and more than 695 species of butterflies are found.

There is also great diversity in flora and fauna found from the Terai to the Himalayan region. Despite such diversity, the party always neglects the conservation area when talking about making the people a vote bank and physical development, said Ram Shahi, former president of the Bardiya Nature Guide Association. 'Investment in the conservation area does not bring immediate results,' he said, 'that is why the party has been focusing more on influencing voters.' He said that the country will not prosper unless tourism is developed by protecting nature.

Conservationists said that policies, plans and programs should be put forward to reduce pollution and conserve natural resources and biodiversity, connect the benefits of eco-tourism to the locals, and encourage development work at the people's level. They say that sustainable use of natural resources should be prioritized to increase the income of locals by building eco-tourism infrastructure and increasing investment in remote areas.

Senior bird and wildlife expert Dr. Hemsagar Baral said that the leaders have forgotten about nature conservation by talking too much about roads and electricity. ‘It seems that the work that directly affects the people on issues like health has been neglected,’ he said, ‘The parties that make policies and plans for wildlife conservation in their promises and manifestos should be respected.’

According to conservationists, Nepal’s forests, wildlife, and beautiful natural scenery are invaluable assets that attract foreign visitors. A study has shown that more than 60 percent of foreign visitors to Nepal like to visit our national parks, wildlife reserves, and protected areas. They say that policy clarity, infrastructure improvements, network expansion, and use of local resources are indispensable to increase the number of foreign tourists, which is limited to 1.2 million annually, by two to three times. Hirulal Dagaura, an ornithologist from Kailali, said that the focus of parties and leaders will be shifted towards the investment in conservation and environment sector for 10-20 years, but since physical infrastructure works can immediately attract voters, it is possible.