FNCCI urge govt to prioritse hotel sector as industries

KATHMANDU, August 30: The Tourism and Air Transport Committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged Secretary Mukunda Prasad Niraula of the Ministry of Industries, Commerce, and Supplies to prioritize the hotel sector as an industry.

In a meeting on tuesday, the committee requested for the hotel sector to be considered a priority industry as the hotel industry, which plays a major role in bringing in foreign exchange reserves into the country is facing many problems. 

A delegation led by Hemraj Dhakal, vice-president of the federation, and Desh Bandhu Basnet, chairman of the committee had urged the ministry to provide the same types of facilities to the hotel sector as the country’s industries. 

Submitting a memorandum on Thursday, the delegation remarked that the private sector has poured a lot of investments into the sector alongside provided employment to over 100,000 people. 

The committee has said that the hotel industry has made a significant contribution to the economy through the production of tourist goods and services, and has made a special contribution to sustainable tourism and green tourism.

The committee has demanded the ministry provide facilities like other industries to the hotel industry by maintaining special electricity tariffs for tourism, special tax exemptions for tourism, and special electricity tariffs.