**Nepal Tourism Board's Silver Jubilee: Unveiling Insights and Vision for the Future**

KATHMANDU, Dec 31:On December 31st, the Nepal Tourism Board marked its 25th anniversary with a celebratory event, bringing together a diverse range of speakers and participants to reflect on the progress and challenges within the country's tourism sector.

The chief guest, Sudan Kirati, set the tone by acknowledging collaborative efforts, highlighting infrastructure advancements, and underscoring the need for organized development to improve the quality of life. He emphasized preserving the authentic Nepali essence in tourism and providing immersive experiences. Kirati commended the collaborative efforts that have propelled Nepal's tourism progress. While recognizing advancements in infrastructure, Kirati voiced concerns about emigration issues and stressed the necessity for more organized development to enhance overall living standards. His call to maintain the authentic Nepali essence in tourism, showcasing local traditions, culture, and unique practices, set the stage for subsequent discussions on the challenges and opportunities facing Nepal's tourism sector.

Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, expressed gratitude and highlighted the achievements, including reaching the target of 1 million tourists. He expressed the collective happiness of everyone in the tourism field at the 85% rebound from the covid pandemic in terms of tourist inflow, which is a globally commendable field. He emphasized the importance of diverse tourism aspects, such as LGBTQ inclusion and events like the Dragon Boat Festival and Yogi Summit. He insisted that tourism in Nepal must be for all seasons and all ages and that Nepal must not be restricted as a strictly mountaineering destination. Regmi also proposed Nepal Visit Year 2025 and anticipated positive policy changes.

Shreejana Rana, former president of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), stressed the need for economic and human resource enhancement, competing with international standards, and new marketing strategies, including ecotourism and digital integration. She pointed out infrastructure challenges, the importance of skill enhancement, and retaining young people in Nepal. Rana highlighted initiatives like "say no to single-use plastics," the launch of the “Nepal: A Journey from East to West” coffee table book, and international collaborations during her term.

Yogendra Shakya, former president of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) shared experiences from Nepal Tourism Year 2011, emphasizing the impact of the "Together for Tourism" slogan and the unification of domestic voices. He called for collaboration among all 60+ tourism organizations and urged the review of past reports, including one from Nepal Airlines in 1993. He reiterated that the collective voice of the tourism community overturned the agenda to change our national flag, so such a collective voice must be maintained.

Chandra Prasad Rijal, Vice Chairman of NTB, highlighted public-private partnerships. He commended the board's contribution to tourism development while also calling for human resource development along with restructuring and improving policies. He reiterated tourism's significance as the most important sector in Nepal.

Dipendra Purush Dhakal, the first chairman of NTB, reflected on the difficult inception of the organization in 1998, urged utilizing the current strong leadership, and mentioned the Destination Nepal campaign in 2002/3. He acknowledged the impact of political mishaps on the organization's operations and stated that courageous and active leadership like Sudan Kirati is a must for the development of the tourism field.

Dr. Deepak Kafle, Chairman of NTB, expressed gratitude for the successful 25th program in his closing remarks. He congratulated individuals who were felicitated and highlighted NTB's role in making Nepal known internationally. He emphasized the organization's efforts to promote tourism through seminars, programs, and eco-conservation while ensuring accessibility-friendly tourism development.

The event also featured cultural performances, felicitations, the unveiling of the In-Focus annual magazine, and a promotional video. Notable attendees included previous NTB chairpersons, ministers, representatives from tourism organizations, distinguished consuls, national and international guests, and diplomats. Their presence added to the significance of the occasion.