By Our Correspondent
Dhangadhi, July 13: Sudurpaschim Province is paving the way to promote tourism in quite a unique manner. The province government recently drafted a new act to govern tourism within the region in a bid to stimulate sustainable tourism development. Dubbed as the ‘Sudurpaschim Province Tourism Act 2077’, the legislation was recently ratified by the Province Assembly much to the gratification of both the tourism entrepreneurs and the general public alike.
Proponents of the act strongly believe that its effective implementation will help usher Sudurpaschim to a new era of tourism and development by focusing on conservation, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.
“The act will finally help materialise the long-harboured dream of a ‘Beautiful Sudurpaschim,” stated Province Assembly Member Amar Bahadur Saud. He also added that tourism entrepreneurs, who for an extended period of time have had to bear the brunt of COVID-19 restrictions, can finally heave a sigh of relief. “The new act is encouraging for both business operators and tourists. There are adequate provisions in place, which help bolster economic outcomes without compromising the interest of either the entrepreneurs or the visitors,” explained Saud.
The act also aims to regulate the tourism sector and be more vigilant to ensure all-round fairness. Accordingly, the recently endorsed law has made it compulsory for individuals who wish to operate a travel and trekking agency to register a firm or a company with current or paid-up capital before obtaining a license.
The law stipulates that the firm should have a paid up capital of at least Rs. 1 million and the company at least Rs 2.5 million.
Similarly if anybody wants to set up a lodge, hotel, restaurant or a resort, the person must apply to the tourism ministry requesting for the same with recommendation from the local level.
After receiving the application, the ministry is liable to conduct necessary inspections. If the applicant’s hotel or lodge meets the standard quality requirements, the ministry will issue a permit to operate the establishment under Article 16 of the act.
Registration fee for the tourist-level hotel, lodge and restaurant has been fixed at Rs. 5,000. As per the standards, there should be at least 10 bedrooms with adequate natural light in a tourist-hotel. Likewise, at least 25 per cent of the rooms should be fully equipped with an attached bathroom. Moreover, decorations in all the rooms of the hotel must reflect the art, culture and identity of Sudurpaschim. Kitchen and dining hall must be separate while also complying with all the cleanliness and hygiene requirements. The act has also laid out a list of requirements for restaurants, resorts and other sectors of the hospitality industry.
In addition, the act has provisioned that those who wish to work as a guide can do so only after receiving a permit from the tourism ministry. The person seeking the permit must receive training and certification from the Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management Institute or the Mountain Training Institution.
Despite its potential, tourism has not thrived in the province particularly due to a lack of legal arrangements to ensure proper quality of service. “The act might finally give the fledgling tourism scene the kickstart that it deserves,” claimed another PA member Devika Malla.