Women capable to develop tourism: Minister Pandey

Patan (Lalitpur), April 19: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has said women entrepreneurship would be a significant base for tourism related economy.     

At a programme on 'Women in Nepali Tourism Industry in Present Digital Era' organized by Nepal Tourism Board here today, Minister Pandey mentioned that women are capable to play leading roles to develop tourism. He also expressed commitment to allocate budget in the coming fiscal year, keeping the development and prosperity of tourism sector in centre.     

"Collaboration with private sector for the development of travel and hospitality can be done in an effective way. Let's carryout activities as per public-private-partnership concept," he proposed.     

Similarly, member of the National Planning Commission, Gita Kumari Adhikari, stressed the need of making arrangement of internet service in every sector in order to make tourism industry technology-friendly. "We are in the phase of implementing the 16th periodic plan and moving ahead by formulating the policy and programmes accordingly. Tourism and development construction programmes take a momentum with women's contribution. The role of women in economic development is therefore crucial", she argued.     

Presenting the data that the tourism sector had provided employment to 500,000 women, Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Laxmi Kumari Basnet, laid emphasis on the need of empowering women financially.     

Other speakers also advocated for increasing women's participation in tourism and leverage digital medium. (RSS)