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Kathmandu, December 24: President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Chandra Prasad Dhakal, has stated that the promotion of gender-sensitive, sustainable, and resilient tourism enterprises is essential for the development of Nepal’s tourism sector.

Speaking at a high-level policy dialogue on “Promotion of Gender-Responsive, Sustainable and Resilient Tourism Enterprises” held in Kathmandu, President Dhakal expressed this view. He said that the tourism sector has long been a crucial pillar of Nepal’s economy, contributing significantly to employment generation, foreign currency earnings, and local livelihoods.

He also noted that women’s entrepreneurship is being promoted through homestays and community-based tourism. “Tourism is a major foundation of Nepal’s economy. Both domestic and international tourism contribute equally to the country’s economic development. However, domestic tourism has been flourishing in recent times, which has greatly helped in job creation and energizing local economies,” he said.

Highlighting the growing participation of women in the tourism sector and its role in helping women become self-reliant, President Dhakal informed that FNCCI has undertaken several policy reforms to promote women’s entrepreneurship and leadership development. He also stated that the Federation has amended its statute to increase women’s participation in its leadership.

Mentioning Nepal’s vast potential, President Dhakal stressed the need to change the narrative that “nothing has happened in Nepal.” He further said that infrastructure development and other entrepreneurial activities can be carried out by mobilizing domestic capital within the country. In this context, he informed that, under FNCCI’s initiative, a capital of NPR 10 billion has been invested to establish Nepal Development Company Limited, which is currently operational. He said the company will support both the consolidation of domestic savings and the arrangement of necessary capital for entrepreneurship.

The program was organized by the Academy of Innovation for Economic Development Nepal, in collaboration with the Sustainable Tourism Project jointly implemented by the Nepal Tourism Board and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the aim of promoting gender-responsive and sustainable tourism in Nepal.