1.Could you please give a brief background about yourself and NTB?

I have worked 32 years in the Civil service within that more than 2o years I was involved in the tourism sector then fi nally in partnership with the government and some private sector. Talking about NTB; NTB is a partnership agency which has been organizing business to business activities, trade fair, press conference, road shows etc in order to support tourism development in the country.

2.For how long have you been working in NTB? Is your job exciting?

More than exciting my job is rather challenging. Challenging in a sense that there is nothing in isolation. Due to resource constraints we have not been able to meet our objectives still but we have been sensitizing different people in different creative ways within Nepal.

3. How did the concept of “Tourism year 2011” evolve?

Firstly, infl uence from “Visit Nepal 1998” Nepal being the youngest republic country in the world, so to make Nepal known to the rest part of the world and bring to their notice its historical change. Secondly to create Nepal as a tourism oriented country.

4. What are the building blocks of tourism in Nepal?

There are three pillars as the building blocks of tourism In Nepal; • Natural diversity • Cultural diversity • Ethnicity

5.What plans and policies is NTB going to implement in future?

The basic plans and policies that we are going to bring soon are; • Broadening the bases of client • Addressing the security plan in tourism development process in coordination with different ministries • To mobilize the investor’s investment

6.What programs are currently being formulated for the upliftment of tourism?

Recently we are formulating programs like; • International promotion • Technical support for planning • Human resource development • Product packaging support like; adventure package, pilgrimage package, gender base package, age base package etc are being recently formulated.

7.Has political uncertainty affected the tourism sector adversely?

Yes, it has been affecting our advancement. We are losing our credibility, future planning is diffi cult and there isn’t any situation where we could make perspective plan.

8.What progress has the tourism sector achieved in the past decades? Has it been really benefi cial and rewarding?

Yes, of course we have been able to establish Nepal as the niche destination for tourism. Similarly, we could see the realization of importance of tourism by Nepalese people which shows endorsement of tourism by Nepalese themselves.

9.Could you please tell us something about home stay?

We have introduced this system in order to provide accommodation facility for the tourists where there are no hotels. Beside the home stay system we also help the people from rural part to gain economic benefi t.

10.Lastly, what message would you like to convey to all the citizens?

Help to make your place guest friendly. Try to take pride in being a nepali, appreciate the place and don’t project the country negatively.