Tourism can be Nepal’s top income source: Pandey

KATHMANDU: Former Finance Minister and CPN-UML Vice Chair Surendra Pandey has said that tourism holds the greatest potential to become Nepal’s largest source of income in the future.

Speaking at an event in Kathmandu, Pandey emphasized the need to promote tourism in a way that attracts more regional and domestic visitors.

He said Nepal should focus on bringing in tourists from neighboring countries, especially India and China, by targeting their growing middle-class populations.

“If Nepal can attract 5 million tourists each from India and China annually, the economy could be transformed,” Pandey stated.

However, he stressed that such goals would require significant investment in tourism infrastructure to accommodate the influx.

Highlighting the practicality of regional tourism, Pandey said people are more likely to travel to nearby destinations, particularly those in the middle-income bracket. “It’s not the ultra-rich who will come to Nepal, but the middle class from China and India,” he added.

He called for a long-term strategy spanning 10 to 15 years to build the infrastructure necessary to support such tourism growth.

In addition to tourism, Pandey underscored the importance of agriculture as a key pillar for Nepal’s economic development. He also emphasized the urgent need for an efficient and effective government to realize the country’s development goals.