Newly appointed CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Deepak Raj Joshi has assumed office. Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) administered the oath of office and secrecy to Joshi amid a function.

Speaking at an introduction program with the tourism stakeholders, Joshi said that his focus would be on boosting confidence of private sector, ensuring transparency and honesty in service delivery, and setting up time-bound plans for the development and promotion of Nepali tourism industry.

“My focus will be on survival of tourism industry in 2016, revival of the industry to the earlier benchmark of 800,000 tourists annually in 2017, reinvigoration  for transforming financial and service operations in 2018, and building back better in 2019,” said Joshi.

Rajendra Sapkota, board director of NTB, representing the private sector, said tourism entrepreneurs were facing a plethora of problems after the earthquake and the Indian blockade. “The government should introduce package programs for the survival of the industry,” he said. “Private sector will start looking for better options if the new CEO failed to work as per their expectations.”

Similarly, founding board director of NTB Basanta Mishra said he was convinced that the new CEO was selected in a fair and independent manner. “The private sector is ready to do anything for the betterment of the industry,” said Mishra.

Chandra Prasad Rijal, president of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), stressed the need to resolve differences between NTB and his association regarding implementation of Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS).

Sadhu Ram Sapkota, joint secretary at MoCTCA, assured tourism entrepreneurs that the ministry would soon bring a relief package for the survival and revival of the industry.