Trekking Agency Association Highlights Tourism Challenges to Gandaki Minister

Pokhara. The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) Gandaki has drawn the attention of the minister to the problems arising from the encroachment of trekking routes, affecting the overall tourism sector. The association highlighted the issues and solutions in the trekking tourism sector to Gandaki's Minister of Tourism, Yashoda Rimal.

Chairman Krishna Acharya stated that the lack of accurate data on tourists entering the province creates problems in planning. He suggested establishing a separate information and data center under the Ministry of Tourism to measure the number and type of tourists entering the province.

'A data center is essential to track how many and what kind of tourists visit our province. This will help us in future planning,' he said. 'Although budget was allocated for this in the past, the work could not be completed. Now the ministry must prioritize this.'

TAAN has alerted the government about the shortening and displacement of world-renowned trekking routes due to the haphazard expansion of motorable roads. TAAN complains that trekking routes that have become global brands in Gandaki are on the verge of disappearing.

'People need roads, and we are not against development and roads. However, alternative routes for trekking must be found while protecting destinations that have already been branded globally,' says Chairman Acharya. 'The practice of arbitrarily constructing roads in areas without settlements in the name of development must stop.' With the erosion of traditional trekking routes, TAAN is searching for new alternative routes.

TAAN has prepared a blueprint for a new 5-day trekking route from New Bridge via Jaljala to Mohare Danda. Similarly, TAAN has indicated that trekking routes can be developed by connecting difficult paths from the Sikles and Tating areas. While submitting a memorandum to the minister, it was demanded that activities such as operating treks without permission and the irregular activities of foreign guides, which are affecting the tourism sector, be strictly regulated.

Highlighting the lack of basic facilities, security, and information centers on trekking routes, the association urged for increased government investment in infrastructure development and digital promotion of tourism internationally. Upon receiving the attention letter, Minister Rimal pledged that the provincial government is ready to move forward in collaboration with concerned organizations for the development of the tourism sector.

She mentioned that development construction and policy-related work are facing some difficulties due to the non-transfer of all necessary rights from the federal government to the province. However, she stated that the provincial government is aware of trekking tourism.