Nepal Tourism Board and UNDP Nepal Partner with NMA for Mountaineering Training

Kathmandu. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Sustainable Tourism Project (STP), operated by the joint initiative of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nepal, and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to conduct special mountaineering training with the objective of producing skilled manpower for Nepal's mountaineering sector.

According to the understanding, three special mountaineering trainings will be conducted in the Api, Manaslu, and Kanchenjunga regions to produce skilled and professional manpower required in Nepal's mountain tourism sector. Under this, Mountain Guide Summer Skill (Basic Mountaineering Training) will be conducted in the Api Himal region, Mountain Guide Winter Skill (Advanced Mountaineering Training) in the Kanchenjunga region, and Mountain Leader Training (Summer Skill) in the Manaslu region.

Hikmat Singh Air, Acting Executive Chief of the Nepal Tourism Board and National Project Director of STP, stated that mountain tourism is Nepal's most important identity and competitive capacity, and therefore, producing skilled manpower for its sustainable development is indispensable.

He said, "Skilled human resources are the biggest foundation for promoting quality, safe, and sustainable mountain tourism. This collaboration with the Nepal Mountaineering Association will help produce skilled mountaineering manpower according to international standards, and we believe it will make a significant contribution to making Nepal's mountain tourism safer, more professional, and competitive."

NMA Chairman Fur Gelje Sherpa, General Secretary Rajendra Bahadur Lama, and Treasurer Sumi Lama signed the MoU. Similarly, on behalf of the Board, STP National Project Director Hikmat Singh Air, National Project Coordinator Khadga Bikram Shah, and National Project Manager Dharmaraj Dawadi signed.