The government is preparing a 10-year action plan aimed at advancing the tourism sector to support the country's economic prosperity, the state-run national news agency RSS reported citing an announcement made by Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey.

Speaking at an event in Dhading district on Saturday, Minister Pandey reportedly said that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation is drafting the action plan in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Finance Ministry, the Law Ministry, and other stakeholders.

Highlighting the significance of private sector involvement, Minister Pandey affirmed the ministry’s readiness to partner with private enterprises for tourism development, emphasizing their vital role in the sector's growth. "We are working to revitalize our cultural and civil aviation sectors, as these hold opportunities to attract millions of tourists," RSS quoted the minister as saying.

Nepal had set an ambitious goal of attracting 1.5 million to 2 million tourists to Nepal in 2020. However, the campaign was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourism industry of Nepal is recovering from the impacts of the pandemic in recent years.

Nepal Tourism Board data reveals that in 2024, over 1.147 million tourists visited Nepal, which was a 13.1% increase from the previous year.

According to the latest reports, the tourism industry in Nepal contributes around 6.6% to the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

Meanwhile, the Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report prepared by the Nepal Rastra Bank states that the country earned Rs 35.19 billion from tourism in the first five months of the current fiscal year, which is an increase of 3.1 percent compared to the same period of the last fiscal year.