May 30: The incumbent government has set a target of attracting one million tourists in the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2022/23). The government made such announcement during the joint session of the Federal Parliament while presenting the budget on Sunday. Finance Minister Janardan Sharma announced that the government has allocated a budget of Rs 9 billion for the tourism sector.

 "Various programmes will be launched and implemented to bring in over 1 million foreign tourists to Nepal," Finance Minister Janardan Sharma said, adding, "The aim is to develop and promote tourism as the basis for income generation and prosperity by marketing Nepal's uniqueness, natural beauty, cultural heritage and civilization in the world tourism market."    
Furthermore, the government has plans to encourage the new generation to get involved in tourism.
According to Finance Minister Sharma, the government has allocated Rs 2 billion for reconstruction of earthquake-damaged historical and archeologically important heritage sites and monuments and reconstruction will be carried out within the upcoming fiscal year.   

Museums, arts and historical monuments would be developed as tourism spots, said the finance minister.      
Similarly, the government has announced exemption of renewal fees and annual license for the hotels and tourism entrepreneurs for the upcoming fiscal year. Minister Sharma informed that hill stations will be built in various places that offer enchanting views of the landscape and also those places that hold significance from religious point of view.    
The government has allocated budget to set up a mountaineering research centre n the Everest region while Rs 330 million has been allocated for construction of the Great Himalayan Trail that stretches in the upper belt of the country from the east to the west.    
The existing path leading up to Everest region will be upgraded, said Minister Sharma.

Meanwhile, the government has allocated a budget of Rs 12.2 billion for development of physical infrastructures for the aviation sector, which is believed to aide the tourism business.    
The government also plans to construct a second terminal building at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu to help reduce the pressure of inflow of passengers. As per the announcement made by Finance Minister Sharma, Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Pokhara Regional International Airport will be brought into full operation in the upcoming fiscal year.    
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