Kathmandu, July 4: The incumbent government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah has announced plans to establish five major integrated wellness centres across the country by 2035 as part of its strategy to develop Nepal into a leading wellness tourism destination.
The plan is a part of the government’s result-based 100-point action plans unveiled on March 27 aimed at promoting good-governance and achieving economic prosperity.
Government Spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, reiterated the plan while unveiling the government’s key achievements in its 100 days at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Singha Durbar on Saturday.
It may be noted that the United Nations General Assembly, acting on Nepal’s proposal, has designated April 15 as World Wellness Day, which the incumbent government seeks to observe nationwide through awareness campaigns.
Minister Pokharel informed the gathering of media persons that the government has already launched the National Wellness Tourism Strategy (2026-2035) and its accompanying Action Plan (2026-2030) under the vision- ”Wellness Tourism Destination Nepal: A Foundation for Economic Prosperity.”
The strategy aims to increase the share of wellness travellers and tourists to 11 percent of total international tourist arrivals by 2030, the Minister divulged.
He added that the government has completed feasibility studies for the planned development of tourism infrastructure in several destinations, including the Koshi River corridor in Udayapur district, Ramaroshan in Achham district, Badimalika in Bajura district as well as the trekking routes such as Api Himal trekking route and Dordi Himal trekking route.
As a part of institutional reforms, Minister Pokharel informed that the government has approved the ‘Nepal Tourism, Hotel and Mountain Academy Development Committee (Formation Order), 2025’ by integrating the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM) and the Nepal Mountain Academy into a single institution.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the process of declaring the Ram Janaki Temple in Dhanusha district a protected monument area and demarcating its boundaries is its final stage.
The government drafted the ‘Domestic Air Service Liability Bill, 2026’ and introduced an online ticketing system for all airlines operating in Nepal, making ticket sales more transparent, predictable and accessible, the Minister appraised the string of accomplishment.
According to Minister Pokharel, the government also began digitizing key tourism services, including mountaineering permit applications, revenue payments, permit issuance, debriefing reports and certificates, along with most services related to hotels and casinos.
Similarly, it was also shared that Emirati government-owned airline -flydubai-obtained approval for its summer and winter flight schedules, paving the way for regular international flights to begin from Pokhara International Airport in coming September.
The Minister added the government has deployed one electric bus each at airports in Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Dhangadhi and two at Lumbini Airport to improve connectivity, particularly for residents of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.#nepal #rss
