Boosting Gastronomy Tourism, Sustainability, and Regional Cooperation

Education and diversification were seen as key to the future of tourism in Asia and the Pacific. The diversification of tourism in Asia and the Pacific, along with the promotion of more and better education, was recognized as essential to building a more resilient and sustainable region.

Barometer: First Gastronomy Tourism Forum for Asia and the Pacific United Government, Business, and Top Chefs
Asia and the Pacific’s growing reputation as a gastronomy tourism destination was celebrated as key stakeholders looked toward a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Ambassadors Joined UN Tourism to Envision 2027 as the Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism
UN Tourism joined its members to celebrate 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism.

UN Tourism Conducted Field Work in Gansu Province, China
UN Tourism initiated fieldwork in Gansu Province, China, to conduct reviews and focus group meetings and to develop an international tourism marketing strategy for the region.

Celebrating Innovation and Excellence in Qatar’s Tourism Sector
As Qatar continued to invest in its tourism infrastructure and broaden its base, the second edition of the Qatar Tourism Awards reflected an unwavering commitment to excellence and originality. Recognizing those who epitomized the excellence that Qatar offers, these awards not only celebrated past achievements but also laid the foundations for a more prosperous future in the tourism sector.

The Women’s Empowerment Project in Moldova Concluded with a Final Workshop
On 24 June 2024, the project “Empowering Young Women: Sustainable Livelihoods through Tourism in the Republic of Moldova” held its final workshop to review lessons learned and achievements.

Nepal seen through the insight of a blind tourist

He returned to Europe after traveling around Nepal for three weeks with three blind companions. When the birds chirped, the insects chirped, they stood silently listening.
People with disabilities should leave their homes to challenge themselves physically and mentally, to change their routines, and to release themselves from long-suppressed emotions. -Gino Versuere
Kathmandu – 50-year-old Gino Versuere from Belgium is born blind. 6 months ago, he appealed for Sahayatra, saying that he would celebrate his 50th birthday in Sharadayam (Azoj-Kattik) by hiking in the Himalayas of Nepal. Along with Gino, 68-year-old blind Johanna Katharina Smith and 37-year-old blind Stefan Gerardus Korne Boshuizen from the Netherlands prepared for the Annapurna trek in Nepal.

They will be accompanied by Dutch nationals Wendy Ida Kumans, 53, Girteruida Maria Helm, 57, Johannes Henriques Josephus Maria, 57, and Emerentia Maria, 62.

The average stay of tourists in Nepal is 14 days. This team planned to visit Nepal for 20 days. Then, a seven-member team, including three blind people, landed in Kathmandu on October 1 via Doha from the Netherlands. Soon after, they ascended on their own. They visited the world heritage site Vasantpur Palace area and entered the Patan Palace Museum. They also did a one-day trek to Chisapani via Sundarijal. The visually impaired went to therapy, a social enterprise run in Thamel and experienced massage.

After Kathmandu, their destination was Pokhara, the tourist capital. They reached Pokhara by covering 210 km from Prithvi Highway. Their stay there was not in a hotel but in a Tibetan monastery. They learned about the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk/nun. On the fifth day, he went on the Mardi Himal trek in the Annapurna region via Dhampus for a week. 6 people with a guide and a porter rushed towards Mardi. They felt/saw the 4200-meter-high viewpoint of Mardi and Machhapuchhre Himal from close quarters. They were also told/shown about Annapurna (First), Annapurna South, Himchuli, and Barah Peak.

After returning to Pokhara from the trek and resting for a day, they reached Chitwan, which is 165 km away by road. They experienced a jungle safari within the Chitwan National Park. Saw rhinoceros, and enjoyed Tharu culture and dance at Nana Jungle Lodge in Nawalparasi. Celebrated Tihar for the first time. The villagers wore Bhaitika. Last Friday morning they were at Kawasoti in Nawalparasi. One scene caught their attention. It was a common sight in Nepali villages, but rarely seen in Europe, ‘a herd of vultures eating dead beef.’ .’

According to Wendy, 200 vultures were eating dead beef when they visited the vulture restaurant after breakfast. On the same day, Wendy put the photo and video on Facebook saying to ‘watch carefully’ and wrote, ‘This morning was very interesting, within an hour a herd of vultures had eaten a whole cow. It felt strange.

They were also impressed by the walk in the forest. “The chirping sound of the insect attracted the blind,” said guide Gopi Lama, “When the bird chirped, the chirping sound of the insect would be heard, and they would stand still and listen. This would not happen in their country.’ According to another guide Poorna Tamang, the blind people were praised by the locals when they reached Sundarijal and Balthali. In Nepali villages, it is said that people who are blind and physically disabled cannot do anything. But when the three blind people were on a walk, the villagers praised them by saying, ‘Oh, wonderful,'” he narrated.

Jino, who led the trek, said that he had a much better experience in Nepal than he expected. Before returning to Belgium via Doha on Wednesday night, he told Kantipur, “In this walk, we blind people challenged ourselves. We didn’t see the greenery, mountains, or forests here with our eyes, but we felt it based on what the guide said.’

Jino says that people with disabilities need to leave their homes to challenge themselves physically and mentally, to change routines, and to release themselves from long-suppressed emotions. “Persons with disabilities should go on a walk to feel the sound of birds, the murmur of the river, the cool water of the waterfall, the crunching of insects on the road, the fatigue of walking, the opening of the senses, the wind in the hair, the warmth of the sun on the open skin of the body,” he said. Nepal is a very good destination for this.’

According to tourism businessman Pankaj Pradhanang, most of the tourist destinations in Nepal are not disabled-friendly. Nepal, known all over the world for its adventure tourism, started the campaign to make tourism accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly only after the 072 earthquake. “Not all areas of Nepal are disabled-friendly,” said Johanna, who is blind, “There are many potholes on the roads here. The toilets of the hotels on the footpath are old, they are not easy for people with disabilities.

More than 900,000 foreign tourists visit Nepal in 10 months

The country has witnessed a significant surge in the number of foreign tourists visiting Nepal in 2024, with a total of 940,732 foreign tourists over the first 10 months of the current fiscal year 2024/25.

According to the statistics of the Nepal Tourism Board, altogether 124,393 tourists arrived in Nepal last October alone, marking a 6.4 percent increase compared to the same month last fiscal year when 117,306 tourists visited.

Likewise, Nepal received 134,096 foreign tourists in the corresponding month of fiscal year 2019/20 (before the COVID-19 pandemic).

The Board shared that the rise in the tourists’ number reflects the trend of recovery in the country’s tourism sector after the pandemic.

Board’s Director Maniraj Lamichhane expressed satisfaction over the overall arrival of the foreign tourists. Tourist arrival seems positive, he remarked.

“The anticipated number of tourists was adversely affected by the torrential rainfall on September 27, 28, and 29 and subsequent disasters. Yet, we expect an increase within the next two months,” Lamichhane hoped.

Although the number of foreign tourists entering Nepal soared quantitatively, the number of tourists from neighboring India and China has decreased in recent months.

Indian tourists’ number declined by 13 percent in October as compared to September this year. This October recorded 16, 313 Indian tourists visiting Nepal against 22,984 in last September. A similar trend was recorded in the arrival of Indian tourists in August with 25,832, the Board said.

The number of tourists from China has also dropped in recent months, with 7,750 tourists visiting Nepal, down from 8,042 last September and 6,614 last August.

The decrease in the arrival of tourists from these two countries is attributed to the unprecedented monsoon-induced disasters in the country.

The country, however, reported a notable increase in the number of American tourists. Their arrival last October rose by 12.88 percent compared to the previous month. In October, 16,023 American tourists came to Nepal while 10,084 visited last September.

Similarly, 8019 tourists arrived from the UK, 6,929 from Australia, 6,018 from Germany 5,485 from France, 4,476 from Bangladesh, 3,112 from Sri Lanka, and 2,635 from Italy and Nepal in the last 10 months of the current fiscal year.

In 2024, March reported the highest number of tourists at 128,167 while July saw the lowest at 64,599, according to the Board.