August 29: The Government of Nepal announced a programme to encourage MICE tourism in the year 2011. At that time, the government had announced a concession of up to Rs 500,000 for the tours and travel companies that bring 100 tourists at a time.

Under the concept of MICE tourism, tourists have to come from a destination country to hold meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE). For example, on August 19, a total of 700 employees of a Bangladeshi company visited Nepal on a sponsored trip.

The company sent them to visit Nepal as an incentive. This is an example of MICE tourism. The government had given concessions in the year 2011 to bring in similar tourists. Earlier, similar tourists also came from China.

Tek Narayan Paudel, joint spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, said that there is no new program targeting MICE tourism. However, he said that the ministry is working to promote tourism.

Even the Nepal Tourism Board, an organization that works for tourism promotion and publicity, has not done much work in this regard.

Mani Raj Lamichhane, director of the board, said that no program and budget has been allocated for MICE tourism.

"Currently, if tourists come from any country in this way, the authorities welcome them at the Tribhuvan International Airport with gifts, and organise dinner for them. That’s all," said Lamichhane.

He added that 5 to 7 companies got concession given by the government in 2011.

According to him, apart from Bangladesh, Indian tourists also come in this way.

Deepakraj Joshi, the former Chief Executive Officer of the board, said that there is a lot of potential for MICE tourism in Nepal and emphasized that work should be done on infrastructure development. He said that MICE tourism has increased in 2023 after COVID-19.

President of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) Binayak Shah said that businessmen will be excited when the government brings incentive programs. Shah informed that they are going to organize a program targeting MICE tourism before Dashain.

CN Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Samrat Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd, which brought 700 tourists from Bangladesh in collaboration with Dhaka's Mountain Club Tour, said that the company plans to bring all its Bangladeshi employees to Nepal within the next five years. The company has 20000 employees.

Pradeep Pariyar, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Urban Development said that they are going to make a commercial plan for proper utilization of large conference centres that are currently in operation. He informed me that they are preparing to make guidelines and procedures to regulate and operate such centres in the country.