By Pratibedan Baidya

NTB Chief Executive Officer Tek Bahadur Dangi (File Photo)

NTB Chief Executive Officer Tek Bahadur Dangi (File Photo)
Like other sectors, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)–the semi-autonomous body established for promotion of tourism in the country — has also been affected due to recent political changes in the country.

The row emerged after recently formed “Democratic Tourism Society (DTS)” padlocked the NTB office building at Bhrikuti Mandap on Monday demanding resignation of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NTB, Tek Bahadur Dangi, and overall restructuring in the organizational structure of the NTB. The central office of NTB remains padlocked for the third day Wednesday.

They accused Dangi of supporting the royal regime and not working for revival of the ailing tourism industry. They also demanded fair and inclusive participation of all sectors of tourism in the NTB.

The agitators said they would not reopen the office until CEO resigns. Some junior officials of the NTB claimed that Dangi had threatened them of termination from the job for supporting ‘jana andolan.’

However, issuing a statement on Tuesday, NTB said it was dismayed by the activities of the DTS to padlock the NTB, which it said was likely to have negative impact on the tourism industry.

The statement, signed by CEO Dangi, alleged that the protest was sponsored by some ex-employees and employees of the NTB, whose job contract was nearing termination, to fulfill their vested interests.

Dangi also challenged the protesters to furnish proof that the NTB had disbursed money to vigilantes to suppress the pro-democracy movement.

Established in 1998 by an act passed by the parliament, NTB was modeled after the public-private partnership in which private sector would play a lead role to develop and market Nepal as an attractive tourist destination.

A statement issued by 40 employees of the NTB on Wednesday said the forced closure of the Nepal Tourism Board was against the interests of the NTB and that of tourism industry in the country.

The NTB employees also submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation demanding that the government take immediate measures to open the NTB and resume regular work.

In a joint statement issued Wednesday, eight leading tourism related organisations said at a time when there was a need to work unitedly to harness immense potentials opened up by the restoration of peace and democracy in the country, the protest programmes launched by a group of persons to settle their personal scores made them to bow their heads down.

Organisations– including Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), PATA Nepal chapter, Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) – condemned the act of gheraoing the NTB office and said they had reservations towards the ‘anarchic activities’ carried out within the premises of the NTB.

Talking to Nepalnews, coordinator of the Democratic Tourism Society, Dipak Mahat, refuted allegations that his organization had personal agenda to fulfill by organizing protests at the NTB. “We have been demanding restructuring of the NTB in an institutional and inclusive way in accordance with the principle of Public-Private Partnership. He said the protests were being carried out the NTB employees themselves.

Mahat also claimed at least two out of eight organizations did not agree to the joint statement and that those who welcomed the royal takeover of last year and did not utter a word against the brutal suppression of the people’s movement had now come forward against the demand for restructuring of the NTB.

Talking to Nepalnews, CEO of NTB, Tek Bahadur Dangi, termed the protest programmes as “undemocratic and anarchic.” He said most of the NTB employees were against such activities. “Such activities have hampered the NTB’s attempts to capitalize on the open and peaceful environment afforded by the restoration of multi-party democracy in the country,” he added.

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Govinda Bahadur Pandey, who is also the chairman of the board of directors of the NTB, said that the “lock out” had adversely affected the day-to-day activities of the NTB and was likely to convey negative message to the tourism industry.

“It is unfortunate that the NTB, which played an important role to assist tourists during the difficult situation of general strikes and curfews for the upliftment of the tourism sector of the country has been deprived from working in the name of democracy,” Pandey added.

Pandey urged all concerned parties to immediately resolve the issue through dialogue and to assist for the promotion of tourism industry as the country was moving towards the path of peace and stability, raising hope for tourism sector of the country.