NATTA Election Heats Up: Three Panels Vie for Leadership Amidst Critical Industry Challenges

The Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA), a pivotal organization for tour and travel operators in Nepal, is abuzz with electoral fervor as its 59th Annual General Meeting and 25th Executive Committee election draw near. Scheduled for the upcoming Friday, this election is set to determine the leadership for the 2026-2028 term, and with three distinct panels vying for the top position, the competition promises to be exceptionally engaging and intense. The three prominent figures leading these panels are Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha, Yubika Bhandari, and Bharatjang Pandey, all of whom have officially declared their candidacies and intensified their outreach campaigns.

Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha's Panel: Continuity and Policy Advocacy

Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha, who currently serves as the Senior Vice President of NATTA, is campaigning on a platform of institutional continuity, robust business security, and the completion of pending projects within the tourism sector. Her panel, operating under the slogan "Member's Trust, United NATTA, Prosperous Tourism Business," is committed to fostering strong coordination with government bodies to address existing policy complexities in Nepal's tourism market. Furthermore, Shrestha's team emphasizes special priority for women entrepreneurs and the new generation of business professionals. As the proprietor of Swan Tours & Travels, Shrestha leads a formidable panel. Vishnu Pandey of Himalayan Club Tours & Travels is nominated for Senior Vice President, while Pragya Pathak Sharma of Adventure Outdoor Excursion is the candidate for Vice President. The General Secretary position sees Sushil Pant of Gorkha International Travels, Ramesh Ghimire of Well Nepal Travel & Tours for Secretary, Krishna Prasad Dhakal of Kathmandu Holiday Tour & Travel for Treasurer, and Dr. Bimla Dahal of Selected Tours & Travel for Co-Treasurer. The executive member candidates include Pradip Acharya of Duke Nepal Adventure, Sudarshan Gajurel of Pearl Holidays, Dinesh Ghimire of Shivalaya Holidays, Trilochan Neupane of Intel Roshi Tours & Travels, Anu Adhikari (Raut) of Nepal Snow Jewel Travel & Tourism, and Rojina Ranjit of Rainbow Travels & Tours. This team, driven by the objective of "Building Relationships, Creating Opportunities, and a United Better NATTA," is actively engaging with voters, advocating for institutional strengthening and the protection of business rights.

Yubika Bhandari's Panel: Modernization and Digital Transformation

Another strong contender for the presidency is Yubika Bhandari, the current General Secretary of NATTA. Her campaign centers on bringing modern thinking, innovative technology, and timely transformation to the tourism sector. Bhandari's panel, rallying under the slogan "Tourism Rises, Nepal Rises," aims to introduce new concepts and programs to promote both domestic and international tourism by making the industry more technology-friendly. They advocate for a more dynamic and transparent NATTA to provide lasting solutions to the commercial and financial challenges faced by businesses. Leading the panel, Bhandari, who is also the proprietor of Shasij Holidays, has nominated Varun Mehta of Worldways Tour & Travels for Senior Vice President and Dhaknath Kafle of Holiday Adventures Tour & Travels for Vice President. Krishna Prasad Dhakal of Desire Nepal Treks Travels & Tours is the candidate for General Secretary, Shraddha Joshi of A.N.T. Holidays for Secretary, Rama Kumari Pyakurel of All Destination Holidays for Treasurer, and Bidur Khatiwada of Jugal Holidays for Co-Treasurer. The executive member list includes Pradip Prasad Udaya of Padma Travels & Tours, Biwash Paudel of Saiyu Travels, Shriram Thapa of S.N.T. Holidays, Smarika Thapa of Buddha Land Tour & Travels, Sanket Dahal of Green Horizon Tour & Travels, Dr. Umesh Gupta of Abhivadan Expedition Holidays, Hom Bahadur Pariyar of Expert Asian Tours, and Rajendra Prasad Tripathi of Golden Gate Travels & Tours.

Bharatjang Pandey's Panel: Good Governance and Member Empowerment

Bharatjang Pandey, the proprietor of Everest Miracle Travel & Tours, also emerges as a formidable presidential candidate. His panel prioritizes good governance, transparency, and the paramount interests of its members, with a core objective of promoting tourism at both national and international levels. Pandey asserts that his team is committed to expanding digital systems, facilitating inbound and multinational tour management, and safeguarding the commercial rights of business operators. Under the slogan "Strong NATTA, Prosperous Tourism, With Members, For Members," Pandey's panel for the NATTA Election 2026 features Sunil Sharma of Society Travel Service as Senior Vice President, Sabita KC Bhattarai of Aero Travel & Tours as Vice President, and Rajkumar Devkota of World Favor Travel & Tours as General Secretary. Ramesh Parajuli of Rupse Holidays is nominated for Secretary, Dicky Sherpa of Thamserku Travels for Treasurer, and Jeevan Koirala of Hamlet Tour & Travels for Co-Treasurer. The executive members include Dinanath Pandey (Prakash) of Royal Travels & Tours, Dinesh Mainali of Shubham Travels & Tours, Dipak Maraseni of Shodip Travel & Tours, Nabin Gurung of At Eyes Travel & Tours, Prakash Lohani of Prabhas Travel & Tours, Sarala Sapkota of Arya Village Travel, Suman Lal Shrestha of Hamro Holidays, and Swastika Pradhan of City Connect Travels & Tours.

As the election date rapidly approaches, candidates from all three panels are intensely engaged in discussions and lobbying efforts across various hotels and business establishments to secure internal votes. The critical issues dominating their electoral agendas include the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating banking interest rates, complexities within the tax system, and the overarching need for the revitalization of the entire tourism industry. The upcoming Friday's vote will unequivocally determine who will steer this crucial institution of tour and travel entrepreneurs for the next two years, shaping the future trajectory of Nepal's vibrant tourism sector.