PPMO Clears NTB's Guidelines for Overseas Program Expenses

The Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) has approved the Nepal Tourism Board's (NTB) long-pending guidelines for managing expenses related to international programs. This long-awaited approval comes after nearly seven years, enabling the NTB to now allocate funds for overseas promotional campaigns.

The "Guidelines on Organizing Programs and Purchasing Abroad," drafted by the NTB in 2017, had been stalled at the PPMO for years, severely hampering the board’s ability to conduct international promotions, including in the fiscal year 2023/24. The delay forced the NTB to rely on outdated practices for six years, limiting the effectiveness of its annual promotional plans.

The NTB revised and resubmitted the guidelines in 2019 via the Ministry of Tourism, addressing feedback from the PPMO. Despite these efforts, delays have persisted until now. Last year, the lack of approval caused the NTB to miss major events such as the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, further emphasizing the impact of the bureaucratic hold-up.

With a budget of Rs. 181 billion for the current fiscal year, the NTB plans to allocate 60% for promotional activities, signifying a significant push to reclaim its position in global tourism markets.