KATHMANDU: The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) has got new working committee under the chairmanship of Nilhari Bastola.

TAAN is the umbrella organization of mountaineering tourism entrepreneurs. Bastola became new chairperson garnering 616 votes from the 44th annual general assembly and election of the TAAN held last night.

His nearest rival Ram Prasad Sapkota collected 264 votes. The entire panel led by Bastola got victory in the election.

According to the election committee, Krishna Prasad Dahal has been elected senior vice chairperson while Padip Pandit the first vice chairperson, Dhan Bahadur Gurung the second vice chairperson, Binod Sapkota (Babu) the general secretary, Homnath Bhattarai the secretary, Purushottam Timilsina the treasurer, Chhing Dorji Sherpa the co-treasurer.

Sajana Tripathi is the woman member and other members are Ram Prasad Banjara, Raju Aryal, Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari, Kumar Lama, Nabinath Devkota, Subash Bhandari, Lakpa Dorje Sherpa and Krishna Bahadur Pariyar, the election committee added.

The newly elected Chairperson Bastola made commitment that TAAN would work in collaboration with various stakeholders to develop it as a common institution of all mountaineering tourism entrepreneurs.

He also vowed to implement the 20-point election manifesto he released.

The government and private sectors should work in cooperation and coordination to revive the tourism sector, which suffered worst in the face of COVID pandemic, according to him.

As many as 1,850 tourism entrepreneurs are affiliated to the TAAN. The TAAN is a 25-member working committee where 17 are directly elected.