GANDAKI: Gandaki Province has prioritized the development of the tourism sector.

In the financial year 2081/82 budget presented on Saturday, it was announced that promotional programs will be launched to highlight major tourist destinations and attract more domestic and international tourists to Gandaki Province.

This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with the private sector.

Various tourism packages will be developed in partnership with tourism entrepreneurs, and a “Home First, Abroad Later” campaign will be launched.

The budget includes funds for the development of 11 tourist destinations in collaboration with the tourist capital, Pokhara, and neighboring local levels.

The budget speech emphasized funds allocated for the conservation, development, and upgrading of trekking routes in Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, and Mardi, under the “Preservation of Trekking Routes – Promotion of Tourism” campaign.

To promote religious tourism, the budget has allocated funds for major religious sites such as Gajendramoksha Dham, Muktinath, and Manakamana.

Infrastructure and capacity development programs will be implemented for homestays to integrate rural tourism with production and employment.

Additionally, a budget has been set aside for the construction of lake-to-lake cycling routes in Jomsom (Mustang), Bandipur (Tanahun), and Pokhara, promoting tourism through cycling.

Training programs will be funded to produce human resources related to mountain climbing and to encourage and honor residents of the province who climb mountains.