The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) and UK Nepal-Nepal in Business jointly celebrated the first International Wellness Day. HAN President Vinayak Shah expressed confidence that the Wellness Day would significantly contribute to establishing Nepal in the global wellness sector. Nepal in Business, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, released a video promoting wellness tourism, while the formulation of a national wellness tourism strategy is also underway. April 15, Kathmandu.
The inaugural International Wellness Day was observed on Wednesday, organized by Hotel Association Nepal with cooperation from UK Nepal-Nepal in Business. The event was attended by HAN member institutional hotel operators, wellness sector experts, private sector representatives, academics, and development partners. HAN shared that President Vinayak Shah stated this historic occasion will help position Nepal on the world stage in the wellness industry.
This year, the United Nations, on the proposal of the Government of Nepal, officially designated April 15 as International Wellness Day. President Shah noted that the newly formed cabinet has prioritized wellness tourism in its 100-day action plan. The event also featured the release of a wellness tourism promotion video, produced through cooperation among HAN, the Ministry of Tourism, the Nepal Tourism Board, and Nepal in Business, aiming to showcase Nepal as a premier wellness destination for international tourists.
Ratish Basnyat, Team Leader of Nepal in Business, highlighted the collaborative efforts between Nepal in Business and the Ministry of Tourism to place wellness tourism as a national priority and shared that the national wellness tourism strategy is currently being developed. Deepkaraj Joshi, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, discussed Nepal’s potential in wellness tourism and stressed the need to develop diverse wellness packages incorporating innovation while maintaining authenticity and uniqueness for market presentation.
“To develop the wellness tourism ecosystem, we must focus on four key aspects: investment, skill development, certification, and branding,” he emphasized. HAN working committee member Ashlesha Karki pointed out the vast potential for developing wellness tourism as a key tourism product in Nepal and underscored the necessity of shared responsibility among the government, private sector, institutions, and investors. During the panel discussion, Dr. Ramesh Paudel from the Ayurveda Association of Nepal identified the shortage of skilled manpower as a long-term challenge for the wellness sector. Other contributors included Yuvika Bhandari from NATTA, Dr. Ravi Shikhawat of Kavya Resort and Spa, and Indu Ghimire, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, who shared their insights on wellness tourism.
