KATHMANDU, JUNE 1

Increasing river pollution and haphazard mining have posed threat to white water rafting in Nepal, according to tourism entrepreneurs.

Participants in the 33rd AGM of the Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies here today expressed concern about the increasing threat to the rafting business.

Director General of the Department of Tourism Taranath Adhikari said they had been working seriously to address the issues in the entire tourism sector.

'Tourism entrepreneurs are primarily responsible for exploring ways to deal with the existing problems in the business sector and the Department is ready to collaborate with them towards that end.'

Nepal Tourism Board Vicechair Chandra Prasad Rijal talked about the potential of expansion of rafting business in Nepal, while also admitting the role of government in protection of rivers and streams in the country.

Chair of Nepal Association of Tours and Travels Agents Ramesh Thapa said rafting had made its contribution to promotion of Nepal's adventure tourism, adding that the business had now faced challenge for its sustainability.

Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal Chair Khum Bahadur Subedi stressed the need to enhance collaboration and cooperation among tourism entrepreneurs for recovery of tourism industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Tourism Entrepreneurs Association of Nepal Chair Deepak Mahat and Nepal Tourism Entrepreneurs Organisation Chair Nawaraj Dahal said the construction of hydropower projects in areas having potential for rafting business had its adverse effects on the industry sector.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 02, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.