KATHMANDU:

The government has appointed three new board members at the Nepal Tourism Board.

Tourism entrepreneurs Rishi Ram Bhandari (Kaski), Ram Prasad Sapkota 'Kamal' (Dhading) and Rajendra Bahadur Lama (Kavre) have been appointed to the board of NTB, said Rekha Sharma, government spokesperson.

'As per the recommendation from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, they have been appointed to the NTB board where three posts had remained vacant for a couple of months,' Minister Sharma said, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Young tourism entrepreneur Bhandari is the Managing Director and Founder of Satori Adventures (P.) Ltd. Rishi has had a long-time connection with both trekking and mountaineering from an early age.

Rishi has led many treks and expeditions in Himalayas to include the Annapurna and Everest Regions and has climbed many peaks such as Mera, Island Peak, Naya Kanga, Yala Peak, Pisang Peak, Tent Peak, Singu Chuli, Cho-Oyu and Shishapangma. Rishi also worked tirelessly in the promotion of adventure tourism in the international platform.

Rishi has also affiliated and held positions with different associations including General Secretary at the Expedition Operators Association Nepal, Trekking Agents Association of Nepal and Nepal Mountaineering Association among others.

'I will certainly work for the betterment of NTB to promote Nepal as the best tourism destination in the world market,' he said.

Hotelier Ram Prasad Sapkota (Kamal) also owns Mountain Delights Treks and Expedition Pvt. Ltd. He has done a variety of charity projects in the field of health, education, and empowerment of poor people of various rural districts of Nepal by generating funds from sponsors from different countries. Ram has also been awarded an honorary doctorate by the World University of France. He is the co-owner of Kathmandu Garden Home Hotel in Thamel.

Rajendra Bahadur Lama, the founder and director of Friends Adventure Team Pvt. Ltd. and a Founder Member of Nepal Canyoning Association has gained an experience of 15+ years in organizing and managing trekking, expedition and cultural tours in Nepal and Tibet, for national and international tourists of all occupational backgrounds. Lama is also the secretariat member of the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Lama is also a humanitarian advocate by nature he has been actively participating in social services of the needy people in Nepal, especially the victims of the devastating earthquake of 2015. Lama has actively participated in various International Travel Mart and Road Shows to promote Nepalese Tourism.