KATHMANDU, AUGUST 13 Fragmented, outdated and poorly shared data is hampering efforts to improve safety for trekkers in Nepal, experts said at a panel discussion in Kathmandu. The discussion, titled 'How Structured Data Can Make Nepal's Tourism Safer and Smarter,' was organised by Trailmapper, a startup incubated at The British College Incubation Centre, at the Kathmandu Marriott Hotel on July 31. Around 35 representatives from tourism, conservation, academia and the media attended the event. Panellists included Sudhan Subedi of the Nepal Tourism Board, Ashok Subedi of the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Ramchandra Sedai, chief executive officer of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, and GIS and disaster risk expert Raju Chapagain. The discussion was moderated by Achhata Shakya. The panellists said much of the information required to improve trekker safety already exists across government and tourism-related agencies, but remains unvalidated, outdated or confined to individual institutions. They also pointed to gaps in weather monitoring and limited data sharing between local and federal authorities. Chapagain noted that practical limitations such as unreliable GPS signals in gorge terrain also need to be considered when developing digital navigation and safety systems. 'Everything is stuck in planning. What we need now is to identify what data already exists and validate it,' Chapagain said during the discussion. Trailmapper CEO and co-founder Swarnim Ratna Shakya said improving tourism safety would require stronger coordination and policy decisions among stakeholders. 'Trailmapper is one part of that, but real, lasting change relies on bolder policies and better ideas from those with the power to make them,' Shakya said. Ganesh Paudyal, head of the TBC Incubation Centre, said the discussion demonstrated how incubation could help transform an idea into initiatives with practical impact. The event concluded with a question-and-answer session and networking, with participants expressing interest in further collaboration on tourism safety and data management. Trailmapper is a Nepal-built mobile application that brings trail, accommodation and emergency information together, including trail waypoints and emergency contacts. The app has been field-tested on the Jamacho hike and the Tsho Rolpa trek in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, while the company is developing features that can respond to real-time trail and weather conditions.