Kathmandu: Stakeholders have emphasized greater investment, infrastructure development, public-private partnerships, quality enhancement, foreign investment and skilled human resource development to establish Nepal as a leading global wellness tourism destination.
The emphasis was made at the Wellness Nepal Investment Summit 2026, jointly organized by the World Tourism Network (WTN) and Tourism Info Nepal. Government representatives, tourism entrepreneurs, investors and private-sector stakeholders participated in the summit.
Speakers highlighted Nepal’s Himalayan environment, natural resources, Ayurveda, yoga, meditation and unique cultural heritage as key assets that can be integrated and promoted in international markets to develop Nepal as a distinctive wellness tourism destination.
Speaking at the summit, Defence Secretary Indu Ghimire said the government has approved the National Wellness Tourism Strategy 2026–2035 and announced 2027 as Nepal Wellness Tourism Year.
According to Ghimire, the strategy has identified five major objectives and 37 strategies, focusing on areas including destination competitiveness, quality and standards, human resource development and market promotion.
Investment Board Nepal Chief Executive Officer Yanki Ukyab said the board is ready to facilitate foreign investment in Nepal’s wellness tourism sector. She said the board could help address issues related to land, roads and legal procedures while stressing the need for commercially viable and investment-ready projects from the private sector.
Former Nepal Tourism Board CEO and founding member of the World Tourism Network Deepak Raj Joshi said Nepal has significant potential in wellness tourism, but the sector has yet to receive adequate investment and infrastructure development.
He said Nepal’s unique wellness resources should be transformed into commercially viable tourism products by attracting both domestic and international investors.
WTN Chairman Juergen Steinmetz said wellness tourists generally tend to stay longer and spend more than conventional tourists. He suggested that Nepal should focus on offering authentic and distinctive experiences rather than competing primarily on price.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dibya Raj Pokharel, Executive Director of the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM), said skilled human resource development must be given equal priority alongside the expansion of wellness tourism.
He said NATHM plans to introduce undergraduate and postgraduate courses covering areas related to yoga, Ayurveda and spirituality from the upcoming fiscal year.
During a panel discussion, Hitesh Golchha, Founder and Managing Director of Kavya Resort & Spa; Ramesh Hamal, Managing Director of Dusit Thani Dhulikhel; and Amritanjali Shakya, Executive Director of Park Village Resort, called on the government to improve the investment environment by simplifying cumbersome legal procedures and introducing targeted incentive packages for a defined period.
Concluding the summit, Tourism Info Nepal Managing Director Bishwo Bhandari said the event highlighted the need for stronger coordination and collaboration between the government and private sector to attract foreign investment into Nepal’s wellness tourism industry.
