PPMO approves NTB’s guidelines for foreign programs and expenses

Kathmandu / Nov 27: The Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) has approved Nepal Tourism Board’s (NTB) guidelines for managing expenses for organizing programs abroad. It took almost seven years for the PPMO to approve the guidelines without which the NTB was facing difficulties in managing expenses for conducting international promotional activities. With the approval of the guidelines, the NTB will now be able to spend for overseas promotional campaigns.

The NTB had prepared the ‘Guidelines on Organizing Programs and Purchasing Abroad’ seven years ago and submitted it for approval to the PPMO. However, due to the lack of consent from the PPMO, the draft of the guidelines was gathering dust. As a result, the NTB was unable to carry out any international promotional activities as of the fiscal year 2023/24.

After several attempts by the NTB, the PPMO approved the Guidelines on Organizing Programs and Purchasing Abroad’ just two weeks ago, according to NTB’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Deepak Raj Joshi. He stated that with the approval of the guidelines, it will now be easier to carry out international promotional activities.

“The issues that prevented the NTB from carrying out promotional activities last year have been resolved,” said NTB’s assistant spokesperson Mani Raj Lamichhane.

The lack of the guidelines had affected the NTB’s annual programs. Now, the NTB is set to accelerate its major promotional activities, he added.

Due to the lack of the guidelines, the NTB had been conducting international promotional programs for the past six years based on previous practices. Last year, the NTB’s budget allowed for international promotion activities, but the lack of approval for the guidelines had created difficulties.

In accordance with Section 67 of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the NTB developed a draft of guidelines for programs abroad. After the amendment to the Public Procurement Act in 2017, the NTB, like other institutions, was required to have the guidelines approved before conducting any programs. Following this, the NTB prepared the guidelines in 2017 and submitted it to the PPMO for approval.

According to NTB officials, as the PPMO did not approve the initial draft, they made the necessary revisions and submitted it again through the Ministry of Tourism in 2019.

Since its establishment, the NTB has attended the World Travel Market (WTM) in London every year. However, due to the lack of budget and the failure to approve the guidelines last year, the NTB was unable to participate in the event.

The NTB has announced a budget of Rs 181 billion for the current fiscal year, of which 60 percent will be allocated for promotional activities.