- Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Samikshya Thapa
Kathmandu, June 6: Her smile is cheerful as she welcomes the guest and offers a cup of tea. She checks that the food is hot and that the bedding is neatly arranged. In the kitchen, her hands move swiftly, her smile is unwavering as she gives polite responses. To a countless number of foreign visitors, she is the heart of the Nepali hospitality experience: the attitude which is humble yet gracious, welcoming to the core. Still, what lies behind such smiles, that we rarely bother to ask, is this: ‘Is she smiling because tourism is empowering her, or does she have no choice but to smile?’
There is no denying that tourism has opened doors across Nepal. Women testify to being more visible in the hospitality industry from the crowded markets in Thamel to the serene Ghorepani trails, and even at community lodges in Bandipur and homestays in Ilam. They guide tourists in their villages, perform local cuisines, manage homestays, sell handicrafts, and run the kitchens. Their participation has increased, and in almost all public accounts and promotional documents, this is celebrated as a symbol of empowerment. But if we pause and look closely, we begin to see a more complex picture.
Indeed, tourism has created employment opportunities for women especially in the remote areas and rural tourism destinations. Some women now start earning for the first time in their lives. Those women learn new skills by interacting with people from diverse parts of the globe and directly contribute to their household income. But what we must be asking is: who commands that income? In most of the families, it is still the male member who, be it husband, father or son manages the finances. And while a woman may work endlessly in the background, cooking for guests or cleaning the rooms, her name may not be on the bank account, nor on the business registration. The face of hospitality may be hers, but the control often isn’t. It indeed lies with ‘him’, who controls almost everything.
There is also the emotional labor that comes with this role. Women are expected to be ever-smiling, ever-patient, and ever-available to make guests feel “at home.” They wake up early to milk the cow and prepare breakfast. They ensure the children are ready for school, clean the rooms, and then cook for tourists often all without help. Even when they are tired or sick, they must greet the guests with the same smile. Because in the world of tourism, the guest is king and the hostess is expected to be endlessly accommodating.
Some women say they enjoy hosting, that they feel proud when guests appreciate their food or show interest in their culture. And that is important, pride and joy in one’s work can indeed be empowering. But at the same time, many of these women are under immense pressure to maintain a performance. They are not just being themselves, they are playing a role, often defined by expectations from the community, tourism operators, or even government initiatives. They are expected to wear traditional clothes, perform cultural dances, and present a certain “authentic” image of Nepali womanhood. When this happens without their full consent or enthusiasm, it begins to feel more like obligation than empowerment.
Empowerment becomes a form of responsibility rather than choice. Some groups of women may have to deal with fewer resources and fewer ways to make money when other groups of women lose resources and income possibilities. One woman from a village near Ghandruk shared that she doesn’t particularly enjoy dancing for tourists during cultural programs, but she does it because her group depends on her. “Everyone expects us to look happy,” she said, “so I smile even when I don’t want to.”
Moreover, some are hopeful. There are parts of the country where women are starting to take charge. Some women operate their own eco-tourism lodges, while others guide treks, run travel agencies, or manage community tourism boards. For example, a group of sisters founded a training school for female trekking guides in Pokhara, defying the belief that trials are only meant for men to dominate.
A woman who used to wash dishes at a lodge in the Everest area now runs her own business and employs other women. These women do not simply consume tourism; they are in charge, they lead, and they make things happen.
The examples above, however, are still far too rare. With every woman who is in a position of power, there are several others who are in less acknowledged positions without any power or authority.
As much as these women’s voices get ignored during meetings about policies concerning tourism, there is no denying that there exist a number of policies and NGOs that mention empowerment. Their existence, however, presents a stark contrast to the reality that women’s voices are seldom present in discussions around planning tourism. Their needs, such as child care, safety, fair pay, and time to rest, are almost never met. Why have we still not put enough thought into asking what their wishes are? What do their aspirations look like?
Tourism, when done thoughtfully, has the potential to be a powerful tool for gender equality. It can offer income, exposure, confidence, and independence. But for that to happen, we must move beyond romanticized images of smiling hostesses and recognize the hard work, emotional toll, and structural limitations they face. Empowerment is not just about putting women in front of the guest; it’s about giving them a say in how tourism is shaped, how money is distributed, and how their labor is valued.
We also need to pay attention to the women behind the scenes, positioned at the lower range of the employment hierarchy, those in the back of the house doing the cooking, cleaning, serving, and even smiling for the guests. You need to talk to them and find out how they feel. More fundamentally, ask whether the industry that relies so much value from these workers actually presents them with real value.
A smile can mean many things. It can be a sign of delight and pride, or just worn out of obligation. If we do not start asking questions, listening, and paying attention deeply, we shall never know whether she breathes the illusion of hope and empowerment or options where no options exist.
[The writer is the Graduate of the Master’s Degree Programme in Gender Studies from the Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Gender Studies]
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Parliament obstruction will be removed soon: Government spokesperson
Biratnagar, June 6: Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has expressed the confidence that the obstruction in the House of Representatives will be resolved soon.
Talking to media persons at Biratnagar Airport today, Minister Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, said that the Civil Service Act and the Education Act will be issued from the current session of the Parliament.
The minister argued that it is unreasonable to ask for the resignation of the departmental minister over an employee’s mistake, commenting that the opposition parties are obstructing the parliament as retribution.
He was referring to the ongoing stalling of the House of Representatives’ regular business by the opposition parties, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa scam. The visit visa scandal is the defrauding by the immigration staff at Tribhuvan International Airport of Nepali citizens going abroad on visit visa.
Minister Gurung stated that it would be inappropriate to comment on the investigation by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), saying it is natural for the commission to investigate those who abuse their authority.
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NC-led government in Madhes Province soon: President Deuba
Mahendranagar (Dhanusha), June 6: President of the Nepali Congress and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said a government led by the Nepali Congress (NC) would be formed in Madhes Province soon.
Talking to media persons at NC Madhes Province Office, Janakpurdham, today, he asserted that the NC-led government would be formed in the province as per the agreement of rotational system.
He mentioned that discussion would be held with power alliance partner soon on the issue. “There was an agreement between the CPN (UML) and NC to lead the government as per rotational system. So discussion will be held on this matter soon. The NC will lead the government in the province”, argued the NC President.
NC leaders—Bimalendra Nidhi, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Mahendra Yadav, NC Madhes Province President, Krishna Yadav, among others were present on the occasion.
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Number of dolphins goes up in Saptakoshi River
Itahari (Sunsari), June 6: The number of dolphins in the Saptakoshi River, the part of Koshi Wildlife Reserve, has increased this year.
The census of the aquatic mammal was conducted for four days (June 1-4) and the findings were unveiled on Thursday, June 5, on the occasion of the World Environment Day.
This year, the number increased by three compared to the previous year, it has been said.
According to Reserve senior conservation officer Bhupendra Prasad Yadav, the latest census puts the number of adult dolphins at 15, of semi-adult at five and two baby dolphins, a total of 22. The rise in the number of the animal is itself a positive message in its conservation, it is said.
The Saptakoshi River is home to Gangetic dolphin which is considered the rare species of dolphin.
Dolphin is a highly intelligent marine mammal and prefers to inhabit clean and deep waters.
In 2012, eleven dolphins were recorded in the Saptakoshi River, and the number rose to 17 in 2017, prompting the Reserve to prioritize dolphin conservation efforts.
The previous recent census in 2024 recorded 19 dolphins in the country’s biggest river.
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Fifth edition of Himalayan Travel Mart concludes with focus on sustainable development
Kathmandu, June 6: The fifth edition of the Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM), an international tourism fair aimed at promoting Nepal’s tourism, concluded in Kathmandu on Thursday with a resolution to foster collective efforts among mountain countries to achieve sustainable tourism development.
The participants also agreed on strategies to further promote Nepal’s tourism destinations internationally.
The event was a joint initiative by the Nepal Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Nepal Airlines, and various national and international tourism organizations. It was attended by over 700 representatives, including more than 100 international delegates from 30 countries.
It has been expected to be platform for establishing robust communications connectivity globally among the tourism entrepreneurs and hospitality service providers and industrialists.
The three-day event opened with a conference titled “Mountain: Milestone and Momentum”. On the occasion, NTB Chief Executive Officer Deepak Raj Joshi stated that the Mart would be instrumental in further exploring and promoting Nepal’s tourism destinations internationally.
He highlighted that the number of tourist destinations in Nepal has significantly increased in recent years.
Suggesting the shift in Nepal’s rural-urban demographics, he said until 3o years ago, the rural-to-urban ratio was 70:30 while it is now 50:50. “As we move towards urbanization, our tourism continues to be deeply rooted in nature,” he said.
HTM Coordinator and PATA General Secretary Narendra Dev Bhatta said that the event aimed to strengthen Nepal’s tourism connectivity with international markets and boost domestic tourism.
Over 20 national and international speakers presented their insights on topics such as spiritual, adventure, and luxury tourism, sustainable travel, emerging market trends, current challenges, and new opportunities in the global tourism industry.
As part of the Business-to-Business (B2B) segment, this year’s Mart is expected to host over 60 buyers from countries including the United States, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Russia, and CIS nations. More than 65 sellers from six countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will also be participating, according to PATA Nepal.
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Nepali honey facing market problem with 21 tonnes remaining in stock
Narayan Dhungana/RSS
Kathmandu, June 6: Beekeepers have been facing problems of market for honey they are producing. Around 21 tonnes of honey produced by them is currently unsold, according to the Federation of Nepal Beekeepers.
Last year, 69 tonnes of honey remained unsold. Problems of market for honey they had produced had been resolved to some extent last year after the beekeepers met with Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ram Nath Adhikari, and complained for not getting market of their production.
During that period, Dabur Nepal had purchased some amount of honey produced by the farmers. The beekeepers have been saying that there is a situation where there will be stock of a large amount of honey for lack of market.
However, bee experts said it is not true that the honey produced by farmers has remained unsold in lack of demand, it is due to lack of consumers’ trust on Nepali honey.
Federation Chairperson Subas Chandra Ghimire shared that honey fair was organized in Kathmandu with an objective of providing information about honey, as well as marketing the product.
Bee expert Jagadish Bhakta Shrestha shared that honey produced from mustard crystalizes quickly as well as honey is crystallized in the temperature below 13-14 degree Celsius, which is natural.
The honey loss it’s some qualities while heating it, he added, stating that honey is beneficial for nutrients.
Problem in marketing Nepali honey
Shiv Prasad Sharma Paudel, the outgoing president of the Nepal Bee Keepers Association, stated that although the consumption of honey has many benefits, there is a problem with its marketability.
He says that after the honey sales declined, beekeepers reached a point of quitting the trade in previous years. During that time, after pressure was applied to the government, the issue of marketing was somewhat resolved.
“We, as Nepali farmers, suggest buying the honey produced by us, as natural honey will crystallize, while honey that does not crystallize could be spurious,” he said.
Bikash Nepal, the operator of B and B Honey Firm from Kalika Municipality in Chitwan, who was at the fair, expressed the belief that such fairs would help in the marketing of honey.
Rajendra Gautam, former president of the Nepal Beekeepers’ Association, states that the amount of honey that should be consumed in Nepal is not being produced. He complains that farmers are facing problems due to the produced honey not finding a market.
“Nepali honey is good in quality, but we have not been able to make consumers understand this; the misconception that honey is fake also creates problems in its marketing,” he said. Gautam says that the government should also assist in the marketing of the honey produced.
As he said, although the international market for Nepali honey is good, it is exported only in very small quantities.
Sujan Amgai, the head of the Honey Development Centre in Bhandara, said honey worth more than Rs 50 million is exported every year. He believes this demonstrates the possibility of exporting honey produced in Nepal to international markets.
He mentioned that if honey can be produced meeting the standards set by various countries, honey exports could be increased.
Farmers complain of depleting forage for bees
According to beekeeping farmers, there are problems not only in the marketing of honey but also in foraging the bees.
Farmers say that it is necessary to address problems such as the need to pay fees for bee conservation and bee foraging due to the growing use of pesticides.
Beekeeper farmers themselves cannot directly sell honey in the market. They need to obtain a food license from the government. Not every farmer can have a processing unit. This is also why experts say Nepali honey is not sold.
Januka Thapa, the president of the Nepal Beekeeping Central Cooperative Association, explains these various problems and emphasizes the need to organize beekeeping farmers to work on the marketing of honey.
At the ongoing Honey Festival at Bhrikuti Mandap, there are 40 stalls featuring honey, beehives, pollen, propolis, hats, brushes, and other items related to beekeeping. Farmers from all seven provinces are participating in the fair. On this occasion, a discussion related to honey has also been organized.
Subash Chandra Ghimire, the coordinator of the Honey Fair, the fair will provide information about the technologies used in beekeeping, different species of bees, and honey-related information.
The farmers affiliated with the federation have produced 226 tonnes of honey this year alone. In Nepal, there are 12,138 colonies of the Serena bee and 6,500 colonies of the Mellifera bee. There are 711 farmers who raise Serena and 270 farmers who raise Mellifera bees, affiliated with the federation.
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Muslim community celebrating Eid-ul-Adha on Saturday
Biratnagar, June 6: The Muslim community will be celebrating Bakar Eid (Eid-ul-Adha) on Saturday. This is the second biggest festival for Muslims, after Ramadan or Eid-ul-Fitr. This festival is observed in the 70th day of Ramadan and those who can afford make Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.
During Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims perform the ritual slaughtering of animals as permitted by their religion.
According to Islamic belief, Allah was pleased to see Prophet Ibrahim ready to sacrifice his son Ishmael, who was born to Hagar when Ibrahim was 90 years old, upon Allah’s command.
However, Ishmael was not sacrificed; instead, a ram was slaughtered in his place by divine intervention. The celebration of Eid-ul-Adha is considered a continuation of this act of sacrifice (Qurbani).
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President Paudel for adopting education fulfilling Nepali’s development aspirations
Kathmandu, June 6: President Ramchandra Paudel has said that it is essential to focus on curriculum and pedagogy on increasing domestic production and employment, as well as preparing skilled and disciplined citizens with respect for labor.
Addressing a programme organized on the occasion of the 75th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of Nepal Adarsha Secondary School here today, he said that in this modern era of technological advancement, it is necessary to provide education that meets the desires of Nepal and the Nepali people for increasing production, creating employment, and developing infrastructure.
“After the political change, the country is moving towards a rapid development path embracing the federal democratic republic governance system,” the Head of the State said and emphasized the need to pay special attention to providing quality education by utilizing the curriculum, technology, and human resources according to the demands of modern times from the school level itself.
President Paudel stated that it is necessary for the government and all stakeholders in the education sector to equally focus on providing education in a way that can nurture capable and qualified individuals in the future, emphasizing the importance of quality, technical aspects, and competition.
He said it is necessary at present to emphasize reducing the trend of going abroad for studies and to develop human resources in accordance with the market demand.
Stating that the role of education has always been crucial in knowledge transfer and creation, awareness, awakening, and transformation, President Paudel stressed that education is not only the foundation for building a civilized and cultured modern society but also the basis for the overall development of the nation.
He stated that the establishment of Nepal Adarsha School in the heart of the capital during the Rana regime, which sought to deprive the public of education out of fear that educated people would oppose their autocratic rule, is a historical event.
President Paudel stated that the name of the school ‘Nepal Adarsha’ should always be remembered as it reflects the ideals of the founders of the school, diligence, and the dream of preparing dedicated students committed to the motherland.
On the occasion, he also honoured former students including Supreme Court Justice Sapana Malla Pradhan and Nepal Bar Association President Bijaya Prasad Mishra, as well as others who contributed to the school.
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DPM Singh stresses on protecting rivers from human encroachment
Kathmandu, June 6: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development, Prakash Man Singh, has said the budget for the upcoming fiscal year has prioritsed the cleanliness of the Kathmandu-Valley based rivers and the upgrading of the corridors.
During his address to a tree transplant programme held along the Bagamati corridor by the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, he said the budget allocation for the river cleanliness efforts amounted to Rs 34.02 billion.
“He stressed that it is everyone’s responsibility to keep the rivers clean and protect the environment. According to the Minister, the government’s priority is to restore the cleanliness of the Bagmati, Bishnumati, Dhobikhola, and all other rivers in the Kathmandu Valley, ensuring they are free from sewage contamination.”
He also called for property taking care of trees planted on the occasion, urging the community awareness and efforts to protect the rivers and encroachment on the rivers.
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Opposition parties not to allow HoR run until their demands are met
Kathmandu, June 6: The meeting of the opposition parties represented in the Federal Parliament has concluded that the House of Representatives (HoR) cannot proceed until the three demands that have been raised earlier are met.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Manish Jha said the meeting of the three opposition parties held today at the Parliament Building in New Baneshwor has concluded that their demand for constituting a high-level investigation committee on the ‘visit visa issue’ stayed put and that the House cannot convene until the resignation of the Home Minister.
The opposition parties have demanded the establishment of an investigation commission to investigate into the ‘visit visa issue’ since the enforcement of the Labor Act, 2064 to the current tenure of the Home Minister. He stated that this conclusion was drawn from the meeting of the main opposition parties, including the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and the CPN (Unified Socialists).
During the meeting, a decision was made to show a commitment from all parties to resolve the issue permanently.
Meanwhile, the leader of the main opposition party in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Federal Parliament, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, has stated that today’s meeting of the opposition parties decided that if there is an agreement on a reliable investigation, the obstruction of the House of Representatives will be lifted.
Talking to journalists outside the Parliament building, after today’s meeting of the House of Representatives could not take place, he said that the opposition parties’ meeting has decided to meet with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba to learn whether the ruling party is positive or not on this matter.
He has expressed surprise at the filing of a charge sheet against former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in the Patanjali land case, hoping that the court will do justice to the former prime minister.
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HoR session rescheduled for 1:00 pm, Sunday
Kathmandu, June 6: A session of the House of Representatives (HoR) has been postponed until 1.00pm on Sunday, June 8.
According to Padma Prasad Pandey, Secretary- General of the Federal Parliament Secretariat, today’s scheduled session at 1:00 pm could not take place due to a lack of political consensus.
It is noted that the opposition parties in the parliament continue to obstruct proceedings, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. They insist that his resignation is necessary to ensure an impartial investigation into the ‘visit visa scam’.
The opposition parties’ meeting held earlier today at Singha Durbar and attended by the CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party, and CPN (Unified Socialist), decided not to allow the House to function until the Home Minister resigns. They have presented a three-point demand for the smooth operation of the HoR proceedings, which also includes the resignation of the Home Minister.
Consequently, the session was postponed through an official notice.
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NA meeting: Deliberations on Budget for FY 2025-26 on party line conclude
Kathmandu, June 6: Nepali Congress lawmaker Jit Jung Basnet has pointed out the need of encouraging civil servants to promote good governance by controlling corruption.
Participating in the discussion on the annual estimate of revenue and expenditure for coming fiscal year 2025/26 in today’s meeting of the National Assembly (NA), he expressed the view that salary of the civil servants should be made double keeping the increasing price hike in mind.
“It is necessary to increase the salary of civil servants by double or threefold to control corruption as the current salary is not enough for them to run their family”, he argued.
Stating that the budget brought by the government for coming fiscal year is balanced, Basnet said a strong mechanism is must for its effective implementation.
He expressed the view that an alternative route to Narayangadh-Muglin road was necessary to end the vehicular movement obstruction due to flood and landslide.
Similarly, Jayanti Devi Rai of CPN (Unified Socialist) claimed that the budget has failed to address the people’s expectation.
Saying the government did not allocate sufficient amount of budget for the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen, she mentioned that the country could not be self-reliant until the priority is given to agriculture.
Likewise, Anjana Shakya of the CPN (UML) stressed the need of introducing attractive programme in agriculture targeting the youths as sustainable economic development was not possible without increasing production and productivity.
She added that more than 500 start-up companies have been registered in Nepal and the number of start-up companies would reach to 10,000 and more than 100 unicorn companies by 2030, sharing that more than 50,000 employments would be generated from this.
Budget failed to bring hope and enthusiasm: opposition party lawmakers
Opposition party lawmakerss have commented that the budget is not focused on solving the country’s current problems while the ruling party lawmakers defended it.
Taking part in a general discussion on the annual estimates of revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year 2025/26, the opposition party MPs stated that the budget has not taken the right direction.
CPN (Unified Socialist)’s Ghanashyam Rijal and Sabitri Malla; CPN (Maoist Centre)’s Taraman Swanr, Suresh Kumar Ale Magar, Manarupa Sharma and Gopi Bahadur Sarki Achhami were the lawmakers from the opposition parties airing their views on the budget in today’s meeting.
Similarly, Nepali Congress lawmakers Krishna Prasad Poudel and Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, and CPN (UML) lawmakers Anjan Shakya and Bhagawati Neupane took part in the deliberations on the budget in today’s meeting.
In the meeting, the discussions on party-basis on the annual estimation of revenue and expenditure for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26 have concluded in the National Assembly today.
The next meeting of the National Assembly will be held on June 9th at 1:15pm.
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Locals request before PM Oli for preservation of historic Sundhara and Dharahara
Kathmandu, June 6: Locals have urged before Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to formulate a plan in order to allow the natural flow of water in Sundhara as well as for proper preservation of the remains of the old Dharahara .
A delegation comprising Chairperson of Kathmandu Metropolis-22, Chinkaji Maharjan, and CPN (UML) Kathmandu District Committee Secretary Rajesh Shakya, among others, reached the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar today, and thanked the Prime Minister on the behalf of the locals for taking initiatives to construct a garden, numismatic and earthquake museum as well as the largest underground parking of the country in Sundhara and Dharahara area.
The delegation briefed Prime Minister Oli that there is a lack of means and resources to remove the garbage thrown in underground drainage there, which has been obstructing the natural flow of water out of Dharahara area via the underground drainage.
They complained that though the suggestions were given in the discussion with locals to give priority to make sewerage system systematic and preserving the remains of old Dharahara before reconstruction of the Dharahara damaged by the Gorkha earthquake, the concerned authority turned deaf ears to their suggestions.
Assuring of facilitating from the federal government for the preservation of the heritage, Prime Minister Oli stressed the need of taking institutional efforts on the issue of preservation of heritages and cultures in Kathmandu Metropolis.
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