Nepal To Host LGBTQ+ Tourism Conference on January 2024

Nepal will be holding its first-ever LGBTQ+ tourism conference to promote itself as a friendly destination for sexual minorities. This first event will take place in Kathmandu on January 18, just after a landmark decision last month making Nepal the first South Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

According to recent statistics from the Nepal Tourism Board, in the first ten months of 2023 about 810,000 tourists came to Nepal. Tourism is of great economic importance to Nepal, contributing a large portion of the foreign exchange and revenue. It accounts for around 6.7 % annually in national GDP alone.

The pre-virus global market value of LGBTQ+ travelers was estimated to be an astounding $ 218 bn. Sunil Babu Pant, a leading LGBTQ+ rights activist, noted that Nepal pioneered this trailblazing in South Asia. Not only does Nepal accept homosexual tourism; it is well-prepared to welcome LGBTQ+ tourists into its midst.

Pant points out the ability to attract visitors, and job opportunities for those who cannot find work overseas due to the special nature of their identities. He also emphasizes the need to interact with markets like China and India. These both have sizeable LGBTQ communities that are frequently subjected to discrimination of a social, cultural, or political nature.