KATHMANDU, Nepal, 29 September 2026: The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter concluded its 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and 51st Anniversary celebration last week and unanimously elected a new Executive Committee.
The chapter appointed Narendra Deo Bhatta, Managing Director of Heritage Tours & Travel, as chairman. He succeeds Khem Lakai, who has served as Chairman since 6 June 2024 and remains on the Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chairman.
The AGM also elected Romi Aryal, Managing Director of Square Hotel, as General Secretary, and Prakash Chandra Lohani, Chairman of Alpine Rescue Service, as Honorary Treasurer.
The other elected executive members are: Vijay Shrestha (Vice President, Himalaya Airlines);
Suman Ghimire (Executive Director, Jungle Safari Lodge Pvt Ltd);
Sunil Bahadur Bhattarai (Executive Director, Busy Bee Café);
Maya Sakya (Director, Sales & Marketing, Park Village Hotel & Resort); Sarita Lama (Managing Director, Off the Wall Trekking Pvt Ltd); Siddhartha Bikram Thapa (Managing Director, Marcopolo Travels); Bashudev Dhungana (Managing Director, Banbas Chitwan).
Seven Proxy Members were also elected to the Executive Committee:
- Dinesh Maharjan (CEO, HighGround Adventure Nepal);
- Jan Bishwokarma (Executive Director, Khumbila Hotel);
- Sanjay Bhakta Mathema (President, Go Travels Nepal);
- Ankit Sharma (General Manager, Dusit Thani Himalayan Resort);
- Basanta Gautam (Chairman, Temple Tree Resort);
- Prakash Lama (Managing Director, Mega Treks & Expedition);
- Suman Maharjan (General Manager, The Plaza).
The Executive Committee also includes six public-sector members: the CEO of Nepal Tourism Board as First Vice Chairman; the Marketing Director of Nepal Airlines as Second Vice Chairman; and four Ex Officio Members, namely the Director General of the Department of Tourism, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the Corporate Director of Nepal Airlines, and a representative of Nepal Tourism Board.
At the formal ceremony, PATA Nepal Chapter also honoured individuals for their extraordinary courage, humanity, and contributions to Nepal during the recent Bhotekoshi flood crisis and beyond.
The honorees were:
- Professor Arnold Dix, International Tunnelling and Underground-Space Specialist;
- Captain Priya Adhikari, Nepal’s First Female Helicopter Captain;
- André Lüthi, Author and President, Globetrotter;
- Dylan Dugas, World Central Kitchen;
- Rajendra Dawadi, Head Teacher, Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School;
- Bikram Karki, Search and Rescue Team Leader, Mountain Rescue Coordinator, Nepal Mountaineering Association;
- Choy Teh, Head of PR & Partnerships/ Destination Strategist at Horus Development & Consulting.
PATA Foundation Chair Andrew Jones delivered the keynote address at the AGM. He reflected on Nepal’s resilience over the years and reaffirmed that Nepal remains a priority for PATA, which will continue to support the country through these challenging times. He also highlighted the PATA Foundation’s Nepal Tourism Recovery Fund, including its plans to support the livelihoods of tourism workers and to support the PATA Nepal Chapter and its Student Chapter.
(Source: Pacific Asia Travel Association Nepal Chapter)
