Bharatpur Appoints Sapkota as International Tourism Promoter

Bharatpur, Chitwan — Bharatpur Metropolitan City has further strengthened its international tourism promotion strategy by continuing the appointment of Som Nath Sapkota as International Coordinator for Tourism Promotion.

The certificate of appointment was officially handed over to Sapkota today at the office of Acting Mayor Chitrasen Adhikari. The event marked a renewed commitment by the metropolitan city to expand its global outreach and position Bharatpur as a competitive and attractive international tourism destination.

Sapkota, a foreign citizen of Nepali origin and a long-standing member of the Non-Resident Nepali community, is currently serving as Spokesperson and Chair of the Tourism Promotion Committee of the Non-Resident Nepali Association. Through his involvement, he has contributed significantly to strengthening Nepal’s global tourism visibility and building international partnerships for tourism promotion.

He has previously played an important role as International Coordinator for the “Visit Bharatpur 2024” campaign, which helped enhance the city’s global presence and promote it as an emerging tourism hub in Nepal.

In a message of gratitude, Sapkota thanked Bharatpur Metropolitan City and the concerned authorities for their trust and the opportunity. He expressed his commitment to giving his best effort to promote both Bharatpur and Nepal on the global stage, utilizing his international experience, professional network, and long-standing engagement in tourism promotion.

Sapkota has extensive experience in the promotion of Nepal’s tourism sector and has been actively engaged in this field for several decades. He has closely worked with the Government of Nepal as well as various national and international organizations, including NGOs and INGOs, in promoting Nepal as a tourism destination. He has been residing in Europe since 1996 and has continuously contributed to tourism promotion activities through his global networks.

His international roles include serving as Nepal Tourism Board representative in Denmark (2016–2018) and Malta (2019–2021), Tourism Goodwill Ambassador to Wales in 2022, and Tourism Promoter for Wales (2023–2025), appointed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal. He continues to promote tourism in Wales and other global markets.

He is also actively involved in promoting Nepal’s Buddha Circuit destinations, including Lumbini Cultural Municipality, Devdaha, Ramgram, and Kapilvastu, with a focus on highlighting Nepal’s spiritual and cultural heritage internationally.

As a native of Bharatpur, Sapkota expressed his deep connection to the city and his dedication to contributing to its socio-economic development through tourism. He reaffirmed his commitment to positioning Bharatpur as a globally recognized tourism destination.

The appointment is expected to support Bharatpur Metropolitan City’s vision of sustainable development, international visibility, and tourism-led economic growth.