Tourism Lawyer’s Forum, Nepal is a non-profit organization established in 2018 with the vision to work towards the development of legal practices and to create legal awareness to people working in the tourism sector. Since the concept of Tourism Law is new in Nepal and many people associated in tourism sector is unaware of the legal systems present in the tourism business, Tourism Lawyer’s Forum was born out of a crusade to educate people and make them aware about the applicable laws at the tourism sector. Ever since its establishment, the Forum has been providing training, workshops, interactions and awareness programs to the hoteliers, tourism entrepreneurs and tourism labours. The forum has also been recognised by International Forum for Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA) which has been advocating worldwide for the tourism legal sectors. Therefore, this organization is optimistic to promote tourism through the transformation of academic, knowledge and experience with tourism promoters of Nepal as well as different countries. We aim to organize more such various informative and innovative programs, participations and conferences relating to tourism law in future nationally and internationally which we believe will help enhance the tourism professionals.

Tourism Lawyers Forum Nepal, the organization of legal practitioners practising law in the field of tourism, organized an interaction program and workshop for hoteliers and hotel professionals of Nepal on 14 November 2019 in Hotel Vaishali, Thamel. The program successfully was organized in the coordination of the chairperson of the organization Advocate Ghanendra B. Shrestha. The hoteliers and the hotel professionals were given a workshop on money laundering and tort law related to the tourism business. First Vice President of HAN and the Chief Guest of this program Mr Binayak Shah appreciated the concept of the program and expressed his views on the importance of this knowledge in the hotel business. He also urged this forum to organize such programs in the various touristic destination of Nepal with the partnership of Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN). Likewise, Special Guest and Vice President of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) Mr Ishwori Prashad Bhattarai said that these kinds of programs helps to galvanize the relationship between tourism entrepreneurs and legal professionals. He believed it is important to disseminate the idea that tourism the sector of Nepal is always abided by the rules and regulations to protect tourists’ rights and also to promote Nepal as a safe touristic destination.

Similarly, in this program, Mr Suman Aacharya, Chief Risk Management
of Civil Bank Ltd, gave awareness about the legal provisions of money laundering and discussed various issues of money laundering happening national and international sectors. Senior Advocate Dr Narayan Ghimire discussed various issues of tort in the hotel business and it’s way to mitigate it and to avoid such problems. Even though the concept of tort is already in practice in other countries, it is a relatively new concept in Nepal and it is important especially for the tourists to make them confident that
tort law is also in practice in Nepal. He believed that if we could successfully conduct these kinds of awareness programs, the tourists visiting Nepal can feel safe and secured throughout their
stay in Nepal which will ultimately enhance tourism promotion. In the same way, Advocate Jaya Ram Thapa, General Secretary of Tourism Lawyer’s Forum Nepal, highlighted the program with a welcome speech and Advocate Bishnu Luitel, Vice President of the forum appreciated the papers presented and contributed his ideas. In the same way, Advocate Saraswoti Shrestha, Secretary of the Forum successfully conducted the program. Likewise, Executive Member of the Forum Advocated Hari Prashad Mainali, Advocate Hum Prashad Khanal and Advocate Mukunda Bhattarai also participated in this program.

This program was conducted in the partnership of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) with the banner supporter of Civil Bank. The participants of these programs were the human resource managers of two-star to five-star hotels who are working in the legal department as well as owners of Hotels and the members of the Tourism Lawyers Forum Nepal. The program was concluded by the concluding speech of chairperson of this organization Advocate Ghanendra B. Shrestha who thanked all the guests, participants and partner organization for their support and contribution to held this program. He promised to conduct more of this program with different hoteliers, trekking, travel, rafting entrepreneurs and tourism labours all over Nepal in the days to come.