“If we promote Nepal as a queer-friendly vacation spot, it should profit each the LGBTQ neighborhood and the nation,” Gurung mentioned. “Our marriage has despatched a optimistic message for all queer travellers wanting to go to Nepal.”

Nepal has lengthy lured guests with its majestic mountains and wealthy cultural heritage, with 1000’s of individuals travelling to the nation yearly for trekking and sightseeing. Whereas there isn’t a information accessible on the variety of LGBTQ travellers visiting Nepal, tour operators, activists and authorities officers say Nepal’s progressive legal guidelines make it a protected and welcoming vacation spot for queer guests.

Gurung, a transgender lady, and Pandey, who identifies as a homosexual man, have been in a position to register their marriage within the Lamjung district, following two failed makes an attempt to take action in Kathmandu.

After the loosening of pandemic-era journey restrictions, the nation’s much-battered tourism sector is aiming to extend the variety of tourists. Vacationer {couples} with double earnings and no children – often known as DINKs – and others with high-spending energy may present a lift to Nepal’s tourism trade, journey consultants mentioned.

International income from the LGBTQ tourism market is projected to rise to over US$610 billion by 2032, based on consultancy and market analysis agency Studies and Insights. Many world companies are investing in LGBTQ-specific journey merchandise and hospitality companies to faucet into the “pink financial system”.

“There’s a lot Nepal has to supply — we are able to market Nepal as a gay-friendly nation,” mentioned Nandini Lahe-Thapa, senior director on the Nepal Tourism Board, throughout an occasion to debate the prospects for rainbow tourism in Nepal final month. “It’ll be an important step ahead for Nepal’s tourism. It’s an untapped market.”

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Nepal can be seen as a protected vacation spot for queer travellers, with the nation rating forty fourth out of 203 international locations and areas within the 2023 LGBTQ Journey Security Index. As well as, the Himalayan nation is gearing as much as host a global convention to advertise rainbow tourism later within the spring.

Final yr, the Nepal Tourism Board collaborated with the Nepal Mountaineering Affiliation to organise the first-ever trekking information programme for native LGBTQ people. The primary cohort of 25 trekking guides will quickly be accessible to assist queer travellers.

Many tourism entrepreneurs say Nepal also needs to capitalise on its open tradition and promote “rainbow marriages” as a tourism product so guests can have fun their relationships by ceremonies and different occasions.

Such weddings have been efficiently organised beforehand within the nation.

In 2011, Sunil Babu Pant, an overtly homosexual Nepal parliamentarian and homosexual rights activist, floated the concept of homosexual tourism within the nation. As a part of that marketing campaign, he organised a conventional Hindu marriage ceremony ceremony for US couple Courtney Welton-Mitchell and Sarah Welton-Mitchell at a temple in Kathmandu.

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Courtney mentioned the couple determined to marry in Nepal to help the human rights of LGBTQ Nepalis, and thought “it will be significant for Nepalis and others to see a Hindu priest performing a same-sex bridal ceremony”. Nevertheless, she famous that many queer people in Nepal nonetheless face challenges in bigger cities on account of their sexual orientations and gender identities.

Whereas inclusive legal guidelines and a fame for security can present a robust stimulus for LGBTQ travellers to go to a rustic, worldwide tourism consultants say these components usually are not sufficient, noting that companies should even be cautious of “pinkwashing”, or making an attempt to revenue from LGBTQ points with out significant contributions to the neighborhood.

John Tanzella, president of the Worldwide LGBTQ Journey Affiliation, mentioned international locations must make long-term investments in queer tourism. Merely displaying rainbow flags on enterprise web sites to draw “pink {dollars}” wouldn’t be sufficient, he mentioned. As an alternative, entrepreneurs ought to educate stakeholders and develop inclusive hiring practices in order that LGBTQ staff are seen and supported.

“The problem is that it takes time to offer neighborhood schooling, construct consciousness campaigns, and develop model loyalty,” Tanzella mentioned. “LGBTQ travellers are savvy, and they’re in search of real dedication and visibility.”

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Kumar Parajuli, secretary of the Society of Journey and Tour Operators Nepal, agreed. He mentioned the considering behind LGBTQ tourism promotion is “very restricted” and the journey trade ought to make extra efforts in hiring and coaching extra queer employees.

“It creates employment, they usually can develop throughout the trade,” he mentioned. “All we’d like now’s correct steerage.”

Gurung from Maya Ko Pahichan mentioned that, in the end, the tourism sector needs to be a method to empower the LGBTQ neighborhood and in addition develop the broader financial system. And she or he hopes that her and Surendra’s marriage ceremony will be the spark that helps realise that change.

“We simply need LGBTQ individuals from everywhere in the world to know that they’re welcome in Nepal,” she mentioned. “You’ll be able to come right here and get married. It is going to create tourism and employment for individuals from our neighborhood. It will likely be a win-win for all.”