Tourism entrepreneur Tek Chandra Pokharel passed away on Monday. He was 84. He was suffering from lung cancer and died at 10am at Om Hospital. Pokharel, who was involved tourism business for over five decades, was suffering from the disease for the past five months, a family source said.

He was taken to the hospital at around 5am this morning after his condition deteriorated. Condolence messages poured in after Pokharel’s demise.

“Extremely saddened to hear about the passing of veteran tourism entrepreneur of Nepal, Mr Tek Chandra Pokharel. Nepali tourism industry has lost a visionary personality. His contribution to tourism will always be remembered. Hearty condolences to the bereaved family,” Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari posted on Twitter.

Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), in his condolence message on Facebook wrote: “Nepal Tourism Board is saddened to know about the demise of Tek Chandra Pokharel, doyen of Nepali tourism. He had been associated with tourism industry for more than 50 years. NTB expresses heartfelt condolence to his son Ashok Pokharel who is the president of Nepal Association of Tour Operators and his family for irreplaceable loss. May his soul rest in peace.”

Pokharel was a founding chairman of many tourism-related associations in Nepal, including Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Natta), Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (Taan), Himalaya Rescue Association.

According to the NTB, he was involved in drafting the Nepal Tourism Master plan in 1972. Pokharel also served as Honorary Consul of Mexico. He was the chairman at Shangri-La Tours and Himalayan Journeys.

The Rum Doodle that he opened in Thamel in 1979 with two partners—Japanese Hanji Okawara and American Stan Armington—is a favourite hangout spot, especially the mountaineers. Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner, Ang Rita Sherpa, Rob Hall and other famed mountaineers all left their marks on the wall of Rum Doodle. The restaurant was shifted to Naxal after the 2015 earthquake.