Kathmandu, April 21 -- Nepal on Saturday hosted the first international LGBTIQ tourism conference. It wants a chunk of the multi-billion dollar pink market after the stunning success of a legally recognised same-sex marriage last November.

"Forget Nepal's biassed history. Now, we aim at building more just and equitable societies. Let the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer (LGBTIQ) get equal economic opportunity," said Sunil Babu Pant, the first openly gay former parliamentarian in Asia, addressing the conference in Kathmandu.

Just a few years back, police beating gay and transgender individuals in the streets used to be a common sight.

"After fighting legal battles for nearly two decades, the law and the society have acce...