| |
Nepal - Current Tourism News |
Nepal Tourism Business - 2007
Business was booming until 1999. After that, the
incessant conflict scared off tourists from visiting
Nepal and we are feeling the pinch of the fall in
tourist arrivals. There was a time when we recorded such
a huge flow of tourists that we used to turn back some.
As a professional tour leader we did not have sufficient
staff and equipment to handle all of them. But now,
situation is just opposite. It is very hard to get
clients. Right now Nepal tourism industry that suffered
due to such a senseless violence. We are optimistic that
the golden days of the tourism sector as a whole, is
approaching. If the peace is restored, the number of
visitors would surge by at leas 40 percent by next
year's season. Due to political upheaval, many people
across the world know about Nepal. Once the message of
peace is spread, tourists will visit Nepal in droves.
Nepal has comparative advantage in tourism because of
the diversified culture, climate, and ethical groups. On
top of that, other countries having mountains do not
have highly qualified professionals to handle adventure
tourism as we have. So, adventurers prefer to visit
Nepal.
Royalty fee to climb Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Lhotse slashed
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MCTCA)
has decided to provide a fifty percent discount in the
royalty charge to the mountaineering teams seeking
permission to scale Mt. Manaslu (8163m) and Mt. Lhotse
(8516m). According to MoCTCA, the slashed rates will
come into effect from March 1 to June 30, 2006.
The decision has been taken under a policy of observing
a golden jubilee of the first ascent of mountains above
8,000 meters, the ministry said adding, the concession
will be applicable to the royalty charge on the basis of
numbers of mountaineers in an expedition team. During
that period the royalty fee for seven members expedition
team will be US $ 5000 (Five thousand),it is stated in a
statement issued by MoCTCA.
Kathmandu-Lhasa direct bus service to resume from August
23
Sajha Yatayat is set to resume Kathmandu-Lhasa direct
passenger bus service from August 23. According to
Shambhu KC, Traffic chief at Sajha Yatayat, the Lhasa-based
agency would also manage travel permits for passengers
traveling to Tibet from Nepal.
The direct bus service that kicked off on May 1 this
year remains halted since May 23 owing to a number of
problems including visa to Nepali travelers.
On behalf of Sajha Yatayat, Sunshine Travels has been
appointed as visa processing agency. Besides one-way bus
fare of US$ 70 per passenger, an additional $10 will be
rated as service charge for visa processing and permit
issuance while foreign travelers have to pay an
additional $50, which will include lodging cost for
three nights, KC informed. Nepal and China signed an
agreement on October 29 last year to operate the direct
passenger bus service between Kathmandu and Lhasa,
Tibet.
Nepal unique, safe place: Finnish mountaineer
“Nepal is a very unique country where foreigners can
find good hospitality and people are friendly. Besides
these, Nepal is also one of the few countries of the
world where foreigners feel the safest”, says Veikka
Gustafsson a mountaineer who comes from the world’s one
of the flat countries level Finland.
“On every Friday night even in the Finnish
capitalHelsinki’s Railway Station is not a safe but I
feel here safer all the time”, he added.
Veikka, who was in capital on way back home after
climbing Mt. Dhaulagiri on May 12 was talking with The
Rising Nepal here the other day.
With this, he had set up a record of so climbing 11 out
of 14 world’s highest peaks of above 8000 metres.
“Now three mountains Kanchenjunga, Gashebrum I and II
are left to be climbed”, says Veikka.
Veikka came to Nepal in 1993 dreaming of to climb the
world’s highest 8, 848 meter high snow-peak Mt. Everest.
H was the first Finnish to climb Mt. Everest at the age
of 25 that time.
Since then every year he has been coming to Nepal and
has climbed the other over eight thousander mountains.
“When I came to Nepal for the first time, the people
were kind and happy. Even in these days people are
smiling and friendly. But they seem more advanced
looking at them on the streets. This is a new experience
for me”, shared Veikka of his experience.
“After my success of Mt. Everest there were many
articles published in Finnish newspapers. This helped
more and more Finnish people to know about Nepal and
Nepalese,” says Veikka.
When we come to Nepal for expedition, “there will be
only mountain in our mind but when we leave Nepal there
are people in our mind”, says Viekka.
“Climbers are the ambassadors of Nepal. After going back
to their respective places, they (the climbers) will
speak to thousands of people about Nepal and its art,
culture, history, social, economy and many more”, he
said.
In order to make the mountaineering easier for the
advancement of mountaineering activities, Nepal
government should change the rules and regulations of
the existing mountaineering policies”, he suggests.
“Mountains are very much similar to the University of
Culture, because in mountains we could meet people from
various cultural background and could exchange the
respective cultures. For me the cool and tough mountains
give not only motivational changes but also encourage
for team building aspect. Thus, Nepal’s Himalayas have
given me lots in my life”, says ace-climber Veikka.
A publisher of Finnish outdoor magazines by profession
Veikka also does modelling for various Finnish products
and also teaches Finnish students on different issues
and thinking of need to give courageous lessons for the
students. That is at least to do something-special work
in their life.
“After climbing the three more eight thousanders, I will
involve fully in promoting Nepal’s tourism sectors”,
says Veikka.
So far, there are three Finnish national who had climbed
Mt Everest. But two of them have already given up
climbing after their first successful ventures. However,
Veikka Gustafsson, the first Finnish to climb the Mt.
Everest, is still vying for the prestigious title of the
First Finnish to climb all the 14 highest peaks of the
world.
Tourists to get VAT refunded
According to a Financial Ordinance-2061 provision, which
the government has recently decided to implement, Value
Added Tax (VAT) paid by tourists on goods worth more
than Rs 15,000 would be refunded at the time of their
departure. The decision will come into effect from May
1. Any international tourist, who has not been employed
in Nepal for the past six months and has not stayed for
more than 183 days in Nepal, can claim VAT refund on his
purchases. The VAT refund applies only to goods being
taken out of Nepal within 60 days of the date of
purchase. For the time being the provision will benefit
tourists leaving through the Tribhuvan International
Airport (TIA). The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has
directed the Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) to open a
branch at the TIA lounge to provide refund services to
tourists, according to a bank source. The RBB unit will
refund the amount in foreign currency to the tourists.
The Ministry of Finanace has directed the Inland Revenue
Department (IRD) to provide application forms VAT Refund
for Tourists at department stores with immediate effect.
|
| |
|
 |
Picture of Trekking |
 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Current Tourism News |
 |
|
|
|
Nepal trekking /
travel related business was booming until 1999. After that, the
incessant conflict scared off tourists from visiting
Nepal and we are feeling the pinch of the fall in
tourist arrivals. There was a time when we recorded such
a huge flow of tourists that we used to turn back some.
As a professional Nepal tour operator we did not have sufficient
staff and equipment to handle all of them...
|
|
|
|
| |
|
