Nepal Tourism Business – 2018

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 capital-Helsinki’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.