TIMS implemented from January 1st 2008

Government of Nepal has given authority to TAAN ( Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal ) and NTB (Nepal Tourism Board ) to issue and distribute TIMS ( Trekker's information management system ) from 1st January 2008 with the objective of maintaining the database of trekkers and discouraging illegal operation in trekking business. Both organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the effective implementation of TIMS.

As per the provision, all trekkers should have the valid TIMS Certificate that is distributed free of charge by the TIMS counters of TAAN and NTB.

The TIMS mechanism would help secure business for government authorized trekking agents as it discourages independent trekking leaders that were robbing the trekking agents off their business.

TAAN has devised separate TIMS certificates for Organised and Individual Trekkers.

For the effective distribution of TIMS certificates, TAAN will use the offices of all its member agencies as TIMS Counter. Trekking agencies that aren't affiliated with TAAN, however, have to get TIMS Card from either TAAN Secretariat or NTB. Similarly, TAAN's Pokhara Chapter member agencies of TAAN Pokhara Chapter will distribute TIMS Card in Pokhara.

The database will become useful to rescue the trekkers during the emergencies. Also it will help to ascertain the number of trekkers in a particular trekking route.

TAAN's announcement to implement the TIMS was accepted by thunderous applause of its general members. The members requested the TAAN Executive Committee to fix the criteria for individual trekkers, lobby in maintaining one-window policy for all concerned services and the effective publicity of the TIMS.

New visa rule for entering Nepal

The government has revised existing tourist visa fee to be effective from September 1, 2008. As per the new fee structure, US $ 25 or equivalent foreign currency is required to obtain Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 15 days. Likewise, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 30 days can be obtained by paying US $ 40 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 90 days can be obtained by paying US $ 100. from the entry point, tourist will have to buy 90 days visa if required more than 30 days but it can be extended from the city office as required days.

Likewise, the government has also revised fee required to extend days of stay and visa renewal. As per the revise fee structure, Tourist Visa can be extended by paying US $ 2 or equivalent Nepalese currency per day. Likewise, Multiple Entry facility can be obtained only for the extension period by additional US $ 20 and visa fee for the extended period. Similarly, tourists can renew their visa by paying Nepalese currency equivalent to US $ 3 on the regular visa extension fee.

Revises permit fee in controlled areas

In a bid to attract more trekkers in the controlled areas, the government has revised permit fee in different controlled areas of the country effective from September 1, 2008.

As per the new provision, a trekker in Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo has to pay US $ 500 or equivalent foreign currency per person for first 10 days. Likewise, fee for per extra day per person has been fixed at US $ 50 or equivalent foreign currency. Trekker in Manasulu Region needs to pay US $ 70 for a week and US $ 10 per person for each extra day during September to November. However, only US $ 50 is charged per trekker per week during December to August and additional US $ 7 per trekker per each extra day. Similarly, permit fee for Humla (Simikot-Yari) has been fixed at US $ 50 per person per week and US $ 7 per person per extra day.

Likewise, permit fee for Kanchanjunga, Lower Dolpa and Gaurishankar and Lamabagar has been fixed at US $ 10 per person per week. However, permit fee for Chekampar and Chunchet of Gorkha district (Sirdibas-Lhokpa-Chumling-Chekampar-Nile-Chule) has been fixed at US $ 35 per person for eight days during September to November and US $ 25 per person per eight days during December to August.

Nepal participates in PATA Travel Mart

Nepal Tourism Board and tourism entrepreneurs participated in the 35th Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart 2008 held in Hyderabad, India, from September 17-19.

“Claimed as one of the Asia Pacific’s best travel networking shows for the travel trade buyers and sellers, PTM08 attracted some 1,089 trade delegates, comprising 374 global buyers from 324 organisations and 715 Asia Pacific seller delegates from 301 organisations. The show was also visited by dozens of international media delegates and hundreds of local trade visitors,” reads a press release issued by NTB

India has so far remained the topmost source market for Nepal for the past several years, with 96,010 visitors in 2007. According to PATA’s Strategic Intelligence Centre (SIC), between 1996 and 2006, the Indian outbound market expanded nearly 10% per year. In 1996, Indians made nearly 3.5 million trips but the number of outbound trips topped 8.3 million in 2006.

“The members of Nepali delegation interacted with very high quality geographical and industry mix of buyers from India, China (PRC), Europe, and other Asian countries, Gulf, North America and the Pacific. Along with the mainstream product clusters of nature, culture and adventure, Nepal Tourism Board promoted the enriched shelves of customized products such as Weekend Breaks, Buddhist circuits and religious products,” the press release stated, adding that the Mart proved to be an excellent forum to appraise the buyers and media with the tourism updates on Nepal.

Lumbini mesmerizes UN Secretary-General

“I am awestruck by the beauty and profound significance of this sacred site, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. I am moved by the life journey of Prince who left behind all comfortable circumstances to comfort the hard realities of life, late becoming founder of one of the largest religions. As the Secretary General of the UN, I sincerely hope that the life, philosophy and the teaching of Lord Buddha will guide us to promote peace, harmony and reconciliation among people of different religions, belief, culture and creed,” Ki-moon wrote in the visitor’s book of the Lumbini Development Trust.

Ki-moon also inspected various monuments, monasteries and other places of archeological importance, including the Mayadevi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar, during the visit

Of the five UN General Secretaries who have visited Nepal, Ban is the fourth one to visit the birthplace of Buddha. Lumbini is a major pilgrimage site for more than 350 million Buddhists spreading all over the world.

October sees highest number of visitors ever in Nepal

The arrival in October 2008 is 50567 by number and up by 16.3% as compared to the arrival figure of same period last year.

According to a press release issued by the NTB, the number of foreign visitors to Nepal in the first ten months of 2008 has reached 307,748 which is an increase of 4% as compared to the arrival figure of same period last year.

Himalayan International Travel Mart held
The 2nd NATTA Himalayan International Travel Mart 2007 was held in Kathmandu from 11-13 May, in cooperation of the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation and Nepal Tourism Board.

The ceremony was graced by high-level foreign delegates including President of Indian Association of Tour Operators Mr. Subas Goyal, Deputy Governor of Travel Association of Thailand (TAT) Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Vice President of Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents (HATA) Mr. Paul Leung and Immediate Past President of Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Mr. Tunku Iskandar, among others.

This year the theme of the Mart was “Tourism: Prosperity for Posterity”. Mr. Tunku Iskandar made a key-note speech on the theme which was highly applauded by all.

The Mart had 30 stalls showcasing different products of Nepal . China , Thailand and Malaysia too had put on display their products during the three days Mart. There was an overwhelming turn out of visitors till the final day of the Mart.

Tour operators from various countries of South Asia and South East Asia took part in the mart.

CHINESE RAILROAD LINK TO TIBET LAUNCHES
ABOARD THE BEIJING-LHASA EXPRESS IN QINGHAI PROVINCE, China — The country that brought you the Great Wall has completed another daunting engineering feat: a railway that carries passengers up the icy, Tibetan plateau to Lhasa, called "the roof of the world" because of its altitude.

Launched this weekend, the trains are powered by American-built engines, which pull Canadian-assembled carriages that pump oxygen to passengers. But the Chinese government is leaving no doubt about who to credit for the world's highest, and perhaps most controversial, railway.

"This is a magnificent feat by the Chinese people, and also a miracle in world railway history," President Hu Jintao said at a ceremony Saturday in the northwest city of Golmud. Once the end of the line, Golmud is the departure point for the first passenger train to Lhasa, Tibet's capital and holiest city, 12,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas. The railway showed China's people were "ambitious, self-confident and capable of standing among the world's advanced nations," Hu said.

The line's successful launch, a year ahead of schedule, is a political and engineering triumph for Beijing's communist leaders. The rail link binds the troublesome and remote region closer to the rest of China. Beijing has controlled Tibet since Chairman Mao Zedong sent troops there in 1950.
 
To counteract the thin air when the trains reach the highest altitudes, oxygen is pumped through the carriage ventilation. If needed, passengers can access additional oxygen from a socket under the seat. The highest point the train reaches is Tanggula Mountain Pass at 16,640 feet


Nepal opens travel, trekking, rafting businesses to foreign investors
The Nepal Government has opened the travel, trekking and rafting sectors to foreign investment. The government has introduced this provision by amending the Travel and Trekking Regulations and promulgating Rafting Regulations.
These sectors were limited only to domestic investors. But foreign investors were allowed to invest in hotels, lodges, casinos and restaurants.
More foreign companies are likely to make investments in these sectors in Nepal. This could help Nepal’s entire tourism industry, as the bigger foreign companies will market the country in an effective manner.

Nepal's Buddhist Circuit promoted in Bangkok
The Nepal promotion programme concluded successfully in Thailand after China by organising Press and Tour Operators Meet in Bangkok on 7th July 2006. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation/Government of Nepal in cooperation with Nepal Tourism Board organized the event in Bangkok where over 90 tour operators, top media and friends of Nepal attended the function. Nepalese delegation disseminated latest tourism information and situation updates of the country. The delegation also unveiled recently launched Nepal's new tourism brand "Naturally Nepal - Once is not enough" to the travel trade and media of Thailand. Special presentation on Buddhist Circuits was also shown to the gathering during the function.

Highlighting the current political scenario of Nepal, the Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Pandey said that peace had now prevailed in Nepal. He also explained the importance of Nepal, the birth place of Lord Buddha, as a pilgrimage destination to the Thai visitors. Though there are many other Buddhist sites all over the World, Lumbini holds special significance as Lord Buddha himself told his disciples to visit this place. Secretary Pandey told that the Government of Nepal had given high priority to the tourism sector, and it was in process of preparing new tourism policy and masterplan for guiding Nepal's tourism development and marketing.
Welcoming the guests, Charge de Affaires at Nepal Embassy Mr. Arjun Pd. Mainali assured that Nepal Embassy, Bangkok was always happy to assist and avail all possible cooperation to the Thai trade as well as visitors.

Three among world's top 75 destinations from Nepal
Nepal has once again come to limelight globally as a popular adventure destination with the November issue of Wanderlust magazine based in the United Kingdom (UK) published the list of top 75 destinations from all over the world. The list is reported to be based on the request made by the magazine to vote for Seven Wonders of the World. In the list, Mt. Everest, the Himalayas and the Kali Gandaki Gorge have been placed on the 14th, 36th and 43rd positions respectively.

Climbers attempt new route up Mt. Everest
In 2006 a group of climbers plan to attempt to summit Mt. Everest via the mountain's last major unclimbed ridge.  Believing the ridge could be climbed only in fantasy, George Leigh Mallory named it “Fantasy Ridge.” For nearly 100 years his proclamation about Fantasy Ridge has proven true, but the 2006 team has said: “We seek a new route up Everest via Fantasy Ridge.  Our plans will be complicated; our expenses will be high.  Our task will be formidable, but our spirit will carry us forward.”