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Jan 29, 2007
EBC Ranked First Among Asia's Major 11 Tourist Spots
Lying at an elevation of about 5,350 meters above sea level, Everest
Base Camp in Nepal has been ranked as the first in the list of Asia's 11
major tourist destinations. The ranking has been made by Venture
Magazine. The UK-based company has been specialized in worldwide
adventure tours for about two and a half decades.
It may be great pride for Nepal that the top destination precedes other
destinations such as Lhasa (Tibet), the Taj Mahal (India), Kettuvalom
Cruising (India), Benotta Beach (Sri Lanka) and the Great Wall of China.
These destinations have been ranked as the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th
respectively.
Making its comment, the magazine says: Asia has a wealth of riches,
among them the world's highest mountains, the oldest civilizations and
an unsurpassed biodiversity. From such abundance we have picked a team
of attractions that should make it on every traveller's wish list. We
can take you to all of them. But how many have you seen?
EBC, which is listed on UNESCO's Natural Heritage Sites, boasts of
having unparalleled high mountain scenery on earth.
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Jan 29, 2007
Pokhara Plans To Host Paragliding World Cup In 2010
The three-day Nepal 8th Open Paragliding Championship- 2007, which was
held in the tourist hub city of Pokhara, was concluded on January 27,
2007.
British pilot Jamie Massenger emerged first in the championship and
received Rs. 15,000 and trophy.
Similarly, Austrian pilot Justin Tauman and British pilot Adam Hill were
declared second and third respectively. Tauvman and Hill received Rs.
9,000 and a certificate and Hill bagged Rs. 7,000 and a certificate
respectively.
Meanwhile, Indian pilot Ajay Kumar Sharma became the Best Acrobat,
while, Canadian pilot Kevin Kutzner emerged the Best Sports Landing and
Nepali pilot Ghanashyam Gautam bagged the Best Costume award.
More than 70 pilots from 22 different countries of the world had
participated in the adventure sports event.
Organized by TAAN Western Regional Chapter Pokhara, in association with
Nepal AirSports Association Nepal, the sports event aimed at promoting
tourist attractions of Pokhara and the surrounding areas. The Nepal
Tourism Board (NTB) promoted the event.
Having been encouraged by the success of the last eight annual adventure
sporting events, Pokhara is planning to host the Paragliding World Cup
in 2010. According to coordinator of the event, Mr. Tikaram Sapkota,
TAAN Western Regional Chapter Pokhara has thought of organizing the mega
international event in 2010. The chapter has been organizing such an
adventure tourism event annually since 1999.
Pokhara and the surrounding areas are regarded as the world's one of the
most suitable places for organizing paragliding championship. Although
Nepal has very few pilots for paragliding championship, the successive
events in Pokhara have helped increase interest among pilots in it.
There are an estimated 1 million para-gliders worldwide. Of them, Japan
alone has about 100,000. The number of such adventure lovers stands at
about 40,000 in France.
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Jan 28, 2007
Everest + ER Presented
A documentary entitled "Everest + ER" was presented at the hall of the
Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal (HRA) in Kathmandu on January 28,
2007.
Developed by BBC, the documentary shows the medical and rescue
operations conducted by the foreign volunteer doctors working for HRA at
the temporary clinic of Everest Base Camp in spring 2006.
The documentary offers a lot of information about the high altitude
mountain sickness and the efforts of the volunteer doctors to save the
lives of porters, trekking guides and trekkers at Everest Base Camp.
HRA has been operating a temporary clinic at the world's highest point
since spring 2003 together with the foreign volunteer doctors. The
clinic has been conducted under the leadership of volunteer medical
doctor Luanne Freer, who hails from the United States.
Bikram Neupane praised Dr. Luanne and other volunteer doctors for their
exemplary roles in saving the lives of the people in the Everest region.
Sharing her four times of experience at Everest Base Camp clinic, Dr.
Luanne was proud to say that nobody has lost his/her life in the clinic.
"In order to run the clinic in a sustainable manner, I am trying to
raise funds in my country," she said.
She informed that 15 lives were saved by the clinic in the last year's
spring alone. "The clinic has benefited the climbing community and the
local people of the popular Khumbu region," she said.
She had shown her keen interest to work voluntarily in Nepal's mountain
region, as she came to know about the Himalayan country from Dr. Buddha
Basnyat, HRA's medical director, in 1999.
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Jan 26, 2007
Himalayan Int'l Travel Mart To be Held In Kathmandu In May
In its bid to promote Nepal as a premier tourist destination abroad,
Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA) will organise the 2nd
NATTA Himalayan Travel Mart in Kathmandu between May 11 and 13 this
year.
About 100 foreign buyers and a number of tourism professionals from
different tourist generating countries are expected to take part in the
mega tourism event. The event will be held at the Birendra International
Convention Centre (BICC) in the capital city.
The promotional event is the continuation of the NATTA's First Int'l
Tourism Mart held in Kathmandu in May 2005.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), Nepal
Tourism Board (NTB) and Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) will also
contribute towards making the event a success.
The organizers are quite hopeful that the event would help introduce
Nepal's vast tourism resources to foreign tour operators, tourism
professionals and media.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Pradip Kumar
Gyawali, who is also the patron of the mart organizing committee, said
that the event would be an important milestone in promoting the
country's tourism products. "As peace now prevails in Nepal, the tourism
mart will be instrumental in highlighting the country abroad," said
Minister Mr. Gyawali while addressing a press conference organized in
Kathmandu on January 26, 2007.
Realizing the vital role that the aviation sector plays for tourism
promotion, the government has encouraged foreign airlines to operate
flights to Nepal.
He also said that the government has remained committed to consolidating
the national flag carrier—Nepal Airlines—and encouraging the domestic
airlines to go international.
On the occasion, Mr. Dhruba Narayan Shrestha, President of NATTA, said
and Mr. Arjun Prasad Sharma, coordinator of the event, expressed the
hope that the mart would have participants from more than 20 countries
around the world.
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Jan 25, 2007
8th Open Paragliding Championship begins in Pokhara
As planned, the Nepal 8th Open Paragliding Championship- 2007 started in
Pokhara from January 25, 2007.
A total of 70 participants from across the globe are participating in
the three-day adventure sporting event. Fifty-eight of them are
foreigners.
Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Urmila Aryal
opened the event amidst a function in the tourist hub city of Pokhara.
The event, which is being organized by the TAAN (Trekking Agencies'
Association of Nepal) Western Regional Chapter Pokhara, in association
with Nepal Airsports Association Nepal, the championship aims at
highlighting Pokhara and the nearby areas as tourist destinations. As
the national tourism organization, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has
promoted the event.
Pokhara, which is a major gateway to the well-known trekking region—the
Annapurna Region—has been hosting the event annually since 1999 keeping
in view the tremendous prospects of the promotion of adventure tourism.
Nepal started to be known as an adventure tourist destination in the
international tourism market after the successful ascent of Mt.
Annapurna I in 1950. Similarly, the Annapurna Trekking Circuit is
considered the best trekking area of the world. Pokhara and the
surrounding area is one of the world's most suitable areas.
The pilots take off from Sarangkot and land at Lakeside. A number of
programs such as duet will be organized during the time.
The participant showing the best performance will be awarded a medal and
certificate along with Rs. 15,000 in cash.
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Jan 22, 2007
Spanish Mountaineer Dies On Ama Dablam
A Spanish mountaineer lost his life while coming down from the summit of
Mr. Ama Dablam on January 19, 2007, according to Mr. Ganesh Neupane,
managing director of Monterosa Treks & Expedition (P) Ltd.
Forty-seven-year-old Guillermo Mateo Yeste, who was a climbing
instructor from Madrid of Spain, had reached the summit of Mt. Ama
Dablam (6,812m) and fell 35 minutes after leaving the top.
Mateo, leader of a seven-member expedition, is feared to have fallen
from about 6,500 meters, said Mr. Neupane. "Search operation has been
postponed for now because of heavy snowfall in the area," he said.
According to him, the other members of the team are returning to
Kathmandu.
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Jan 22, 2007
GMG Airlines Operating Flights To Kuala Lumpur
Nepal will have increased air access to Malaysia with Bangladesh's only
private airline, launching its scheduled flights on Dhaka-Kula
Lumpur-Dhaka sector from January 23, 2007.
As per a press release issued by GMG Airlines in Kathmandu, the airline
will operate three flights a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) on
this new sector. The flights will leave Dhaka at 20:30 hours local time,
and reach the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur next day by early
morning, 02:30 hours. From Kuala Lumpur, the flight will depart on
Mondays, Wednesdays Fridays at 03:30 hours, and will reach Dhaka by
05:30 hours.
In the press release, Mr. Virendra Nautiyal, Director– Commercial,
International Operations of GMG Airlines, said that the airline's
expansion plan to Malaysia would provide a good opportunity for Nepalese
travelers, as the Kathmandu /Dhaka flight will connect Dhaka/Kuala
Lumpur flight within one hour’s short transit time.
He said the airline has expanded its international network in to four
cities viz Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu and Kuala Lumpur within a very
short span of just three months of time.
Calling the new plan a welcome step, Mr. .Joy Dewan, Managing Director,
Zenith Travels, which is the general sales agent of GMG Airlines in
Nepal, opined that it would support the Nepalese travel industry. He
expressed the hope that the new flight operation would help a large
number of workforce travelling to Malaysia.
the press release states, "For Kathmandu-Dhaka and Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur
sectors, GMG Airlines uses MD-82 type of aircraft with 153 seats. The
airline has also launched special air fares in the market for Kathmandu
– Kuala Lumpur sector."
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Jan 19, 2007
CSA to Fly To Kathmandu from Feb. 5
The China Southern Airlines (CSA) has rescheduled to begin its direct
regular flights on Guangzhou-Kathmandu-Guangzhou from February 5, 2007.
Earlier, airlines had announced that it would start flying to Kathmandu
from January 22, 2007.
Sources at the Gorkha Travels, the general sales agent (GSA) of the CSA
in Nepal, confirmed that the SCA flights would begin from February 5.
With its Boeing 757, the airlines will operate flights on Mondays and
Fridays.
The airline has also made changes arrival and departure times. The
flights will land at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 22:45
and take off at 23:45.
The two-way fare of the 4:15 hour's flight has been fixed at Rs. 43,000.
However, the airline has offered a more attractive fare of Rs. 37,000 as
promotional fare.
The CSA has been ranked as the largest carrier in China for the last 27
years. It carried about 44.12 million passengers in 2005 alone. With
good networks, CSA flies to 142 destinations worldwide.
The airline has about 38 international offices at major metropolitan
markets around the world, including Amsterdam, Ho Chi Minth City, Los
Angeles, Paris, Singapore, Seoul, Sharjah, Sidney and Tokyo.
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Jan 18, 2007
Messner's Clarion Call To Visit Nepal
Reinhold Messner, a world famous mountaineer, has asked the German
people to travel to Nepal.
Mr. Messner made the clarion call while speaking at a press conference
organized in Stuttgard of Germany on January 15, 2007 according to a
press release issued by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
"Nepal is as safe as it used to be for the visiting tourists," Mr.
Messner told the press conference.
He is the first climber to scale the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters
and many other high mountains. "The ever smiling and hospitable people
in Nepal are welcoming tourists in the changed political context," he
said at the gathering that was attended by about 40 journalists.
Similarly, he delivered lecture at a gathering of about 400 business
people. After the press conference, he visited the Nepal Stand and
signed his books to the public.
Nepalese Ambassador to Germany Mr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai also attended
the program, which was focused on the changed context of Nepal following
the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord. Ann- Katrin Bauknecht,
Honorary Nepalese Consul General and ambassador Bhattarai shed light on
Nepal's peace process.
Meanwhile, a documentary 'Nepal - Journey's on the Roof of the World'
was screened at Nepal Embassy Hall in London on January 16, 2007.
The documentary film, produced by 73Films with the support of NTB,
depicts various tourism activities such as river rafting, trekking,
village tour, jungle safari, Dashain festival, Nepali life style, states
the press release.
Stephan Sherman, the producer and director of the film, highlighted his
14-month experience in Nepal during the making of the film. He also
recalled the "worth of incredible friendship" while in Nepal.
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Jan 16, 2007
Interim Constitution Comes Into Force In Nepal
As yet another landmark event in the peace process of Nepal, the
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-Maoist) has returned to the parliament
after eleven years of the 'People's War.'
The country's Interim Constitution was approved by the inaugural session
of the newly formed 330-member Interim Legislature at the Parliament on
January 15 evening
With the formation of the Interim Parliament that has members from the
eight major political parties, including the CPN (Maoist), and the civil
society, the National Assembly as well as the reinstated House of
Representatives were announced dissolved.
The new legislature includes 83 lawmakers from the CPN (Maoist) alone.
With the formation of the inclusive interim legislature, the major
political parties are in the process of forming an all-party interim
government. The new government will have the responsibility of holding
the elections for the Constituent Assembly before June this year.
The interim parliament is likely to elect its Speaker on its meeting on
January 17, 2007.
The Maoists' entrance into the House was an event of attraction for all.
They were in a single-file procession like a battalion of army. Most of
them were in their grey-colour jackets.
Top Maoist leaders like Chairman Prachanda, second man Dr. Baburam
Bhattarai and army wing chief Mr. Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal were
present on the parapet.
The nominated members from other parties were seen busy exchanging
greetings and congratulations in an exhilarating manner.
Nepali Congress leader Mr. Bal Bahadur Rai, who is the senior most
leader by age in the interim parliament, administered an oath of office
and secrecy to all the nominated members.
With the ratification of the interim constitution, the 1990 constitution
of Nepal has been scrapped. The interim statute is the sixth
constitution of the country.
In the meantime, the Government of Nepal declared a public holiday for
January 16 to mark the promulgation of the interim constitution.
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Jan 15, 2007
"Snow Leopard" to Climb Everest
One of Nepal's famous climbers—Angrita Sherpa, 64, will attempt on Mt.
Everest (8,848m) in the coming spring season.
Mr. Sherpa is popularly known as the 'Snow Leopard". Born in Thame of
the famous Khumbu Region, Mr. Sherpa has been in the field of climbing
for the last five decades. Mountaineer Sherpa will be an honorary member
of the Loktantrik Everest Expedition. This will be his 10th attempt on
the world's highest peak.
Mr. Sherpa's sons have also been involved in mountaineering. His elder
son Mr. Krasang Sherpa has scaled the peak for seven times, while his
second son Mr. Chhewang Dorji has made it to the peak for five times and
the youngest one, Mr. Phurbanuru has climbed it once.
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Jan 15, 2007
Trekker Passes Away
Australian trekker Martin With, 55 died of heart attack during his
trekking at Jamune of Khare Village Development Committee of the Dolkha
district on January 13, 2007.
He suffered from the heart problem when he and his wife were returning
to Kathmandu from the Rolwaling region. They were on a trekking trip in
the region since the last 15 days.
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Jan. 15, 2007
British Film Festival In Capital, Pokhara
The sixth British film festival is going to be organised at Kathmandu's
Gopi Krishna Hall from January 15 to 19, 2007.
The festival is being organised with assistance of the British Embassy
and sponsored by Gopi Krishna Cinema, according to the British Council.
The film Hotel Rwanda, which is based on the conflict of Rwanda in 1994,
will be displayed on the opening day of the five-day festival.
Some more other films such as The Mistresses of Spices, Nanny Mcphee,
Vera Drake and Joyeux Noël: Merry Christmas will also be screened during
the festival.
Meanwhile, the British film festival will also be organised in the
tourist hub city of Pokhara from January 26 to 28, 2007.
The films will be screened at Shree Krishna Hall in Pokhara. The event
will coincide with the much-awaited 8th Nepal Open Paragliding
Championship 2007.
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Jan 13, 2007
Chitwan Mahotsav Kicks Off
With a view to promoting a wide range of products of the Chitwan
district, the Chitwan festival has been organised in Chitwan from
January 12, 2007.
While inaugurating the 0-day festival amidst a special ceremony, Speaker
of the House of Representatives Mr. Subash Chandra Nemwang said that the
House would leave no stone unturned for the protection of one-horned
rhinos.
Organised jointly by the Narayangadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
the District Development Committee, Chitwan, Ratnanagar Chamber of
Commerce and Industry, Ratnanagar Municipality and Bharatpur
Municipality, the festival aims to promote trade and tourism products
and services of Chitwan.
Apart from this, the organisers have focussed their efforts on
highlighting local culture and generating massive public awareness about
the conservation of flora and fauna. A number of folk cultural
programmes, lifestyle and educational facilities and services available
in the district have also been part of the event.
Being rich in tourism attractions, the Chitwan district lies between 141
metres and 945 metres above sea level.
The Chitwan National Park, Siraichuli, Upper Dangdadhi, religious site
of Devghat, Bishhazari Tal, temple of Maulikalika and Balmiki Ashram are
the major tourist attractions in the district.
Considered as the third biggest tourist destination in Nepal after
Kathmandu and Pokhara, Chitwan alone attracts about 100,000 foreign
tourists and many more domestic visitors annually.
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Jan 8, 2007
Medical Research To Be Carried Out On Everest
A team of medical researchers is going to climb the 8,848-metre Mt.
Everest in order to look death in the face – and take its pulse in
spring 2007.
The team will make the first ever measurements of blood oxygen in the
‘death zone’, at altitudes above 8,000 metres where the human body has
struggled - and frequently failed - to survive, according to a news
report.
In its fresh news report, www.everestnews.com states: the Centre for
Aviation, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine (CASE) team, based at
University College London (UCL), will lead the expedition to the world's
tallest peak. At the summit, clinicians will measure the amount of
oxygen in their own blood along with running tests to see how well their
brains, lungs and metabolisms are working at extreme altitude. The
experiments alone entail a risk of thrombosis and other complications;
combined with the harsh mountain conditions, only the toughest are
likely to finish the job, states the online news service.
The team will have researchers-cum-doctors and more than 200 volunteers,
according to www.xtreme-everest.co.uk.
The team, all of whom work with anesthesia, intensive care or remote
medicine, hope to draw parallels between the human body pushed to its
limits during critical illness and changes that occur in extreme
environments. Low levels of oxygen in the blood of high altitude
climbers is similar to levels in critically ill patients on breathing
machines with severe heart and lung conditions, “blue babies” and cystic
fibrosis sufferers, says the news report.
The summiteers will also test a prototype closed-circuit breathing
system. This type of circuit has only once previously - and
unsuccessfully - been used by climbers attempting the summit. The
equipment, adapted from firefighters’ apparatus, will be redesigned to
cope with icy conditions.
The Xtreme Everest expedition will consist of research teams exploring
the following science themes: Hypoxia (oxygen deficiency); Brain;
Breathing Systems and Genetics. High altitude laboratories set up en
route, including one on Everest's South Col (8,000m), will enable
collaborating scientists to investigate many aspects of extreme altitude
physiology including illnesses such as fluid on the brain and lungs and
acute mountain sickness. The genetics project will track and compare the
genetic profile of high altitude natives, lowlanders and summiteers to
identify genes that aid survival in extreme altitudes.
A separate initiative called Project Everest will recruit over 1000
volunteers to take part in cardiovascular fitness research at UCL in the
run up to the expedition. Participants will undergo Cardiopulmonary
Exercise Testing (CPEX) which will measure their heart rate and
breathing to determine their maximum exercise potential and endurance,
which can then be used to tailor fitness training programmes.
The core climbing group of seven, two of whom have yet to be recruited,
include cardiovascular geneticist Dr Hugh Montgomery, GP Dr Sundeep
Dhillon, high altitude clinician Dr Mike Grocott, clinician Dr Roger
McMorrow and diving expert Dr Denny Levett. Space expert Dr Kevin Fong
along with Dr Levett will act as medics for the expedition teams. Dr
Dhillon is the only participant who has experience of climbing above
8,000m. Along with the usual climbing dangers of rockfalls and
avalanches, the group will be risking medical complications such as high
altitude illness, frostbite, hypothermia and brain damage, the online
news service states.
CASE director and expedition leader Dr Mike Grocott says: “If you
reached the top of Everest without acclimatizing, you would be
unconscious within two minutes, and death would follow rapidly.
Acclimatization has allowed human beings to survive and thrive in the
most extreme conditions, but it remains a poorly understood process. Our
goal is to study life at the very limit."
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Jan 8, 2007
2006 Records 2% Growth in Visitor Arrivals
The number of tourists coming to Nepal by air in 2006 recorded a
marginal growth of 2.3% as compared to the figure of 2005, a press
release issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
has stated.
Arrivals were positive in the first quarter and the last quarter showed
an encouraging trend. However, the visitors went down.
The month of December recorded a nominal growth of 0.4%. Visitors
arriving from Europe, US and other non-Indian Asian tourist generating
countries showed a growth of 6.1%, while Indian arrivals declined by
8.3% during the month.
Japan, China and South Korea showed an exceptional growth during the
month with gains of 36.4%, 7.2% and 70.7% respectively. However,
arrivals from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand decreased by 42.6%, 30.2%
and 30.2% respectively.
The European markets recorded an encouraging growth (12.2%) during the
month. Arrivals from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and
Spain increased by 5.5%, 21.3%, 25.6%, 33.7%, 41.9% respectively.
Arrivals from the Netherlands, too, increased by 2%. However, tourist
arrivals from Austria, Belgium and Switzerland went down by 9.4%, 14.7%
and 34% respectively.
The number of tourists from the United States and Australia also
increased by 10.6% and 2.7% respectively.
The non-Indian market, which shared about 64% of the total arrivals,
shot up by 6.1%. This shows the growing consumer confidence and interest
towards Nepal from the long-haul markets.
The Nepalese tourism industry seems to be looking up, with the current
peace process and the operation of flights by some foreign international
airlines. Keeping in view this, the tourism industry in Nepal could grow
significantly in 2007.
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Jan 04, 2007
CSA all set to fly to Kathmandu from Jan. 22
China Southern Airlines (CSA) will start operating its scheduled flights
to Kathmandu from China's trading hub of Guangzhou from January 22,
2007.
With its Boeing 757s, CSA will be flying to Kathmandu on Mondays and
Fridays, according to the Gorkha Travels (P) Ltd. that represents the
airline in Nepal.
The CSA flights will leave the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at
11.45 p.m. The two-way fare of the 4:15-hour flight amounts at Rs.
43,000 (exclusive of taxes).
Having carried a total of 44.12 million passengers in 2005, CSA has been
ranked as the biggest airline in China for the last 27 years. With
better network, the airline operates flights to 142 various destinations
globally.
The airline has about 38 international offices at major metropolitan
markets around the world, including Amsterdam, Ho Chi Minth City, Los
Angeles, Paris, Singapore, Seoul, Sharjah, Sidney and Tokyo.
With the operation of the CSA flights, Nepal will have increased air
access to China. This will help attract more Chinese as well as foreign
tourists.
Following the the peace process in Nepal, three airlines have already
started operating flights to the country. They are GMG Airlines from
Bangladesh, Air Arabia from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Korean
Air from South Korea.
Some more foreign airlines-- Air Ethiad from Saudi Arabia, Orient Thai
from Thailand, Sri Lankan Airlines via Mumbai-- are also in the process
of operating flights to Nepal.
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Jan 02, 2007
Visit Pokhara Year 2007 Commences
As planned, Visit Pokhara Year 2007 commenced in Pokhara from January 1,
2007.
The tourism promotional campaign, which is the largest tourism event
after the landmark campaign, Visit Nepal Year 1998, is being celebrated
by organizing a series of tourism-related programs throughout the year.
The event was opened by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
Mr. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali at a special function in Pokhara on January 1,
2007.
Mr. Gyawali said that the celebration is being organized to capitalize
on the ongoing peace process. The event aims to highlight Nepal as a
premier tourist destination in the post-conflict period by restoring the
country's image in the international arena.
The event is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and
Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Pokhara
Tourism Council. The organizers want to attract increase the number of
foreign tourists by 25% and domestic tourists by 40% in 2007 as compared
to the arrivals of 2006.
The event also aims to lengthen the stay of tourists to three days from
1.5 days and raise the international tourist's expenditure to US$ 40 per
day from current US$ 25.
It may be an important development that the local leaders of major
political parities expressed their vows that they would not call for any
general strike or bandh in Pokhara during the whole year.
Pokhara is the second largest tourist destination in Nepal after the
capital valley of Kathmandu. Pokhara alone attracts around 25 percent of
the total tourists visiting the country. The lake city is also the major
gateway to the world-famous trekking area—the Annapurna Region.
Mr. Gyawali said that government had wanted to promote the tourism
sector in the Western Region of the country by organizing Visit Pokhara
Year 2007.
The event also aims to promote other neighboring destinations such as
Lumbini, Palpa, Syangja, Gorkha and Tanahu besides highlighting Pokhara.
He also informed that the government was working to strengthen the Nepal
Airlines Corporation (NAC). "We are trying to attract more international
airlines to Nepal," he said.
Although the event has been announced without doing much homework, it is
significant, as it is being organized at a time when the Nepalese
tourism sector is in dire need for a boost. The industry was hit hard by
the decade-long internal conflict.
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Jan 01, 2007
10% TSC Comes Into Effect
After holding elaborate discussions, Hoteliers and Workers have agreed
to introduce
10% Tourism Service Charge (TSC). HAN officials and five major trade
unions of hotel and restaurant workers reached the agreement on December
30, 2006.
According to Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) sources, TSC is being charged
on all services in hotels and restaurants from January 1, 2007. However,
the new provision is not applicable for other areas like services
provided by rental units, shopping arcades, souvenir shops, beauty
parlors, salons, massage services, health clubs, bookstores, casino and
office spaces.
Around 200,000 workers in the hotel industry are expected to get
benefits from TSC. As per the agreement, 68% of the revenue collected
through TSC would go for staff welfare, while the remaining 32% to the
hotel management.
The hotel workers had been lobbying hard the introduction of TSC for the
last several years. But the provision was not brought into effect
considering the declining tourist arrivals.
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Jan 01, 2007
Maoists Urged to Stop Raising Money from Tourists
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Pradip Kumar Gyawali
has pointed out the need for increasing the number of tourists visiting
Nepal by four folds to give a boost to the national economy.
Minister Mr. Gyawali called for the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to
help flourish the tourism industry.
"Maoists should stop raising money from the visiting tourists," he said,
while addressing a program organized to observe the 8th anniversary of
the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) in Kathmandu on December 31, 2006.
He also called for paying special attention towards promoting religious
tourism in Nepal.
The Himalayan country has a number Buddhist as well as Hindu pilgrimage
sites.
He said that the government has thought of restructuring of the Tourism
Council by increasing the number of private sector representatives.
Dr. Jagdish Chandra Pokhrel, the Vice-Chairman of the National Planning
Commission (NPC), urged the tourism bodies and entrepreneurs to
capitalize on present peaceful situation of the country.
Formed as a public-private partnership organization in 1999, NTB,
together with the private sector companies, has been promoting Nepal's
tourism resources in the international market. |