Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has said that animal parts and trophies were destroyed to discourage the poaching of wildlife.
Inaugurating the program organized to destroy animal parts and trophies at Kasara Monday, the Foreign Affairs Minister said that the body parts and trophies of wildlife have no importance.
He said that natural life and death is the right of wildlife. Saying poaching of rare wildlife in Nepal has been considered as a serious crime, Mahat said that the government would not leave any stone unturned to take strict action against those involved in wildlife poaching.
He said that support of local communities was necessary to the government bodies to reduce poaching.
Similarly, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Shankar Bhandari said that the animal parts and trophies were burnt to destroy them to give a message that animal parts and trophies are useless for any purpose.
He said that the animal parts and trophies were destroyed to reduce poaching of wildlife as well as to reduce illegal trade. Minister Bhandari said that some animal parts and trophies have been kept for research and study.
A monument would be built above the place where the ash is buried after destroying the animal parts and trophies.
Saying forest, wildlife and environment have inter-relation among each other, Minister for Population and Environment Jaydev Joshi said that conservation of rare wildlife has now become a challenge.
Likewise, State Minister for Forest Dirgharaj Bhat said that a mission destroying the animal parts and trophies became successful due to support of all while Secretary at the Forest Ministry Prakash Mathema said that program was significant to control crime against wildlife, to follow the criteria determined by CITES, to disseminate a message that animal parts and trophies have no meaning after death of wildlife.
Similarly, US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina B Teplitz said that it would help to disseminate a message to control poaching of rare wildlife in international arena.
The animal parts and trophies were destroyed in a 15-meter long and five-meter wide furnace.
A total of 4,012 pieces of animal parts and trophies, stored at the Armed Forest Guard Training CentER, Tikauli, and Kasara of the Chitwan National Park, were destroyed. Of them, 67 tiger hides, 357 horns of rhinos, a piece of skin of snow leopard, 418 leopard hides, among others were destroyed.
Some animal parts and trophies including 67 tiger hides, 375 horns of rhino, five tiger hides, 10 horns of the one-horned rhino, a piece of snow leopard skin and five pieces of leopard skins, among others, are to be kept for study and research. Eighty-four pieces of animal parts and trophies of 27 species are going to be kept safely.
Coordinator of the Animal Parts and Trophies Management Implementation Committee and Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Man Bahadur Khadka said that destroyed animal parts and trophies were of 48 species. A total of 1,100 kg of elephant tusks are not to be destroyed this time as it needs 900 degrees centigrade heat to burn it.
Saying there was challenge in the security of animal parts and trophies, Director General of the Department of Forest Krishna Prasad Acharya said that it was necessary to destroy it.
Different countries including Malaysia, UAE, USA, Thailand, Kenya and Vietnam also destroy the animal parts and trophies.
The stored animal parts were seized while being smuggled to other countries via Nepal. The animal parts and trophies were destroyed as per the decision of Council of Ministers on May 18.
Earlier, the animal parts and trophies were destroyed at the Armed Forest Guard Training Center, Tikauli, on March 22, 1998. RSS
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Chitwan National Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chitwan National Park. Show all posts
Monday, 22 May 2017
Nature Breeds Tourism
With 71.5 million tourists, tourism in the Hindu Kush Himalaya plays a potentially significant role in addressing poverty
Biodiversity is the basis for many tourism activities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
Scenic landscapes, forests, lakes, mountains, and farmlands attract many tourists to the region. Iconic bird and animal species are also major attractions.
The snow leopard is a flagship mountain species found in the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Himalaya ranges spanning across Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Although an elusive animal, the snow leopard draws many tourists to these mountain ranges.
The naturally dammed lakes of Band-e-Amir National Park in Afghanistan attract tourists from all over the world to the country’s Bamyan Province.
In Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan, the prospect of trophy hunting markhor, a wild goat famed for its twisted horns, attracts many tourists each year.
In China’s Hongyuan Grassland in Sichuan Province, highland pastures showcase aspects of the nomadic Tibetan lifestyle to tourists.
As its name suggests, the Valley of Flowers in India’s Uttarakhand State attracts numerous tourists with its diversity of flowers, of which there are more than 500 species that include wild poppies, asters, and orchids, among others.
The one-horned rhinoceros in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, attracts more than 100,000 tourists every year.
In Bhutan’s Phobjika Valley, the black-necked crane festival, organized annually since 1998, plays an important role in attracting tourists to the country, particularly during the month of November.
Inle Lake, with its stilt houses, floating markets, and floating gardens, is an important tourist destination in Myanmar.
Biodiversity plays an integral role in the daily lives of indigenous peoples in the HKH. Biodiversity is a source of food, clothing, shelter, and medicine for many communities.
Interestingly, such traditional uses of biodiversity form the very essence of tourism in many places in the HKH.
The residents of Hunza Valley in Pakistan rely on organically grown local food, which is believed to contribute to their long life and good health.
Hunza apricots, in particular, are now popular among visitors to the valley, and a taste of the traditional apricot soup, Haneetze Duodo, is an essential culinary element in the Hunza Valley tour itinerary.
Almost two centuries ago, the Khasi tribe in Meghalaya, northeast India, learned to train the roots of rubber trees to build sturdy bridges that could survive many years in a wet and humid environment.
Some of these bridges continue to survive, and today, experiencing these ‘living’ bridges is a must for many tourists visiting Meghalaya.
The use of plants and animals in traditional medicine dates back many centuries to the practice of Ayurveda. In the high mountain regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, this traditional medicinal practice is known as Sowa-Rigpa.
Many travelers visit the HKH to practice and learn these ancient medical techniques. For the slightly curious visitor, a tour of the National Institute of Traditional Medicine in Thimphu, Bhutan, could be most enlightening.
While it is biodiversity that attracts tourists, tourism itself can have a significant negative impact on biodiversity.
Tourism infrastructure, including buildings, campsites, roads, trails, and bridges are sometimes constructed in pristine areas by clearing vegetation and excavating land. These activities can potentially lead to biodiversity loss.
The practice of collecting wild plants and animals either by local communities to sell to tourists for food or souvenirs, or by the tourists themselves, is also likely to put pressure on biodiversity.
Mushroom, fern, bamboo shoot, fish, and wild honey are some natural products that, if not sustainably harvested, face the threat of resource depletion.
Tourism is also responsible for the introduction of many alien species ie, plants or animals that do not naturally occur in a given environment.
They may be intentionally introduced: for instance, new fish species may be introduced to a natural lake to promote fishing, or flowers and trees may be planted for ornamental, economic, or functional purposes.
They may be accidentally introduced:
The seeds or spores of some plants may be transported to new areas via vehicle tires or visitors’ luggage, clothes, and shoes.
Alien species that proliferate in these new environments, ie those species that become invasive, can outcompete local, naturally occurring species, resulting in ecological changes, including biodiversity loss.
Solid waste and its mismanagement are serious threats resulting from tourism in the HKH. Since the turn of the century, Mount Everest has gained notoriety for the waste that mountaineers have left behind after their expeditions.
Other tourist destinations in the HKH also face similar challenges not only from solid waste, but also from sewerage. Discharge from toxic solid wastes and inadequately treated sewerage can seep into the ground and pollute groundwater and other water bodies.
This affects not only biodiversity such as fish and aquatic plants, but also local residents—and tourists— who rely on groundwater for domestic or agricultural purposes.
Understanding that biodiversity is the basis for many tourism activities in the HKH is conducive to ensuring that this tourism base is maintained in the long term.
There are already proven conservation success stories interlinked with tourism. For example, revenue from tourism has contributed to reviving populations of markhors in Pakistan, rhinos in Nepal, and black-necked cranes in Bhutan.
National policies are in place in the HKH to conserve natural resources that form the basis for tourism. Moreover, global guidelines have also been developed to achieve sustainable tourism development.
The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Development provide a framework to make tourism and biodiversity more mutually supportive.
The engagement of the private sector and local communities is especially necessary for the promotion of tourism based on the sustainable use of biodiversity.
Such an approach benefits both local communities that rely on natural resources for their livelihoods, in addition to tourism, as well as travelers who are now increasingly favoring tourism that is both environmentally and culturally friendly.
With nearly 71.5 million tourists visiting every year, tourism in the HKH plays a potentially significant role in addressing poverty through the creation of jobs, skills, and income for thousands of people.
Meanwhile, conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity is essential for providing long term benefits to the region’s residents.
Biodiversity is the basis for many tourism activities in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH).
Scenic landscapes, forests, lakes, mountains, and farmlands attract many tourists to the region. Iconic bird and animal species are also major attractions.
The snow leopard is a flagship mountain species found in the Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Himalaya ranges spanning across Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Although an elusive animal, the snow leopard draws many tourists to these mountain ranges.
The naturally dammed lakes of Band-e-Amir National Park in Afghanistan attract tourists from all over the world to the country’s Bamyan Province.
In Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan, the prospect of trophy hunting markhor, a wild goat famed for its twisted horns, attracts many tourists each year.
In China’s Hongyuan Grassland in Sichuan Province, highland pastures showcase aspects of the nomadic Tibetan lifestyle to tourists.
As its name suggests, the Valley of Flowers in India’s Uttarakhand State attracts numerous tourists with its diversity of flowers, of which there are more than 500 species that include wild poppies, asters, and orchids, among others.
The one-horned rhinoceros in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, attracts more than 100,000 tourists every year.
In Bhutan’s Phobjika Valley, the black-necked crane festival, organized annually since 1998, plays an important role in attracting tourists to the country, particularly during the month of November.
Inle Lake, with its stilt houses, floating markets, and floating gardens, is an important tourist destination in Myanmar.
Biodiversity plays an integral role in the daily lives of indigenous peoples in the HKH. Biodiversity is a source of food, clothing, shelter, and medicine for many communities.
Interestingly, such traditional uses of biodiversity form the very essence of tourism in many places in the HKH.
The residents of Hunza Valley in Pakistan rely on organically grown local food, which is believed to contribute to their long life and good health.
Hunza apricots, in particular, are now popular among visitors to the valley, and a taste of the traditional apricot soup, Haneetze Duodo, is an essential culinary element in the Hunza Valley tour itinerary.
Almost two centuries ago, the Khasi tribe in Meghalaya, northeast India, learned to train the roots of rubber trees to build sturdy bridges that could survive many years in a wet and humid environment.
Some of these bridges continue to survive, and today, experiencing these ‘living’ bridges is a must for many tourists visiting Meghalaya.
The use of plants and animals in traditional medicine dates back many centuries to the practice of Ayurveda. In the high mountain regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, this traditional medicinal practice is known as Sowa-Rigpa.
Many travelers visit the HKH to practice and learn these ancient medical techniques. For the slightly curious visitor, a tour of the National Institute of Traditional Medicine in Thimphu, Bhutan, could be most enlightening.
While it is biodiversity that attracts tourists, tourism itself can have a significant negative impact on biodiversity.
Tourism infrastructure, including buildings, campsites, roads, trails, and bridges are sometimes constructed in pristine areas by clearing vegetation and excavating land. These activities can potentially lead to biodiversity loss.
The practice of collecting wild plants and animals either by local communities to sell to tourists for food or souvenirs, or by the tourists themselves, is also likely to put pressure on biodiversity.
Mushroom, fern, bamboo shoot, fish, and wild honey are some natural products that, if not sustainably harvested, face the threat of resource depletion.
Tourism is also responsible for the introduction of many alien species ie, plants or animals that do not naturally occur in a given environment.
They may be intentionally introduced: for instance, new fish species may be introduced to a natural lake to promote fishing, or flowers and trees may be planted for ornamental, economic, or functional purposes.
They may be accidentally introduced:
The seeds or spores of some plants may be transported to new areas via vehicle tires or visitors’ luggage, clothes, and shoes.
Alien species that proliferate in these new environments, ie those species that become invasive, can outcompete local, naturally occurring species, resulting in ecological changes, including biodiversity loss.
Solid waste and its mismanagement are serious threats resulting from tourism in the HKH. Since the turn of the century, Mount Everest has gained notoriety for the waste that mountaineers have left behind after their expeditions.
Other tourist destinations in the HKH also face similar challenges not only from solid waste, but also from sewerage. Discharge from toxic solid wastes and inadequately treated sewerage can seep into the ground and pollute groundwater and other water bodies.
This affects not only biodiversity such as fish and aquatic plants, but also local residents—and tourists— who rely on groundwater for domestic or agricultural purposes.
Understanding that biodiversity is the basis for many tourism activities in the HKH is conducive to ensuring that this tourism base is maintained in the long term.
There are already proven conservation success stories interlinked with tourism. For example, revenue from tourism has contributed to reviving populations of markhors in Pakistan, rhinos in Nepal, and black-necked cranes in Bhutan.
National policies are in place in the HKH to conserve natural resources that form the basis for tourism. Moreover, global guidelines have also been developed to achieve sustainable tourism development.
The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Development provide a framework to make tourism and biodiversity more mutually supportive.
The engagement of the private sector and local communities is especially necessary for the promotion of tourism based on the sustainable use of biodiversity.
Such an approach benefits both local communities that rely on natural resources for their livelihoods, in addition to tourism, as well as travelers who are now increasingly favoring tourism that is both environmentally and culturally friendly.
With nearly 71.5 million tourists visiting every year, tourism in the HKH plays a potentially significant role in addressing poverty through the creation of jobs, skills, and income for thousands of people.
Meanwhile, conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity is essential for providing long term benefits to the region’s residents.
Monday, 1 May 2017
NEPAL: Swiss Tourist Climber Ueli Steck Dies On Everest,Rhino Attacks And Kills Woman
Swiss climber Ueli Steck, more popularly known as "Swiss Machine", died on Sunday in an accident near Camp II on Mount Everest, making it the first death of the season in the Everest.
The 40-year-old renowned climber was in an acclimatising process to make an attempt on the mountain when he fell into a crevasse and died on the spot, police said. Chief of Himalayan Rescue Association in base camp Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa said the climber headed towards Mount Nuptse when he had to head towards Camp III.
His body has been flown to Kathmandu.
The climber had reached the summit of Everest on 2012 without oxygen and in 2015 climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000 meters in 62 days.
Steck and his fellow climber, in 2013, was involved in an altercation with Sherpas when the pair ignored Sherpas orders to hold their climb and triggered an icefall which hit the Sherpas fixing ropes.
Rhino Attacks And Kills Woman
A 50-year-old woman died in a rhino attack in Chitwan’s Barda Community Forest on Saturday.
Police identified the deceased as Sukamaya Kumal of Bharatpur Metropolis-28.
The rhino had attacked Kumal while she was collecting fodder in the community forest at the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park.
Critically injured Kumal was taken to Chitwan Medical College where she died during treatment.
Similarly, Bhim Bahadur Pakhrin, 61, sustained serious injuries in another incident of rhino attack in a local forest at Kalika-1 on the same day.
How Green Is Kathmandu
Meanwhile, During a recent visit to my doctor, he noted that I had put on weight. I had noticed that my waistline was increasing by ever tightening trousers, some of which I have in fact been wearing for over twenty years. Thanks to my near-constant body weight and waistline—72kg and 32’.
Still, it’s one thing to feel bloated but something else to be warned by an experienced physician that you want to lose weight. “In all your visits, this is the first time I have noticed a bulging belly. You want to cut it out immediately,” he explained.
“Medically speaking, it’s far easier to stay fit and not gain weight, than trying to shed kilograms after you are overweight,” said the good doctor, smiling.
The first thing I did when I returned home that day was climb on the weight scale. Yes, my weight was close to 76 kgs. I suddenly felt a lot more bloated than I had before the visit to the doctor.
That really got me thinking. I wanted to trace the recent surge in my waistline. If my dietary habits remained the same and I had no health issues (as the doctor said), why the steady uptick?
It wasn’t difficult to find the answer. And it was interesting in a strange way. All this started exactly two years ago, after the big earthquake.
Walks, not always in the mornings, given my irregular work hours, have been a defining feature of my physical activity for decades. I just love them, especially the solitary ones. During these walks, I think. I rest. I meditate. I spin in my head what to write for the day. Walks make me relax like nothing else.
Lately, I have been very irregular with my walks, a trend that in fact started with the earthquake. I live in Balkumari, by the Manohara River, and I would take various twists and turns westward towards Patan; mostly arriving at Patan Durbar Square during the morning prayers, or northward to join young and aspiring martial artists at the Football Stadium in Chyasal. Or I would just walk along the roads on either side of the Manohara corridor, full of walkers like me.
The Ring Road reconstruction at the Balkumari point and up eastwards to Koteshwor and westwards to Gwarko came to a standstill after the earthquake. The quaint road by the Manohara adjoining my home became dusty and dangerous with the traffic that had routed itself away from the forever-under-construction Ring Road.
After the doctor’s reminder, I realised I hadn’t gone out for a serious morning walk in almost two months.
There’s a reason I have come to fear morning outings. In a dangerously polluted Kathmandu, mornings, supposedly the best time of the day for workouts, have become the worst.
The newly installed Air Quality monitoring system at Phohora Durbar in the Capital measures PM2.5—which includes pollutants that penetrate deep into the lungs and in the cardiovascular system, posing the greatest risks to human health—by converting it into an Air Quality Index (AQI). Think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500—the higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value of over 300 represents hazardous air quality.
The AQI at Phohora Durbar on April 11, for instance, was 204 (which is classified as very unhealthy.) This was in fact the worst AQI among all US State Department’s installed monitoring systems in the region. New Delhi, for example, had a value of 126, Kolkata had 178 and Dhaka had 175. Readings also suggest that the pollution level is at its worst during the mornings, between 6-9 am. It is also the time that most people are out exercising, hence breathing heavily, or going to school or work.
Frustrated, I took refuge to my old treadmill, which had by now turned into a clothes hanger—forlornly relegated to the corner of our bedroom. Still, the doctor’s warning kept ringing in my ears and I would do my best to put in 30-40 minutes every day on the machine. I must confess I don’t enjoy treadmills. It’s too routine, too dull and too mechanical. It just doesn’t have the feel of a walk.
But I soon found that the pollution level inside the house is very high too. I had thought that it wouldn’t be so bad until a doctor-friend visited our home and reminded me otherwise. And so my treadmill ‘walks’ stopped too.
Very recently, I got an air-filter machine. This is my last desperate measure to clean up the air and resume my fitness regimes until my next visit to the doctor. I will update the doctor, and you, how well I will fare the next few weeks. I am hoping the Ring Road reconstruction will be complete by the time of monsoon and the air-filter (which wears a dark and dusty look within days of use) will go too.
Come local elections, any candidates who talk about open spaces and improving air quality in Kathmandu Valley will be high in the minds of tens of thousands of voters who have suffered privately like me.
I desperately need to resume my walks, preferably without the assistance of the mechanical constructs.
The 40-year-old renowned climber was in an acclimatising process to make an attempt on the mountain when he fell into a crevasse and died on the spot, police said. Chief of Himalayan Rescue Association in base camp Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa said the climber headed towards Mount Nuptse when he had to head towards Camp III.
His body has been flown to Kathmandu.
The climber had reached the summit of Everest on 2012 without oxygen and in 2015 climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000 meters in 62 days.
Steck and his fellow climber, in 2013, was involved in an altercation with Sherpas when the pair ignored Sherpas orders to hold their climb and triggered an icefall which hit the Sherpas fixing ropes.
Rhino Attacks And Kills Woman
A 50-year-old woman died in a rhino attack in Chitwan’s Barda Community Forest on Saturday.
Police identified the deceased as Sukamaya Kumal of Bharatpur Metropolis-28.
The rhino had attacked Kumal while she was collecting fodder in the community forest at the buffer zone of the Chitwan National Park.
Critically injured Kumal was taken to Chitwan Medical College where she died during treatment.
Similarly, Bhim Bahadur Pakhrin, 61, sustained serious injuries in another incident of rhino attack in a local forest at Kalika-1 on the same day.
How Green Is Kathmandu
Meanwhile, During a recent visit to my doctor, he noted that I had put on weight. I had noticed that my waistline was increasing by ever tightening trousers, some of which I have in fact been wearing for over twenty years. Thanks to my near-constant body weight and waistline—72kg and 32’.
Still, it’s one thing to feel bloated but something else to be warned by an experienced physician that you want to lose weight. “In all your visits, this is the first time I have noticed a bulging belly. You want to cut it out immediately,” he explained.
“Medically speaking, it’s far easier to stay fit and not gain weight, than trying to shed kilograms after you are overweight,” said the good doctor, smiling.
The first thing I did when I returned home that day was climb on the weight scale. Yes, my weight was close to 76 kgs. I suddenly felt a lot more bloated than I had before the visit to the doctor.
That really got me thinking. I wanted to trace the recent surge in my waistline. If my dietary habits remained the same and I had no health issues (as the doctor said), why the steady uptick?
It wasn’t difficult to find the answer. And it was interesting in a strange way. All this started exactly two years ago, after the big earthquake.
Walks, not always in the mornings, given my irregular work hours, have been a defining feature of my physical activity for decades. I just love them, especially the solitary ones. During these walks, I think. I rest. I meditate. I spin in my head what to write for the day. Walks make me relax like nothing else.
Lately, I have been very irregular with my walks, a trend that in fact started with the earthquake. I live in Balkumari, by the Manohara River, and I would take various twists and turns westward towards Patan; mostly arriving at Patan Durbar Square during the morning prayers, or northward to join young and aspiring martial artists at the Football Stadium in Chyasal. Or I would just walk along the roads on either side of the Manohara corridor, full of walkers like me.
The Ring Road reconstruction at the Balkumari point and up eastwards to Koteshwor and westwards to Gwarko came to a standstill after the earthquake. The quaint road by the Manohara adjoining my home became dusty and dangerous with the traffic that had routed itself away from the forever-under-construction Ring Road.
After the doctor’s reminder, I realised I hadn’t gone out for a serious morning walk in almost two months.
There’s a reason I have come to fear morning outings. In a dangerously polluted Kathmandu, mornings, supposedly the best time of the day for workouts, have become the worst.
The newly installed Air Quality monitoring system at Phohora Durbar in the Capital measures PM2.5—which includes pollutants that penetrate deep into the lungs and in the cardiovascular system, posing the greatest risks to human health—by converting it into an Air Quality Index (AQI). Think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500—the higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 represents good air quality with little potential to affect public health, while an AQI value of over 300 represents hazardous air quality.
The AQI at Phohora Durbar on April 11, for instance, was 204 (which is classified as very unhealthy.) This was in fact the worst AQI among all US State Department’s installed monitoring systems in the region. New Delhi, for example, had a value of 126, Kolkata had 178 and Dhaka had 175. Readings also suggest that the pollution level is at its worst during the mornings, between 6-9 am. It is also the time that most people are out exercising, hence breathing heavily, or going to school or work.
Frustrated, I took refuge to my old treadmill, which had by now turned into a clothes hanger—forlornly relegated to the corner of our bedroom. Still, the doctor’s warning kept ringing in my ears and I would do my best to put in 30-40 minutes every day on the machine. I must confess I don’t enjoy treadmills. It’s too routine, too dull and too mechanical. It just doesn’t have the feel of a walk.
But I soon found that the pollution level inside the house is very high too. I had thought that it wouldn’t be so bad until a doctor-friend visited our home and reminded me otherwise. And so my treadmill ‘walks’ stopped too.
Very recently, I got an air-filter machine. This is my last desperate measure to clean up the air and resume my fitness regimes until my next visit to the doctor. I will update the doctor, and you, how well I will fare the next few weeks. I am hoping the Ring Road reconstruction will be complete by the time of monsoon and the air-filter (which wears a dark and dusty look within days of use) will go too.
Come local elections, any candidates who talk about open spaces and improving air quality in Kathmandu Valley will be high in the minds of tens of thousands of voters who have suffered privately like me.
I desperately need to resume my walks, preferably without the assistance of the mechanical constructs.
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
NEPAL: Hotel Yak & Yeti General Manager Honoured
The French government has bestowed the distinction of Officier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole on Philippe Belhay, General Manager of Hotel Yak & Yeti in Kathmandu, for his contribution to the development of the French gastronomy.
On behalf of the French Minister for Agriculture, the distinction was conferred upon Belhay by French Ambassador to Nepal Yves Carmona.
A seasoned hotelier with experiences in managing hotels in Qatar, UK, France, Tunisia, India, China and Nepal, Belhay has been the foremost promoter of the project Goût de France / Good France in Nepal since its inception in 2015.
“Your dedication to your job, I should say to your mission, is so intense that this hotel is also your home. It has been that way in bad times as well as in good times. No one could forget that during the 2015 earthquake, you hosted hundreds of stranded and shocked tourists. With your well trained staff, you kept Yak and Yeti running without any interruption, letting the comfort of your guests take precedence on your own,” Ambassador Carmona said, adding, these are the qualities which have also been honoured by this medal.
Hotel Yak & Yeti, under Belhay’s management, has achieved the International award from World Luxury Hotel Awards, “Global Winner Luxury Historical Hotel” and “Luxury Historical Hotel Country Winner – Nepal in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Hotel Annapurna recently collaborated with Excellence @ Workplace, a Corporate Training module offered by the Art of Living Foundation for institutions, with the aim to build an ethical environment and a work culture based on a sense of belonging and caring for all levels of its staff.
A total of 288 senior executives, supervisors and staff of Hotel Annapurna participated in the training program titled, “iExcel, iLead” to empower and nurture the entire hotel workforce.
“In keeping with our company vision, we invest first in our human resources to bring the best opportunities in training packages to our employees for their overall wellbeing,” said Shreejana Rana, Executive Director of Hotel Annapurna, at a program organized on Monday.
During the program, Rana was rewarded with the certificate of excellence for Hotel Annapurna by Art of Living President Santosh Sharma for the hotel’s recent completion of the program. Rana talked about Hotel Annapurna’s vision of focusing on empowering its human resources and provide a holistic training opportunity for its senior management and staff to not only help them improve their technical and professional skills, but also help them to de-stress.
Neeva Pradhan, International Corporate Trainer of the Art of Living Foundation, said that the typical challenges faced by business leaders whilst stewarding their growth are competition, conducive government policies and banking regulations, matching economies of scale, payment and credit issues and most importantly attracting and nurturing talented and skilled workforce.
“These challenges cause a lot of stress that robs the business owner or top management from living happily and enjoying the moment. We believe that all the above challenges can easily be combated and a plan to leap frog into the future can be made while maintaining an unwavering smile,” Pradhan said, adding that the iExcel, iLead programs have been well accepted by leaders in the industry to be very beneficial and an eye opener to understanding people, employees and business in the bigger context of appreciating life.
Set by the Rapti river, on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Chitwan National Park, the lodge which is under Hotel Annapurna’s management strives to combine the natural beauty of its surroundings. with an understated elegance
“Now, we have a new property that offers a true jungle experience,” said Shreejana Rana, Executive Director of Hotel Annapurna. “What makes it special is that it is backed by the service and quality standards of one of Nepal’s leading five-star hotel.
Guests will enjoy the splendor of Chitwan’s wildlife and jungle activities with our experienced Naturalist. And they will leave with memories and experiences of a lifetime.”
Spread over eight acres of jungle grassland., Jagatpur Lodge has seven tents imported from South Africa turned into luxuriously appointed rooms with en suite bathrooms, according to Hotel Annapurna. Besides the tents, the lodge also offers 20 well-appointed rooms housed in five bungalows. They have en suite bathroom and its own private balcony or terrace.
Raju Bikram Shah, Executive Consultant of Annapurna Group of Hotels, said that Jagatpur Lodge is only targeting high end tourists at the moment, charging $205 for deluxe twin shared room for one night stay (which includes one night meal, breakfast and jungle safari).
With the addition of Jagatpur Lodge, the group now features three properties. It has been running Hotel Annapurna in Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, and Fish Tail Lodge in Pokhara.
A 18 hour workshop that can be offered in 3 to 4 days, the “iExcel iLead” program helps participants achieve work-life balance, manage work stress, cope with uncertainty, enhance teamwork and effective communication, foster creativity and innovation, among others.
During the program, Hotel Annapurna felicitated its employees and shared the overall feed-back regarding the training experience from all levels of its staff.
Jagatpur Lodge, a safari and luxury resort managed by one of Nepal’s leading five-star hotels, has come into operation from March 1.
On behalf of the French Minister for Agriculture, the distinction was conferred upon Belhay by French Ambassador to Nepal Yves Carmona.
A seasoned hotelier with experiences in managing hotels in Qatar, UK, France, Tunisia, India, China and Nepal, Belhay has been the foremost promoter of the project Goût de France / Good France in Nepal since its inception in 2015.
“Your dedication to your job, I should say to your mission, is so intense that this hotel is also your home. It has been that way in bad times as well as in good times. No one could forget that during the 2015 earthquake, you hosted hundreds of stranded and shocked tourists. With your well trained staff, you kept Yak and Yeti running without any interruption, letting the comfort of your guests take precedence on your own,” Ambassador Carmona said, adding, these are the qualities which have also been honoured by this medal.
Hotel Yak & Yeti, under Belhay’s management, has achieved the International award from World Luxury Hotel Awards, “Global Winner Luxury Historical Hotel” and “Luxury Historical Hotel Country Winner – Nepal in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Hotel Annapurna recently collaborated with Excellence @ Workplace, a Corporate Training module offered by the Art of Living Foundation for institutions, with the aim to build an ethical environment and a work culture based on a sense of belonging and caring for all levels of its staff.
A total of 288 senior executives, supervisors and staff of Hotel Annapurna participated in the training program titled, “iExcel, iLead” to empower and nurture the entire hotel workforce.
“In keeping with our company vision, we invest first in our human resources to bring the best opportunities in training packages to our employees for their overall wellbeing,” said Shreejana Rana, Executive Director of Hotel Annapurna, at a program organized on Monday.
During the program, Rana was rewarded with the certificate of excellence for Hotel Annapurna by Art of Living President Santosh Sharma for the hotel’s recent completion of the program. Rana talked about Hotel Annapurna’s vision of focusing on empowering its human resources and provide a holistic training opportunity for its senior management and staff to not only help them improve their technical and professional skills, but also help them to de-stress.
Neeva Pradhan, International Corporate Trainer of the Art of Living Foundation, said that the typical challenges faced by business leaders whilst stewarding their growth are competition, conducive government policies and banking regulations, matching economies of scale, payment and credit issues and most importantly attracting and nurturing talented and skilled workforce.
“These challenges cause a lot of stress that robs the business owner or top management from living happily and enjoying the moment. We believe that all the above challenges can easily be combated and a plan to leap frog into the future can be made while maintaining an unwavering smile,” Pradhan said, adding that the iExcel, iLead programs have been well accepted by leaders in the industry to be very beneficial and an eye opener to understanding people, employees and business in the bigger context of appreciating life.
Set by the Rapti river, on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Chitwan National Park, the lodge which is under Hotel Annapurna’s management strives to combine the natural beauty of its surroundings. with an understated elegance
“Now, we have a new property that offers a true jungle experience,” said Shreejana Rana, Executive Director of Hotel Annapurna. “What makes it special is that it is backed by the service and quality standards of one of Nepal’s leading five-star hotel.
Guests will enjoy the splendor of Chitwan’s wildlife and jungle activities with our experienced Naturalist. And they will leave with memories and experiences of a lifetime.”
Spread over eight acres of jungle grassland., Jagatpur Lodge has seven tents imported from South Africa turned into luxuriously appointed rooms with en suite bathrooms, according to Hotel Annapurna. Besides the tents, the lodge also offers 20 well-appointed rooms housed in five bungalows. They have en suite bathroom and its own private balcony or terrace.
Raju Bikram Shah, Executive Consultant of Annapurna Group of Hotels, said that Jagatpur Lodge is only targeting high end tourists at the moment, charging $205 for deluxe twin shared room for one night stay (which includes one night meal, breakfast and jungle safari).
With the addition of Jagatpur Lodge, the group now features three properties. It has been running Hotel Annapurna in Durbar Marg, Kathmandu, and Fish Tail Lodge in Pokhara.
A 18 hour workshop that can be offered in 3 to 4 days, the “iExcel iLead” program helps participants achieve work-life balance, manage work stress, cope with uncertainty, enhance teamwork and effective communication, foster creativity and innovation, among others.
During the program, Hotel Annapurna felicitated its employees and shared the overall feed-back regarding the training experience from all levels of its staff.
Jagatpur Lodge, a safari and luxury resort managed by one of Nepal’s leading five-star hotels, has come into operation from March 1.
NEPAL: Poacers Kill Rare Rhino In Chitwan National Park, Airlines Ask For Reforms
A rare one-horned rhino has been killed by poachers in Nepal’s largest habitat of rhinos, Chitwan National Park, on Saturday.
Officials at the Chitwan National Park (CNP) confirmed that an adult male rhino was shot dead on Friday night and the horns were hacked off.
“We found a dead rhino killed by poachers in a community forest, near the central office of the park, this afternoon (Friday). We have launched investigations into the incident,” Nurendra Aryal, assistant conservation officer at CNP said.
As per the initial reports, the endangered species was shot by rifle while the horn has been cut off with an axe.
The poachers tried their luck during the night-storm and at a time when the security concern has been shifted towards relocation of five rhinos from CNP to far-western region based Shuklaphanta National Park. As part of government’s decision of transferring five rhinos, four have already been released to the new habitat within a week.
The incident comes at a time when Nepal was planning to mark the success of third consecutive “Zero Poaching Year,” thanks to effective conservation efforts and scientific security mechanism. The last rhino-poaching incident occurred in May 2014 in the same region.
Chitwan National Park, located some 150 km from the capital city, is renowned for protection of one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger and Gharial Crocodile. According to Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, out of total 645 rhinos in Nepal, over 600 are in Chitwan National Park.
Exquisitely hand-painted cakes and cookies were on display both for art and food connoisseurs to feast their eyes (as well as relish) at the Hotel Annapurna in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The delicacies that came in various shapes and sizes were hand-painted/inspired by the works of 12 famous local and international artists who are part of the forthcoming Kathmandu Triennale 2017: S.C. Suman, Laxman Bajra Lama, Prithivi Shrestha, Saurgauna Darshandhari and Sujan Dangol, Ang Tshering Sherpa, Birendra Pratap Singh, Carol Vanderlin, Bard Lowijks, Francis Alys, Heide Hinrichs, Song Dong and Brian Hodgson.
Shalini Rana coordinated the design of the cakes provided by the Cake Shop, Hotel Annapurna during the ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ event, a collaborative effort between Hotel Annapurna, My City Pulse and The Kathmandu Triennale 2017.
“Hotel Annapurna is delighted to have this opportunity to showcase local artists and be involved with community organizations that support Nepal. ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ is one such event to endorse Nepali Art,” said Suarpana Shahi, Assistant Manager of the Annapurna Hotel.
Speaking about the significance of such event, senior artist S.C.Suman said that he participated in the event to show that food can also be an art piece.
“All these hand-painted cakes look so beautiful that one would be in a dilemma whether to eat these nicely hand-painted cakes or keep it as a work of art. But they are made to be eaten and only prove the point that we first eat with our eyes, “ Suman said, adding smilingly that people don’t prefer to eat anything that doesn’t look nice to them.
Situ Ratna Sthapit, Executive Pastry chef at the Hotel Annapurna, said, that Hotel Annapurna and the artists came together to do this innovative thing of baking hand-painted cakes and cookies to send a message that food is both a science as well as an art.
The event was part of the Kathmandu Triennale 2017, a non-commercial, mega art event organized by Siddhartha Arts foundation to promote Nepali arts and culture. It gives a platform to showcase contemporary (and traditional) art by Nepali and international artists on particular edition themes and develops programming and outreach to explore the pedagogical potential of arts.
The trans-Himalayan district of Mustang was once known as the forbidden kingdom of Nepal.
But since opening to the outside world in 1992, the region bordering China has never failed to enchant its visitors with mysterious and picturesque landscapes.
Located just in the lap of Mount Nilgiri and other Himalayan ranges, Mustang is a unique travel destination due to its remoteness and exclusive high-altitude deserts.
Often listed among the top tourist destinations in the world, Mustang in 2016 alone attracted nearly 40,000 foreign tourists compared to less than 500 a quarter of a century ago.
Foreign tourists are usually found trekking in this Himalayan region that comprises the world’s popular Annapurna trekking circuit.
“The flow of tourists is increasing every year due to its beautiful landscapes, accessibility by road and hotels,” Bal Bahadur Gurung, an officer at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Mustang, said.
“The fact that the culture and tradition have been preserved by the locals also adds to Mustang as a favorite destination for tourists,” the officer added.
Although Mustang has the second lowest population of all regions in Nepal, it boasts more than 200 registered hotels with 4,500 rooms, with more hotels currently under construction. Also catering to visitors are restaurants serving European coffee, modern bakeries, souvenir shops and pool houses.
Between five and seven morning flights connect to the district headquarters of Jomsom from Lake City Pokhara every day.
One of the major features of Mustang, which lies along the Kali Gandaki River, is its pristine geography and climate. The landscape there reflects a natural architecture and where the weather, usually dry and windy, can be also be unpredictable.
Beside its geography, spectacular lifestyle and unique culture are also attractive. The region hosts a number of prominent festivals like Tenji, Yartung and Lha Phewa in which former royal family members, monks and locals participate.
Though Lower Mustang is easily accessible for travel, foreign tourists need to receive a special permit from the government by paying 500 U.S. dollars to visit Upper Mustang, known as “Lo Manthang,” the unofficial capital city of Mustang.
Lo Manthang, also known as the walled city, is popular for monasteries, centuries-old caves and archaeological sites.
Muktinath temple is one of the major attractions of the Mustang district as it is a pilgrimage center for both Buddhists and Hindus.
Hindus believe that the temple is associated with Lord Vishnu while Buddhists consider the place to be linked with Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava.
Located at an altitude of 3,800 meters above the sea level, the temple attracts 200,000 pilgrims every year.
“The cycle of life, death and rebirth goes on until the soul is freed. So this is the place where any human can attain salvation and they will rest in peace after this life,” Krishna Prasad Subedi, who has been serving as the main priest of the temple for the past 20 years, told Xinhua.
The temple is located in the middle of an oasis filled with lush green forest and was established centuries back. The Buddhist-Hindu temple of Vishnu and Chenrezig was built in 1815, according to commonly believed accounts.
One of the most interesting things about Muktinath are the 108 water taps with chilled water in its courtyard. This is where devotees take a bath with a belief that it will wash away all the sins they have committed.
“Muktinath temple is a place for liberation. Our religious leader Shree Swami Narayan travelled to this place many years ago and practiced penance for a long time. So, I wanted to visit this place at least once with my family before I die,” Dr. Mahendra Parmar, an Indian pilgrim, told Xinhua.
After years of isolation, the development of Mustang is now rapid. The road improvement project has already started from the nearest city of Beni to Jomsom, while a two-lane road is being constructed from Jomsom to Koro La Pass.
According to authorities, these road projects will be completed within three years. With the ongoing construction of bridges, schools and health centers and the opening of modern hotels, the once hidden kingdom is witnessing signs of modern progress.
Government authorities believe that Mustang’s potential can be further developed economically through the advancement of tourism, thus enhancing local entrepreneurship and economic growth opportunities.
“There are many important plans for the development of Mustang. Currently, we are constructing five major bridges and a small-scale hydropower project as well as upgrading the roads. The tourism sector is growing very fast, which is the backbone of development in this region,” Bhim Prasad Pokharel, chief district officer of Mustang, told Xinhua,
With a population of just 15,000 people, most of the locals are either fully dependent on tourism or on apple farming. Both avenues can generate an attractive income for individuals and their communities.
Having been exposed to the outside world and modernization, a visible change can be seen in the lives of the locals in terms of awareness and lifestyle.
The locals of Mustang are hopeful that the completion of road construction projects and the opening of the Nepal-China border at Koro La in the near future will provide a new life to this once isolated Himalayan region.
ourism business has now gradually started recovering in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project region after suffering a blow due to the major earthquake on April 25, 2015, state-owned news agency RSS reports. Ghorepani, the major tourism destination in the ACAP region, has seen double the number of tourists visiting the area in a year’s period. This has provided some succour to the local tourism entrepreneurs who had suffered a dwindling business in the year immediately after the earthquake.
Citing the logbook maintained by the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani, RSS reported that 19 thousand 348 tourists visited Ghorepani in 2072 BS and the number reached 45,685 in the succeeding year.
Ghorepani in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi district is situated at an altitude of 2,810 metres from the sea level. It offers the visitors a panoramic view of over a dozen mountain peaks as Dhawalagiri, Nilgiri and Annapurna. The tourists can enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the Punhill tower.
More, the place offers glimpses of the typical local Gurung and Magar culture in rural setting. It has also home-stay facilities, besides over a dozen hotels with all the basic amenities.
Ghorepani is the main destination for trekkers travelling on to Mustang from Nayapul in Kaski as well as for those using the route through Thorang-La pass in Mustang in their journey from Manang to Pokhara in Kaski. It lies on the way to some of the famous tourism destinations like Khopralek, Ghandruk and the Annapurna Base Camp.
Eight thousand 335 tourists visited Ghorepani in the last one month period alone, the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani stated.
Nepalese tourism stakeholders on Wednesday stressed on making air travel between Nepal and China cheaper to promote bilateral tourism, arguing that air transport between the two neighbors is one of the most expensive in the world.
They said at an interaction on the theme of Silk Road Tourism between Nepal and China, organized by China National Tourist Office and Nepal China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCCI) that potential growth of Chinese tourists to Nepal has been hindered by higher air fare and relatively low air connectivity.
China is the Nepal’s second largest source market for tourists after India since 2010. Nepal welcomed 104,005 Chinese tourists in 2016 as arrivals surged by 55.26 percent on year-on-year basis after disastrous 2015 due to deadly earthquake and subsequent blockade in southern border points of Nepal, according to the data of Department of Immigration of Nepal.
NCCCI President Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said that air ticket for Kathmandu-Guangzhou is more expensive than travelling through the Kathmandu-Bangkok-Guangzhou. “Travelling Kathmandu to Kunming is costlier than India’s Kolkata’s to Kunming. Price must be competitive to attract more Chinese tourists to Nepal,” he said.
Currently, four Chinese airlines — China Southern, China Eastern, Sichuan Airline and Air China are serving Kathmandu to Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu and Lhasa respectively.
Shrestha said that there should be direct air connectivity between Kathmandu and Beijing, Shanghai to attract more Chinese tourists. Nepal’s national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation is also serving Kathmandu-Hong Kong route currently and also has plan to reach Chinese mainland.
Sunil Sharma, officiating director of Nepal Tourism Board, the main tourism promotion body of Nepal, said that the board has been consistently promoting Nepal’s tourism in China but travel cost has been hindering the potential of Chinese tourist arrivals to Nepal.
Nepalese stakeholders also asked China to ease travel for tourist through land route too, particularly through bordering Geelong port which is currently only international trade route between the two countries.
Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said that China was promoting Nepal’s tourism under the Year of Tourism for Nepal 2017 in line with the joint statement signed in 2016.
Officials at the Chitwan National Park (CNP) confirmed that an adult male rhino was shot dead on Friday night and the horns were hacked off.
“We found a dead rhino killed by poachers in a community forest, near the central office of the park, this afternoon (Friday). We have launched investigations into the incident,” Nurendra Aryal, assistant conservation officer at CNP said.
As per the initial reports, the endangered species was shot by rifle while the horn has been cut off with an axe.
The poachers tried their luck during the night-storm and at a time when the security concern has been shifted towards relocation of five rhinos from CNP to far-western region based Shuklaphanta National Park. As part of government’s decision of transferring five rhinos, four have already been released to the new habitat within a week.
The incident comes at a time when Nepal was planning to mark the success of third consecutive “Zero Poaching Year,” thanks to effective conservation efforts and scientific security mechanism. The last rhino-poaching incident occurred in May 2014 in the same region.
Chitwan National Park, located some 150 km from the capital city, is renowned for protection of one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger and Gharial Crocodile. According to Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, out of total 645 rhinos in Nepal, over 600 are in Chitwan National Park.
Exquisitely hand-painted cakes and cookies were on display both for art and food connoisseurs to feast their eyes (as well as relish) at the Hotel Annapurna in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The delicacies that came in various shapes and sizes were hand-painted/inspired by the works of 12 famous local and international artists who are part of the forthcoming Kathmandu Triennale 2017: S.C. Suman, Laxman Bajra Lama, Prithivi Shrestha, Saurgauna Darshandhari and Sujan Dangol, Ang Tshering Sherpa, Birendra Pratap Singh, Carol Vanderlin, Bard Lowijks, Francis Alys, Heide Hinrichs, Song Dong and Brian Hodgson.
Shalini Rana coordinated the design of the cakes provided by the Cake Shop, Hotel Annapurna during the ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ event, a collaborative effort between Hotel Annapurna, My City Pulse and The Kathmandu Triennale 2017.
“Hotel Annapurna is delighted to have this opportunity to showcase local artists and be involved with community organizations that support Nepal. ‘Cakes, Art and High Tea’ is one such event to endorse Nepali Art,” said Suarpana Shahi, Assistant Manager of the Annapurna Hotel.
Speaking about the significance of such event, senior artist S.C.Suman said that he participated in the event to show that food can also be an art piece.
“All these hand-painted cakes look so beautiful that one would be in a dilemma whether to eat these nicely hand-painted cakes or keep it as a work of art. But they are made to be eaten and only prove the point that we first eat with our eyes, “ Suman said, adding smilingly that people don’t prefer to eat anything that doesn’t look nice to them.
Situ Ratna Sthapit, Executive Pastry chef at the Hotel Annapurna, said, that Hotel Annapurna and the artists came together to do this innovative thing of baking hand-painted cakes and cookies to send a message that food is both a science as well as an art.
The event was part of the Kathmandu Triennale 2017, a non-commercial, mega art event organized by Siddhartha Arts foundation to promote Nepali arts and culture. It gives a platform to showcase contemporary (and traditional) art by Nepali and international artists on particular edition themes and develops programming and outreach to explore the pedagogical potential of arts.
The trans-Himalayan district of Mustang was once known as the forbidden kingdom of Nepal.
But since opening to the outside world in 1992, the region bordering China has never failed to enchant its visitors with mysterious and picturesque landscapes.
Located just in the lap of Mount Nilgiri and other Himalayan ranges, Mustang is a unique travel destination due to its remoteness and exclusive high-altitude deserts.
Often listed among the top tourist destinations in the world, Mustang in 2016 alone attracted nearly 40,000 foreign tourists compared to less than 500 a quarter of a century ago.
Foreign tourists are usually found trekking in this Himalayan region that comprises the world’s popular Annapurna trekking circuit.
“The flow of tourists is increasing every year due to its beautiful landscapes, accessibility by road and hotels,” Bal Bahadur Gurung, an officer at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Mustang, said.
“The fact that the culture and tradition have been preserved by the locals also adds to Mustang as a favorite destination for tourists,” the officer added.
Although Mustang has the second lowest population of all regions in Nepal, it boasts more than 200 registered hotels with 4,500 rooms, with more hotels currently under construction. Also catering to visitors are restaurants serving European coffee, modern bakeries, souvenir shops and pool houses.
Between five and seven morning flights connect to the district headquarters of Jomsom from Lake City Pokhara every day.
One of the major features of Mustang, which lies along the Kali Gandaki River, is its pristine geography and climate. The landscape there reflects a natural architecture and where the weather, usually dry and windy, can be also be unpredictable.
Beside its geography, spectacular lifestyle and unique culture are also attractive. The region hosts a number of prominent festivals like Tenji, Yartung and Lha Phewa in which former royal family members, monks and locals participate.
Though Lower Mustang is easily accessible for travel, foreign tourists need to receive a special permit from the government by paying 500 U.S. dollars to visit Upper Mustang, known as “Lo Manthang,” the unofficial capital city of Mustang.
Lo Manthang, also known as the walled city, is popular for monasteries, centuries-old caves and archaeological sites.
Muktinath temple is one of the major attractions of the Mustang district as it is a pilgrimage center for both Buddhists and Hindus.
Hindus believe that the temple is associated with Lord Vishnu while Buddhists consider the place to be linked with Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava.
Located at an altitude of 3,800 meters above the sea level, the temple attracts 200,000 pilgrims every year.
“The cycle of life, death and rebirth goes on until the soul is freed. So this is the place where any human can attain salvation and they will rest in peace after this life,” Krishna Prasad Subedi, who has been serving as the main priest of the temple for the past 20 years, told Xinhua.
The temple is located in the middle of an oasis filled with lush green forest and was established centuries back. The Buddhist-Hindu temple of Vishnu and Chenrezig was built in 1815, according to commonly believed accounts.
One of the most interesting things about Muktinath are the 108 water taps with chilled water in its courtyard. This is where devotees take a bath with a belief that it will wash away all the sins they have committed.
“Muktinath temple is a place for liberation. Our religious leader Shree Swami Narayan travelled to this place many years ago and practiced penance for a long time. So, I wanted to visit this place at least once with my family before I die,” Dr. Mahendra Parmar, an Indian pilgrim, told Xinhua.
After years of isolation, the development of Mustang is now rapid. The road improvement project has already started from the nearest city of Beni to Jomsom, while a two-lane road is being constructed from Jomsom to Koro La Pass.
According to authorities, these road projects will be completed within three years. With the ongoing construction of bridges, schools and health centers and the opening of modern hotels, the once hidden kingdom is witnessing signs of modern progress.
Government authorities believe that Mustang’s potential can be further developed economically through the advancement of tourism, thus enhancing local entrepreneurship and economic growth opportunities.
“There are many important plans for the development of Mustang. Currently, we are constructing five major bridges and a small-scale hydropower project as well as upgrading the roads. The tourism sector is growing very fast, which is the backbone of development in this region,” Bhim Prasad Pokharel, chief district officer of Mustang, told Xinhua,
With a population of just 15,000 people, most of the locals are either fully dependent on tourism or on apple farming. Both avenues can generate an attractive income for individuals and their communities.
Having been exposed to the outside world and modernization, a visible change can be seen in the lives of the locals in terms of awareness and lifestyle.
The locals of Mustang are hopeful that the completion of road construction projects and the opening of the Nepal-China border at Koro La in the near future will provide a new life to this once isolated Himalayan region.
ourism business has now gradually started recovering in the Annapurna Conservation Area Project region after suffering a blow due to the major earthquake on April 25, 2015, state-owned news agency RSS reports. Ghorepani, the major tourism destination in the ACAP region, has seen double the number of tourists visiting the area in a year’s period. This has provided some succour to the local tourism entrepreneurs who had suffered a dwindling business in the year immediately after the earthquake.
Citing the logbook maintained by the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani, RSS reported that 19 thousand 348 tourists visited Ghorepani in 2072 BS and the number reached 45,685 in the succeeding year.
Ghorepani in Annapurna Rural Municipality of Myagdi district is situated at an altitude of 2,810 metres from the sea level. It offers the visitors a panoramic view of over a dozen mountain peaks as Dhawalagiri, Nilgiri and Annapurna. The tourists can enjoy the sunrise and sunset from the Punhill tower.
More, the place offers glimpses of the typical local Gurung and Magar culture in rural setting. It has also home-stay facilities, besides over a dozen hotels with all the basic amenities.
Ghorepani is the main destination for trekkers travelling on to Mustang from Nayapul in Kaski as well as for those using the route through Thorang-La pass in Mustang in their journey from Manang to Pokhara in Kaski. It lies on the way to some of the famous tourism destinations like Khopralek, Ghandruk and the Annapurna Base Camp.
Eight thousand 335 tourists visited Ghorepani in the last one month period alone, the Tourist Police Office, Ghorepani stated.
Nepalese tourism stakeholders on Wednesday stressed on making air travel between Nepal and China cheaper to promote bilateral tourism, arguing that air transport between the two neighbors is one of the most expensive in the world.
They said at an interaction on the theme of Silk Road Tourism between Nepal and China, organized by China National Tourist Office and Nepal China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCCI) that potential growth of Chinese tourists to Nepal has been hindered by higher air fare and relatively low air connectivity.
China is the Nepal’s second largest source market for tourists after India since 2010. Nepal welcomed 104,005 Chinese tourists in 2016 as arrivals surged by 55.26 percent on year-on-year basis after disastrous 2015 due to deadly earthquake and subsequent blockade in southern border points of Nepal, according to the data of Department of Immigration of Nepal.
NCCCI President Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said that air ticket for Kathmandu-Guangzhou is more expensive than travelling through the Kathmandu-Bangkok-Guangzhou. “Travelling Kathmandu to Kunming is costlier than India’s Kolkata’s to Kunming. Price must be competitive to attract more Chinese tourists to Nepal,” he said.
Currently, four Chinese airlines — China Southern, China Eastern, Sichuan Airline and Air China are serving Kathmandu to Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu and Lhasa respectively.
Shrestha said that there should be direct air connectivity between Kathmandu and Beijing, Shanghai to attract more Chinese tourists. Nepal’s national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation is also serving Kathmandu-Hong Kong route currently and also has plan to reach Chinese mainland.
Sunil Sharma, officiating director of Nepal Tourism Board, the main tourism promotion body of Nepal, said that the board has been consistently promoting Nepal’s tourism in China but travel cost has been hindering the potential of Chinese tourist arrivals to Nepal.
Nepalese stakeholders also asked China to ease travel for tourist through land route too, particularly through bordering Geelong port which is currently only international trade route between the two countries.
Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said that China was promoting Nepal’s tourism under the Year of Tourism for Nepal 2017 in line with the joint statement signed in 2016.
NEPAL: Tourism Booming Again, Hotel Occupancy At 60%
The country’s hotel occupancy rate has improved in the spring season (March to May) for the first time after the earthquake of April 25, 2015, along with the rise in the inflow of tourists.Tourist standard hotels have been operating at 60 per cent occupancy rate, according to Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), an umbrella body of tourist standard hotels in the country.
Hoteliers have said that if the inflow of tourists is realised as per the bookings for the coming autumn season, which is considered the main tourist season, tourist arrivals will surely mark a record this year. A high volume of tourist inflow was witnessed in 2012 when a total of 803,000 travellers visited Nepal.Chinese and Indian tourists contribute a significant share in the total number of tourists coming to Nepal.
According to Binayak Shah, secretary general of HAN, the number of religious tourists from South India may increase if Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) effectively promotes the country there. “Many South Indian families want to visit Nepal but they still have some misgivings on anti-Indian feelings in Nepal, which needs to be dispelled to attract more tourists,” he said.
Expanded flight network of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to India has made airfare relatively cheaper than earlier as international airlines operating on Kathmandu-Delhi, Kathmandu-Mumbai and other sectors have started competing on rates with NAC.
“The national flag carrier’s immediate plan to expand to Guangzhou of China is also expected to increase competition regarding fares with Chinese airline companies and provide relatively cheaper and reliable service for Chinese tourists in the days to come,” Shah opined. “Congestion in the country’s only international airport and the high airfare are the major bottlenecks for bringing more tourists in the country.”
Infrastructure bottlenecks should be addressed at the earliest to materialise the country’s vision to bring two million tourists annually by 2020. The private sector has prepared itself towards that direction to accommodate two million tourists per year as global hotel chains are all set to come into operation, according to hoteliers.
Numerous training programmes for human resources to enhance quality of service have been initiated as well, as HAN has urged the hotels within its network to improve the quality of food, according to Shah.
Hoteliers have urged the government to expedite infrastructure development, which is critical to translate the vision into action. “We will not be able to translate the vision into action until and unless the government prepares public infrastructure facilities like airports, among others, which will in turn help to easily handle the increased tourist flow,” Shah said.
However, infrastructure development has been moving at a very slow pace. Expansion of Tribhuvan International Airport, the country’s only international airport, which was expected to have been completed by 2018 has been extended to 2021 due to the re-tender process that was initiated recently. Private sector entrepreneurs have criticised the government for not being serious about public infrastructure to achieve the target of attracting two million tourists annually.
Nepal Airlines has taken the top spot in international passenger carriage for the first time in years, flying 275,701 travellers during the first nine months of 2016.
According to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the national flag carrier bumped Qatar Airways down to second place with a massive 74.63 percent growth in passenger carriage.
Nepal Airlines began flying high after inducting two new Airbus A320 aircraft into its fleet last year. It resumed flights to Dubai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi soon after acquiring the new jets, and now serves eight international destinations. The carrier has been able to boost its market share on international routes to 11 percent.
“NAC’s market share will more than double this year after it inducts its first wide-body Airbus A330-200 jet into its fleet,” said Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary of the Tourism Ministry and a board member of NAC.
Meanwhile, international airline passenger traffic through TIA increased 5.51 percent in the first nine months of 2016. According to TIA, the 28 international airlines serving Kathmandu flew 2.50 million passengers between January and September last year.
International air passenger traffic through TIA had dropped for the first time in 13 years as travellers stayed away due to the 2015 earthquake and a jet fuel shortage caused by an Indian trade embargo.
Airline-wise, Qatar Airways slipped to second position in terms of passenger carriage in the first nine months of 2016. Doha-based Qatar Airways flew 258,884 passengers during the period January-September last year, up 3.69 percent.
As the winter season has almost come to an end this year, the influx of foreign tourists has increased in the Everest region.
The inflow, which was almost nil in the mid of winter, is getting thicker in Khumbu region from the mid-February.The number of tourists coming from different parts of the world to view and enjoy panoramic landscape of the Himalayan range including the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, has been increasing day by day.
According to Namche-based trader Dorji Sherpa, the movement of the tourists has started for the season spanning from mid-February to mid-June.
With the gradual rise in temperature, at least 100 new tourists have been flocking to the area, informed the Tourism Police Office, Lukla.
The number of flights at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport have increased due to the increasing inflow of the tourists, said Lukla-based Civil Aviation Authority.
Similarly, due to the increase in number of tourists, staff at the tourist entrance gate of Sagarmatha National Park, Jorsalle, have been much engaged. Tourists entering the region must entry their names at the entrance gate.
Meanwhile, traders of different parts of the district have also reached Lukla with the increasing flow of tourists.
Low-cost carrier Air Arabia secured the third spot, posting a strong 24.62 percent growth. It flew 252,797 passengers.
Indian carrier Jet Airways slipped to the fourth spot, down 1.56 percent. The carrier flew 233,759 passengers in the period January-September 2016.
No-frills carrier Fly Dubai posted a 15.82 percent growth with 227,755 passengers. Likewise, Oman Air saw the strongest passenger growth of 20.70 percent in the review period. It flew 134,932 passengers.
India’s flag carrier Indian Airlines slipped to the seventh spot with the number of passengers dropping 17.59 percent to 134,757. Malaysian-based low-cost carrier Air AsiaX saw its passenger numbers growth by 1.52 percent to 125,645.
Thai Airways saw its passenger growth jump by a whopping 30.53 percent to 122,487 in the first nine months of 2016. Etihad Airways saw its passenger numbers drop 15.28 percent to 102,542. Start-up Nepali carrier Himalaya Airlines carried 17,604 passengers in the first nine months last year.
Travel & Leisure magazine has featured Meghauli Serai, a Taj Safaris lodge as one of the best new hotels of 2017.
Meghauli Serai is a part of CG Hotels & Resorts - a hospitality portfolio arm of Chaudhary Group (CG).
Travel & Leisure has showcased some 44 hotels and resorts around the globe in its annual 2017 'ItList' as the Best New Hotels. The US-based magazine is a globally renowned publication on luxury hospitality travel and tourism.
"This year, the competition was fiercer than ever," the magazine writes. "The 44 hotels and resorts are making waves for different reasons - some for killer design, others for culinary bona fides or an unbeatable location - but all are inspiring the rest of the hospitality world to take note."
The 2017 'Best Hotels in the World' Its List covers 44 hotels and resorts in 31 countries on six continents.
"We are truly humbled by this amazing recognition which has put Nepal and CG on the global map for providing world-class hospitality experiences,” said Executive Director of Chaudhary Group and MD of CG Hotels and Resorts Rahul Chaudhary. "CG Hotels & Resort's hospitality portfolio consists of some of the most iconic properties globally in destinations such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Dubai, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and New York to name a few," he said, adding that the company is proud of its partnership with Taj and is confident that Meghauli Serai's feature in Travel & Leisure will result in the influx of high-end tourism into Nepal. "This is the 5th high-end lodge within our portfolio under Taj Safaris in India and Nepal."
Located next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chitwan National Park, Meghauli Serai offers the visitors an opportunity to experience rich diversity of wildlife and vegetation. The park is especially renowned for its protection of one-horned rhinos, Royal Bengal tiger and Gharial crocodiles.
Nepal’s tourism experienced a dramatic turnaround last year after being hit by the twin disasters of a devastating earthquake and crippling trade embargo in 2015.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Nepal jumped 39.71 percent to 753,002 in 2016, boosted by robust visitor growth from India, China, the US, the UK and Sri Lanka, according to the statistics of the Department of Immigration.
However, 2016 arrivals are still 4.69 percent down from 2014 when the country welcomed 790,118 foreign visitors. The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 and remains a major growth driver for the economy even as the industry sees low overseas promotional activities.
October, November and December have been the most productive months for the industry, accounting for nearly one-third of total arrivals.
“It’s a dramatic growth. The industry is returning rapidly to its pre-earthquake growth level,” said Kedar Neupane, director general of the Department of Immigration. “The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 given a level of promotion by Nepal in the major source markets.”
He said that if the government, Nepal Tourism Board and private sector conducted aggressive promotional activities, this year could be an extraordinary year. “We can expect 1 million tourists in 2017 considering the current environment.”
Neupane said that Nepal could see a boom in Chinese arrivals this year following the move by the Chinese government to encourage travel to the country. China has announced Nepal Tourism Promotion Year 2017 in a bid to encourage its citizens to visit the Himalayan republic, according to the Nepal Embassy in Beijing.
“The industry carried out massive marketing activities in major source markets after the earthquakes, leading to a massive recovery,” said tourism entrepreneur Basant Raj Mishra. “The arrival of foreign volunteers as well as conferences held by I/NGOs in Nepal last year propelled growth.”
Suman Pandey, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, said that 2017 looked promising; but the crumbling Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s only international aerial gateway, could be a major setback.
“The hospitality industry in Nepal can accommodate more than 3 million tourists, but the airport is already choked with capacity constraints even though arrivals are way short of the one million mark,” he said.
TIA is currently served by 28 international carriers, and it has announced that it cannot accommodate more flights. “What does this statement mean? Of course, Nepal has become an attractive holiday destination for travellers, but TIA will remain the main obstacle to the growth of the industry.”
Nepal received a lot of media exposure following the earthquake which has aroused tremendous interest among potential travelers.
The world’s leading travel guide Lonely Planet has named Nepal the world’s ‘best value destination’ for 2017. Likewise, Nepal’s Langtang region has been featured in The New York Times ‘52 places to go in 2017’ list.
Nepal has also appeared in the January travel issue of chinadaily.com.cn. “Nepal remains a fabulous choice for budget-conscious travelers, whether it’s the country’s world famous trekking routes or the wildlife in the southern region. Travel costs per day are as low as $50 on average,” it said.
A breakdown of arrivals by market shows Indian travellers at the top of the list. Arrivals from the southern neighbour reached 118,249 last year, up 57.40 percent. Chinese tourist arrivals jumped 55.26 percent to 104,005. Travel trade entrepreneurs said that Chinese arrivals did not increase as expected last year as the key entry point,
Tatopani Customs in Sindhupalchok, was closed after the earthquake. However, Rasuwagadhi has emerged as an important surface route with 23,452 Chinese visitors entering the country through this point last year.
Meanwhile, visitors from the US, Sri Lanka and the UK jumped 25.67 percent, 29.64 percent and 55.71 percent respectively.
Nepal has been placed on the list of the top 10 places that deserve more travellers by the National Geographic.
The UK-based popular travel publication in its June issue has placed Nepal on the top 3 spots among the round up of 10 places.Although Kathmandu—and Nepal—have long attracted adventurous travellers, the country’s April 2015 earthquake, which killed 8,000 and wrought about $10 billion (half of Nepal’s GDP) in damages, decimated the country’s tourism industry, it writes.
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, a UNESCO-listed compound of palaces dating back as far as the tenth century, was partially destroyed, as was another of Kathmandu’s iconic structures: the 19th-century Dharahara tower.
A year later, however, Nepal’s situation is, if not what it once was, then nonetheless stable. And although several of Kathmandu’s most famous tourist structures have been damaged or destroyed by the earthquake, others—like the fifth-century Pashupatinath Temple and the relic-containing stupa of Boudhanath, now undergoing restorations—remain largely, if not entirely, intact, it said.
Power may not be a constant nor are paved roads, but for travellers willing to sacrifice a degree of comfort for a sense of adventure, Nepal’s draw remains, it said. “Nepal’s economy, deeply reliant on the tourism trade, is more in need than ever of visitors.
While the earthquake has damaged Nepal’s man-made structures, its mountain trails—including the legendary Annapurna Circuit through the snow-capped shadow of the Himalaya—remain accessible.”Only two of Nepal’s 35 listed trails have been rerouted as a result of earthquake damage, and as early as last summer, all of the Annapurna trail’s bridges were successfully tested for safety.
If you’re not up to a seven-day trek in the Himalayan wilderness, Kathmandu has a range of more sedate activities on offer. The tradition of the Himalayan singing bowls—bell-like structures historically rung before, during, or after periods of Buddhist meditation—has a long history in Nepal. Cultural centres like the Kathmandu Centre of Healing offer three-day intensive bowl workshops (from $300) where you can learn the art of playing the bowls to make them “sing.”
Last year, the UK-based magazine on its ‘Cool List' for 2016 had placed Nepal in the sixth spots among 16 cool locations.
Chandragiri Hills on officially opened the Chandragiri Cable Car service to the general public amid a Vedic ceremony.
Locals of Chandragiri Municipality in Kathmandu and Chitlang and Fakhel VDCs in Makwanpur were among the invitees to the ceremony conducted by the company’s directors and promoters.A total of 10,641 visitors from Chandragiri, Chitlang and Fakhel and other guests enjoyed the free ride on the Chandragiri Cable Car and visited the temple on the hilltop.A two-way trip on the cable car from Thankot to the top of Chandragiri Hill costs Rs700.
More than 10,000 passengers rode the cable car on inauguration day, Chandragiri Hills said in a statement, adding that the company expected to carry 10,000 passengers daily in the days to come.
Singer and tourist guide Ensu Rai has come up with a documentary ‘Nepal is safe for Tourism Forever’.
The documentary spanning three minutes and 11 seconds has shots of ascents to the world’s highest summit Mount Everest and vista of Himalayas.
Six months after the devastating earthquake, Rai had also organised a live musical concert at the altitude of 6,471 metres to give a message that Nepal is safe for tourism.The documentary has also depicted the panorama of Pattale Mountain (3,200 metres) located between Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga. Pattale Mountain has the potential to be a new tourism destination, said singer Rai.
The documentary has been edited by Anil Kumar Maharjan and presented by Mountaineering Culture Expedition Nepal.
One-way domestic airfares will go down by up to Rs 384 with effect from tomorrow, as the Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has reduced fuel surcharge following reduction in price of aviation turbine fuel.
Nepal Oil Corporation, the sole supplier of petroleum products in the country, slashed the price of aviation fuel by Rs 10 per litre to Rs 99 on Saturday.
The AOAN, the umbrella body of domestic airlines, revises fuel surcharge on domestic air routes whenever the price of aviation fuel increases or decreases by Rs four per litre.
With the latest fall in aviation fuel price, the AOAN has also revised fuel surcharge for all the domestic routes. With this, one-way airfare on Kathmandu–Pokhara route, for instance, will go down by at least Rs 164. Similarly, airfare on Kathmandu-Biratnagar route will come down by at least Rs 231, while one-way air tickets for Kathmandu-Dhangadi will cost at least Rs 384 cheaper.
“The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the aviation sector regulator, has approved the latest revision made to fuel charge,” the AOAN said.
In a bid to promote Nepal’s tourism in the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck the country last year, a hiking event is being organised in Hong Kong.
The 13 km hike being organised on July 24 as part of with the theme ‘Hike for Nepal’ at the initiative of Nepalis residing in Hong Kong.
Miteri Society Hong Kong is organising the event.
Noted mountaineer Phurba Tenjing Sherpa, who has successfully scaled Mt Everest ten times, will join the event, which aims to promote the country’s tourism.
Phurba holds the world record as the youngest climber to Mt Everest. Recently, he reached atop the world’s tallest peak with the flag of the ‘We Will Rise Campaign’.
On the sidelines of event, Sherpa will also hold interaction with foreign mountaineers on the success stories of mountaineers.
The hike will begin from Central Hong Kong and pass through Wan Chai Gap and Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park before concluding at Repulse Bay. Foreign mountaineers will also join the hike, according to society chair Tulasi Gurung.
The organisers hope this would be the biggest international event meant for promoting tourism in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
Besides, Thaneshwor Guragai, who holds Guinness Records in 12 different genres, will also participate in the hike, said the organisers. ‘“The ‘We Will Rise Campaign’, under which the event is being held, is gaining popularity worldwide as it has the support of Nepali sisters and brothers residing worldwide,” said the organisers of the event.
Himalaya Airlines (H9), a Nepal-China joint venture airline, is all set to operate daily direct flights to Doha, Qatar from July 11.
Issuing a press statement on Thursday, the airlines company said (that) it has decided to launch daily flights to the capital Doha following the increasing demands of the passengers to the destination.
Commenting on this daily direct flight, Vijay Shrestha, Vice President of the company, said, “Offering a daily direct service to Doha, Qatar is an indication that we would like to prioritize our service in this route. The daily service will allow Himalaya Airlines to offer its services to a larger base of our passengers’ society, mainly the Nepalese living and working in Qatar.”
Scheduled flight effective from July 11, 2016
- Depart Kathmandu H9555 at 2300 hrs, arrive Doha at 0130 hrs
- Depart Doha H9556 at 0230 hrs, arrive Kathmandu at 1015 hrs following day
The airline will depart from Kathmandu at 2300 hours (local time) and land at 0130 hours (local time) in Doha. Similarly, the return flight will depart at 0230 hours from Doha and land in Kathmandu at 1015 hours the next day.
The aircraft has 150 economy and 8 business class seats.
The airline’s new Airbus 320-214 is currently flying to Doha thrice a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays since May 31, 2016 marking it as the first scheduled destination of the Airlines.
Himalaya Airlines, a full-service premium carrier, established in August 2014, started its scheduled flight operations from May 31 2016 flying directly to Doha, Qatar. The airline has planned services to more destinations including Delhi, China, Colombo, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Dammam in the near future.
Domestic airlines have urged the government to declare Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport a tax-free zone to boost the flagging aviation industry when it amends Aviation Policy 2006. The Aviation Policy comes up for its second five-year review this year.
The government has been charging unnecessary import duty on aircraft spare parts and other components although the Aviation Policy talks about tax waivers, complained airline representatives while speaking at an interaction organized by the Tourism Ministry to include inputs from stakeholders in the planned amendment to the policy.
According to airlines, they have been paying hefty amounts in VAT on the import of spare parts. The government charges 1 percent tax on purchased or leased aircraft. Spare parts are charged VAT ranging from 13 to 40 percent.
In addition, the government charges 10 percent as aircraft lease tax. Likewise, carriers have to pay 15 percent of the total cost of sending aircraft crews for training abroad as Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).
The unnecessary tax burden has been affecting the growth of the airline industry in Nepal, they said. For example, Buddha Air has constructed a state-of-the-art closed door hangar facility to provide maintenance facilities for its aircraft as well as those from outside the country.
Recently, it signed an agreement with Dhaka-based Novoair to provide maintenance services for its ATR aircraft. “But after one maintenance service, the airline said that it would not be able to come again to Nepal due to the high tax imposed on aircraft maintenance,” said airline officials, adding that Novoair went to Singapore. “It also lost a proposed aircraft maintenance agreement with Bhutan-based Druk Air due to tax issues,” they said.
“None of the airports in Asia imposes customs duty on equipment used inside the airport,” said Manoj Karki, general secretary of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN). “But it happens in Nepal.” He said that the tax burden is transferred to the passengers that make flying expensive in Nepal. “The government should seriously consider these issues.”
Meanwhile, the AOAN has asked the government to clarify the dual monitoring system in the aviation industry involving the Tourism Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan). “It’s not rational for the ministry to play the role of a monitoring body,” said Karki.
Likewise, the AOAN has asked the government to provide a special discount on income tax for new national and international airlines.
The association said in its draft wish list that the government should provide 100 percent income tax exemption for at least five years and 50 percent exemption for three years for new airlines.
It has also urged the government to establish refueling facilities at other airports, review airfares every two years, establish a separate air safety mechanism, provide special subsidies to encourage airlines to operate in remote sectors and give the airline industry recognition as a national priority industry.
“The existing policy has incorporated all the issues to address the country’s aviation industry, but it has never been implemented,” said Caan Director General Sanjiv Gautam.
“So the question is not about Nepal’s weak aviation policy but its implementation. However, as per the need of the time and changing global aviation and technology, it should be given a periodic review,” he added.
Pokhrel says air transport essential in Karnali
KATHMANDU: Tourism Minister Ananda Prasad Pokhrel said on Friday that he was distressed about his own decision to exhibit an authoritarian streak by banning passenger flights by single-engine aircraft.
Last March, a minister-level meeting slapped a ban on the registration of new single-engine aircraft following the crash landing of an Air Kasthamandap P-750 XSTOL on February 26 in which its two pilots were killed.
The government also said that single-engine planes would not be allowed to carry passengers. Subsequently, in May, the Supreme Court stayed the government’s decision. “When I visited some areas in remote Karnali, I realized that remote people need air transport regardless of whether it is provided by a single-engine or twin-engine aircraft,” he said at an interaction here on Friday. “In fact, the people’s purchasing power has increased and they can afford to fly. Hence, the aviation industry in Nepal has the potential to grow tremendously.”
The number of foreign tourists visiting the regional museum at Nayabazaar of Pokhara, Kaski, has dropped remarkably in the last fiscal compared to the year before that.
s many as 5,920 foreigners visited the museum in the fiscal 2014/15 while the number stood at 2,469 in 2015/2016, less than 50 per cent.
The revenue of the museum also dropped by more than 50 per cent with the decline in number of visitors.
Revenue collection in the last fiscal was Rs 249,000 while the revenue a year before that was more than Rs 500,000, said sources.
The museum runs under the Department of Archaeology and contains costumes representing folk culture and tradition, items that reflect concrete and abstract culture besides various antiques on display.
Acting museum officer Kabindra Poudel said they were witnessing decline in the number of visitors after last year’s devastating earthquake.
“However, there has been a slight increase in the number of Indian tourists in the last two months,” he said.
A separate Mustang Gallery was also established with the joint effort of Khinga and Garabajong Nepal and German Archaeological Exploration team in 1998.
“The items kept in the gallery are 500 to 1,500 years old. Various china items, metal weapons and wooden items used by locals are also on display,” he claimed.
Various other items excavated from the villages of Mustang have also been kept in the Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu and the regional museum in Kapilvastu for people to see and recall the cultural as well as traditional history of Mustang, said Poudel.
Hoteliers have said that if the inflow of tourists is realised as per the bookings for the coming autumn season, which is considered the main tourist season, tourist arrivals will surely mark a record this year. A high volume of tourist inflow was witnessed in 2012 when a total of 803,000 travellers visited Nepal.Chinese and Indian tourists contribute a significant share in the total number of tourists coming to Nepal.
According to Binayak Shah, secretary general of HAN, the number of religious tourists from South India may increase if Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) effectively promotes the country there. “Many South Indian families want to visit Nepal but they still have some misgivings on anti-Indian feelings in Nepal, which needs to be dispelled to attract more tourists,” he said.
Expanded flight network of Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to India has made airfare relatively cheaper than earlier as international airlines operating on Kathmandu-Delhi, Kathmandu-Mumbai and other sectors have started competing on rates with NAC.
“The national flag carrier’s immediate plan to expand to Guangzhou of China is also expected to increase competition regarding fares with Chinese airline companies and provide relatively cheaper and reliable service for Chinese tourists in the days to come,” Shah opined. “Congestion in the country’s only international airport and the high airfare are the major bottlenecks for bringing more tourists in the country.”
Infrastructure bottlenecks should be addressed at the earliest to materialise the country’s vision to bring two million tourists annually by 2020. The private sector has prepared itself towards that direction to accommodate two million tourists per year as global hotel chains are all set to come into operation, according to hoteliers.
Numerous training programmes for human resources to enhance quality of service have been initiated as well, as HAN has urged the hotels within its network to improve the quality of food, according to Shah.
Hoteliers have urged the government to expedite infrastructure development, which is critical to translate the vision into action. “We will not be able to translate the vision into action until and unless the government prepares public infrastructure facilities like airports, among others, which will in turn help to easily handle the increased tourist flow,” Shah said.
However, infrastructure development has been moving at a very slow pace. Expansion of Tribhuvan International Airport, the country’s only international airport, which was expected to have been completed by 2018 has been extended to 2021 due to the re-tender process that was initiated recently. Private sector entrepreneurs have criticised the government for not being serious about public infrastructure to achieve the target of attracting two million tourists annually.
Nepal Airlines has taken the top spot in international passenger carriage for the first time in years, flying 275,701 travellers during the first nine months of 2016.
According to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), the national flag carrier bumped Qatar Airways down to second place with a massive 74.63 percent growth in passenger carriage.
Nepal Airlines began flying high after inducting two new Airbus A320 aircraft into its fleet last year. It resumed flights to Dubai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi soon after acquiring the new jets, and now serves eight international destinations. The carrier has been able to boost its market share on international routes to 11 percent.
“NAC’s market share will more than double this year after it inducts its first wide-body Airbus A330-200 jet into its fleet,” said Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, joint secretary of the Tourism Ministry and a board member of NAC.
Meanwhile, international airline passenger traffic through TIA increased 5.51 percent in the first nine months of 2016. According to TIA, the 28 international airlines serving Kathmandu flew 2.50 million passengers between January and September last year.
International air passenger traffic through TIA had dropped for the first time in 13 years as travellers stayed away due to the 2015 earthquake and a jet fuel shortage caused by an Indian trade embargo.
Airline-wise, Qatar Airways slipped to second position in terms of passenger carriage in the first nine months of 2016. Doha-based Qatar Airways flew 258,884 passengers during the period January-September last year, up 3.69 percent.
As the winter season has almost come to an end this year, the influx of foreign tourists has increased in the Everest region.
The inflow, which was almost nil in the mid of winter, is getting thicker in Khumbu region from the mid-February.The number of tourists coming from different parts of the world to view and enjoy panoramic landscape of the Himalayan range including the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, has been increasing day by day.
According to Namche-based trader Dorji Sherpa, the movement of the tourists has started for the season spanning from mid-February to mid-June.
With the gradual rise in temperature, at least 100 new tourists have been flocking to the area, informed the Tourism Police Office, Lukla.
The number of flights at the Tenzing-Hillary Airport have increased due to the increasing inflow of the tourists, said Lukla-based Civil Aviation Authority.
Similarly, due to the increase in number of tourists, staff at the tourist entrance gate of Sagarmatha National Park, Jorsalle, have been much engaged. Tourists entering the region must entry their names at the entrance gate.
Meanwhile, traders of different parts of the district have also reached Lukla with the increasing flow of tourists.
Low-cost carrier Air Arabia secured the third spot, posting a strong 24.62 percent growth. It flew 252,797 passengers.
Indian carrier Jet Airways slipped to the fourth spot, down 1.56 percent. The carrier flew 233,759 passengers in the period January-September 2016.
No-frills carrier Fly Dubai posted a 15.82 percent growth with 227,755 passengers. Likewise, Oman Air saw the strongest passenger growth of 20.70 percent in the review period. It flew 134,932 passengers.
India’s flag carrier Indian Airlines slipped to the seventh spot with the number of passengers dropping 17.59 percent to 134,757. Malaysian-based low-cost carrier Air AsiaX saw its passenger numbers growth by 1.52 percent to 125,645.
Thai Airways saw its passenger growth jump by a whopping 30.53 percent to 122,487 in the first nine months of 2016. Etihad Airways saw its passenger numbers drop 15.28 percent to 102,542. Start-up Nepali carrier Himalaya Airlines carried 17,604 passengers in the first nine months last year.
Travel & Leisure magazine has featured Meghauli Serai, a Taj Safaris lodge as one of the best new hotels of 2017.
Meghauli Serai is a part of CG Hotels & Resorts - a hospitality portfolio arm of Chaudhary Group (CG).
Travel & Leisure has showcased some 44 hotels and resorts around the globe in its annual 2017 'ItList' as the Best New Hotels. The US-based magazine is a globally renowned publication on luxury hospitality travel and tourism.
"This year, the competition was fiercer than ever," the magazine writes. "The 44 hotels and resorts are making waves for different reasons - some for killer design, others for culinary bona fides or an unbeatable location - but all are inspiring the rest of the hospitality world to take note."
The 2017 'Best Hotels in the World' Its List covers 44 hotels and resorts in 31 countries on six continents.
"We are truly humbled by this amazing recognition which has put Nepal and CG on the global map for providing world-class hospitality experiences,” said Executive Director of Chaudhary Group and MD of CG Hotels and Resorts Rahul Chaudhary. "CG Hotels & Resort's hospitality portfolio consists of some of the most iconic properties globally in destinations such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Dubai, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and New York to name a few," he said, adding that the company is proud of its partnership with Taj and is confident that Meghauli Serai's feature in Travel & Leisure will result in the influx of high-end tourism into Nepal. "This is the 5th high-end lodge within our portfolio under Taj Safaris in India and Nepal."
Located next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chitwan National Park, Meghauli Serai offers the visitors an opportunity to experience rich diversity of wildlife and vegetation. The park is especially renowned for its protection of one-horned rhinos, Royal Bengal tiger and Gharial crocodiles.
Nepal’s tourism experienced a dramatic turnaround last year after being hit by the twin disasters of a devastating earthquake and crippling trade embargo in 2015.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Nepal jumped 39.71 percent to 753,002 in 2016, boosted by robust visitor growth from India, China, the US, the UK and Sri Lanka, according to the statistics of the Department of Immigration.
However, 2016 arrivals are still 4.69 percent down from 2014 when the country welcomed 790,118 foreign visitors. The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 and remains a major growth driver for the economy even as the industry sees low overseas promotional activities.
October, November and December have been the most productive months for the industry, accounting for nearly one-third of total arrivals.
“It’s a dramatic growth. The industry is returning rapidly to its pre-earthquake growth level,” said Kedar Neupane, director general of the Department of Immigration. “The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 given a level of promotion by Nepal in the major source markets.”
He said that if the government, Nepal Tourism Board and private sector conducted aggressive promotional activities, this year could be an extraordinary year. “We can expect 1 million tourists in 2017 considering the current environment.”
Neupane said that Nepal could see a boom in Chinese arrivals this year following the move by the Chinese government to encourage travel to the country. China has announced Nepal Tourism Promotion Year 2017 in a bid to encourage its citizens to visit the Himalayan republic, according to the Nepal Embassy in Beijing.
“The industry carried out massive marketing activities in major source markets after the earthquakes, leading to a massive recovery,” said tourism entrepreneur Basant Raj Mishra. “The arrival of foreign volunteers as well as conferences held by I/NGOs in Nepal last year propelled growth.”
Suman Pandey, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, said that 2017 looked promising; but the crumbling Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s only international aerial gateway, could be a major setback.
“The hospitality industry in Nepal can accommodate more than 3 million tourists, but the airport is already choked with capacity constraints even though arrivals are way short of the one million mark,” he said.
TIA is currently served by 28 international carriers, and it has announced that it cannot accommodate more flights. “What does this statement mean? Of course, Nepal has become an attractive holiday destination for travellers, but TIA will remain the main obstacle to the growth of the industry.”
Nepal received a lot of media exposure following the earthquake which has aroused tremendous interest among potential travelers.
The world’s leading travel guide Lonely Planet has named Nepal the world’s ‘best value destination’ for 2017. Likewise, Nepal’s Langtang region has been featured in The New York Times ‘52 places to go in 2017’ list.
Nepal has also appeared in the January travel issue of chinadaily.com.cn. “Nepal remains a fabulous choice for budget-conscious travelers, whether it’s the country’s world famous trekking routes or the wildlife in the southern region. Travel costs per day are as low as $50 on average,” it said.
A breakdown of arrivals by market shows Indian travellers at the top of the list. Arrivals from the southern neighbour reached 118,249 last year, up 57.40 percent. Chinese tourist arrivals jumped 55.26 percent to 104,005. Travel trade entrepreneurs said that Chinese arrivals did not increase as expected last year as the key entry point,
Tatopani Customs in Sindhupalchok, was closed after the earthquake. However, Rasuwagadhi has emerged as an important surface route with 23,452 Chinese visitors entering the country through this point last year.
Meanwhile, visitors from the US, Sri Lanka and the UK jumped 25.67 percent, 29.64 percent and 55.71 percent respectively.
Nepal has been placed on the list of the top 10 places that deserve more travellers by the National Geographic.
The UK-based popular travel publication in its June issue has placed Nepal on the top 3 spots among the round up of 10 places.Although Kathmandu—and Nepal—have long attracted adventurous travellers, the country’s April 2015 earthquake, which killed 8,000 and wrought about $10 billion (half of Nepal’s GDP) in damages, decimated the country’s tourism industry, it writes.
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, a UNESCO-listed compound of palaces dating back as far as the tenth century, was partially destroyed, as was another of Kathmandu’s iconic structures: the 19th-century Dharahara tower.
A year later, however, Nepal’s situation is, if not what it once was, then nonetheless stable. And although several of Kathmandu’s most famous tourist structures have been damaged or destroyed by the earthquake, others—like the fifth-century Pashupatinath Temple and the relic-containing stupa of Boudhanath, now undergoing restorations—remain largely, if not entirely, intact, it said.
Power may not be a constant nor are paved roads, but for travellers willing to sacrifice a degree of comfort for a sense of adventure, Nepal’s draw remains, it said. “Nepal’s economy, deeply reliant on the tourism trade, is more in need than ever of visitors.
While the earthquake has damaged Nepal’s man-made structures, its mountain trails—including the legendary Annapurna Circuit through the snow-capped shadow of the Himalaya—remain accessible.”Only two of Nepal’s 35 listed trails have been rerouted as a result of earthquake damage, and as early as last summer, all of the Annapurna trail’s bridges were successfully tested for safety.
If you’re not up to a seven-day trek in the Himalayan wilderness, Kathmandu has a range of more sedate activities on offer. The tradition of the Himalayan singing bowls—bell-like structures historically rung before, during, or after periods of Buddhist meditation—has a long history in Nepal. Cultural centres like the Kathmandu Centre of Healing offer three-day intensive bowl workshops (from $300) where you can learn the art of playing the bowls to make them “sing.”
Last year, the UK-based magazine on its ‘Cool List' for 2016 had placed Nepal in the sixth spots among 16 cool locations.
Chandragiri Hills on officially opened the Chandragiri Cable Car service to the general public amid a Vedic ceremony.
Locals of Chandragiri Municipality in Kathmandu and Chitlang and Fakhel VDCs in Makwanpur were among the invitees to the ceremony conducted by the company’s directors and promoters.A total of 10,641 visitors from Chandragiri, Chitlang and Fakhel and other guests enjoyed the free ride on the Chandragiri Cable Car and visited the temple on the hilltop.A two-way trip on the cable car from Thankot to the top of Chandragiri Hill costs Rs700.
More than 10,000 passengers rode the cable car on inauguration day, Chandragiri Hills said in a statement, adding that the company expected to carry 10,000 passengers daily in the days to come.
Singer and tourist guide Ensu Rai has come up with a documentary ‘Nepal is safe for Tourism Forever’.
The documentary spanning three minutes and 11 seconds has shots of ascents to the world’s highest summit Mount Everest and vista of Himalayas.
Six months after the devastating earthquake, Rai had also organised a live musical concert at the altitude of 6,471 metres to give a message that Nepal is safe for tourism.The documentary has also depicted the panorama of Pattale Mountain (3,200 metres) located between Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga. Pattale Mountain has the potential to be a new tourism destination, said singer Rai.
The documentary has been edited by Anil Kumar Maharjan and presented by Mountaineering Culture Expedition Nepal.
One-way domestic airfares will go down by up to Rs 384 with effect from tomorrow, as the Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has reduced fuel surcharge following reduction in price of aviation turbine fuel.
Nepal Oil Corporation, the sole supplier of petroleum products in the country, slashed the price of aviation fuel by Rs 10 per litre to Rs 99 on Saturday.
The AOAN, the umbrella body of domestic airlines, revises fuel surcharge on domestic air routes whenever the price of aviation fuel increases or decreases by Rs four per litre.
With the latest fall in aviation fuel price, the AOAN has also revised fuel surcharge for all the domestic routes. With this, one-way airfare on Kathmandu–Pokhara route, for instance, will go down by at least Rs 164. Similarly, airfare on Kathmandu-Biratnagar route will come down by at least Rs 231, while one-way air tickets for Kathmandu-Dhangadi will cost at least Rs 384 cheaper.
“The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the aviation sector regulator, has approved the latest revision made to fuel charge,” the AOAN said.
In a bid to promote Nepal’s tourism in the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck the country last year, a hiking event is being organised in Hong Kong.
The 13 km hike being organised on July 24 as part of with the theme ‘Hike for Nepal’ at the initiative of Nepalis residing in Hong Kong.
Miteri Society Hong Kong is organising the event.
Noted mountaineer Phurba Tenjing Sherpa, who has successfully scaled Mt Everest ten times, will join the event, which aims to promote the country’s tourism.
Phurba holds the world record as the youngest climber to Mt Everest. Recently, he reached atop the world’s tallest peak with the flag of the ‘We Will Rise Campaign’.
On the sidelines of event, Sherpa will also hold interaction with foreign mountaineers on the success stories of mountaineers.
The hike will begin from Central Hong Kong and pass through Wan Chai Gap and Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park before concluding at Repulse Bay. Foreign mountaineers will also join the hike, according to society chair Tulasi Gurung.
The organisers hope this would be the biggest international event meant for promoting tourism in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
Besides, Thaneshwor Guragai, who holds Guinness Records in 12 different genres, will also participate in the hike, said the organisers. ‘“The ‘We Will Rise Campaign’, under which the event is being held, is gaining popularity worldwide as it has the support of Nepali sisters and brothers residing worldwide,” said the organisers of the event.
Himalaya Airlines (H9), a Nepal-China joint venture airline, is all set to operate daily direct flights to Doha, Qatar from July 11.
Issuing a press statement on Thursday, the airlines company said (that) it has decided to launch daily flights to the capital Doha following the increasing demands of the passengers to the destination.
Commenting on this daily direct flight, Vijay Shrestha, Vice President of the company, said, “Offering a daily direct service to Doha, Qatar is an indication that we would like to prioritize our service in this route. The daily service will allow Himalaya Airlines to offer its services to a larger base of our passengers’ society, mainly the Nepalese living and working in Qatar.”
Scheduled flight effective from July 11, 2016
- Depart Kathmandu H9555 at 2300 hrs, arrive Doha at 0130 hrs
- Depart Doha H9556 at 0230 hrs, arrive Kathmandu at 1015 hrs following day
The airline will depart from Kathmandu at 2300 hours (local time) and land at 0130 hours (local time) in Doha. Similarly, the return flight will depart at 0230 hours from Doha and land in Kathmandu at 1015 hours the next day.
The aircraft has 150 economy and 8 business class seats.
The airline’s new Airbus 320-214 is currently flying to Doha thrice a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays since May 31, 2016 marking it as the first scheduled destination of the Airlines.
Himalaya Airlines, a full-service premium carrier, established in August 2014, started its scheduled flight operations from May 31 2016 flying directly to Doha, Qatar. The airline has planned services to more destinations including Delhi, China, Colombo, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Dammam in the near future.
Domestic airlines have urged the government to declare Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport a tax-free zone to boost the flagging aviation industry when it amends Aviation Policy 2006. The Aviation Policy comes up for its second five-year review this year.
The government has been charging unnecessary import duty on aircraft spare parts and other components although the Aviation Policy talks about tax waivers, complained airline representatives while speaking at an interaction organized by the Tourism Ministry to include inputs from stakeholders in the planned amendment to the policy.
According to airlines, they have been paying hefty amounts in VAT on the import of spare parts. The government charges 1 percent tax on purchased or leased aircraft. Spare parts are charged VAT ranging from 13 to 40 percent.
In addition, the government charges 10 percent as aircraft lease tax. Likewise, carriers have to pay 15 percent of the total cost of sending aircraft crews for training abroad as Tax Deducted at Source (TDS).
The unnecessary tax burden has been affecting the growth of the airline industry in Nepal, they said. For example, Buddha Air has constructed a state-of-the-art closed door hangar facility to provide maintenance facilities for its aircraft as well as those from outside the country.
Recently, it signed an agreement with Dhaka-based Novoair to provide maintenance services for its ATR aircraft. “But after one maintenance service, the airline said that it would not be able to come again to Nepal due to the high tax imposed on aircraft maintenance,” said airline officials, adding that Novoair went to Singapore. “It also lost a proposed aircraft maintenance agreement with Bhutan-based Druk Air due to tax issues,” they said.
“None of the airports in Asia imposes customs duty on equipment used inside the airport,” said Manoj Karki, general secretary of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN). “But it happens in Nepal.” He said that the tax burden is transferred to the passengers that make flying expensive in Nepal. “The government should seriously consider these issues.”
Meanwhile, the AOAN has asked the government to clarify the dual monitoring system in the aviation industry involving the Tourism Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (Caan). “It’s not rational for the ministry to play the role of a monitoring body,” said Karki.
Likewise, the AOAN has asked the government to provide a special discount on income tax for new national and international airlines.
The association said in its draft wish list that the government should provide 100 percent income tax exemption for at least five years and 50 percent exemption for three years for new airlines.
It has also urged the government to establish refueling facilities at other airports, review airfares every two years, establish a separate air safety mechanism, provide special subsidies to encourage airlines to operate in remote sectors and give the airline industry recognition as a national priority industry.
“The existing policy has incorporated all the issues to address the country’s aviation industry, but it has never been implemented,” said Caan Director General Sanjiv Gautam.
“So the question is not about Nepal’s weak aviation policy but its implementation. However, as per the need of the time and changing global aviation and technology, it should be given a periodic review,” he added.
Pokhrel says air transport essential in Karnali
KATHMANDU: Tourism Minister Ananda Prasad Pokhrel said on Friday that he was distressed about his own decision to exhibit an authoritarian streak by banning passenger flights by single-engine aircraft.
Last March, a minister-level meeting slapped a ban on the registration of new single-engine aircraft following the crash landing of an Air Kasthamandap P-750 XSTOL on February 26 in which its two pilots were killed.
The government also said that single-engine planes would not be allowed to carry passengers. Subsequently, in May, the Supreme Court stayed the government’s decision. “When I visited some areas in remote Karnali, I realized that remote people need air transport regardless of whether it is provided by a single-engine or twin-engine aircraft,” he said at an interaction here on Friday. “In fact, the people’s purchasing power has increased and they can afford to fly. Hence, the aviation industry in Nepal has the potential to grow tremendously.”
The number of foreign tourists visiting the regional museum at Nayabazaar of Pokhara, Kaski, has dropped remarkably in the last fiscal compared to the year before that.
s many as 5,920 foreigners visited the museum in the fiscal 2014/15 while the number stood at 2,469 in 2015/2016, less than 50 per cent.
The revenue of the museum also dropped by more than 50 per cent with the decline in number of visitors.
Revenue collection in the last fiscal was Rs 249,000 while the revenue a year before that was more than Rs 500,000, said sources.
The museum runs under the Department of Archaeology and contains costumes representing folk culture and tradition, items that reflect concrete and abstract culture besides various antiques on display.
Acting museum officer Kabindra Poudel said they were witnessing decline in the number of visitors after last year’s devastating earthquake.
“However, there has been a slight increase in the number of Indian tourists in the last two months,” he said.
A separate Mustang Gallery was also established with the joint effort of Khinga and Garabajong Nepal and German Archaeological Exploration team in 1998.
“The items kept in the gallery are 500 to 1,500 years old. Various china items, metal weapons and wooden items used by locals are also on display,” he claimed.
Various other items excavated from the villages of Mustang have also been kept in the Department of Archaeology in Kathmandu and the regional museum in Kapilvastu for people to see and recall the cultural as well as traditional history of Mustang, said Poudel.
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