Concerning the penalties charged by Nepal Airlines Corporation (RA), NATTA had received complaints regarding those charged to the agents as the Late Payment Fee and Interests. Agents at the time of pandemic and lockdown situation were not able to pay their regular payments. NATTA Delegation on 8th March 2021 visited Nepal Airlines and met MD of RA, Mr. Dim Prasad Poudel with a request to encourage the agents with various motivating aspects rather than discouraging with the deductions at the time of COVID. At the meeting, Mr. Poudel assured on keeping this issue of the agent in the coming Board meeting and work in favor of agents.
NATTA, NTB, NTVA with several other tourism committees participated in a Workshop at Aranya Boutique Hotel on March 4th, 2021. In the workshop, Mr. Suman Ghimire, Manager of Nepal Tourism Board had a presentation on how COVID-19 has affected in incoming of international tourist in Nepal, prioritization of domestic tourism and the health protocol by the tourism industry. The workshop also had an interaction on how the people including all the front liners, shareholders and stakeholders are aware and trained for the safety of COVID-19. The workshop was participated in by President Mr. Achyut Guragain. Mr. Guragain shared a few words on prioritizing domestic tourism, coordinating with the government for visa/on-arrival visa for the international tourist and safety of the stakeholders of the tourism industry at the program.
On 1st March 2021, a meeting was held with NATTA Executives and Secretary General of ABTO Dr. Kaulesh Kumar at NATTA Secretariat. The meeting discussed the promotion of tourism, especially in Buddhist Circuits between India and Nepal by joint tourism promotion in Asian Countries, making regular coordination between the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Nepal and India, Nepal Tourism. ABTO has also planned in organizing its International Buddhist Travel Mart (IBTM) inviting several scholars from around the world.
Together in partnership with NATTA Gandaki Province Chapter and NATTA Banke Chapter, Lumbini, Province, an initiative has been launched to bring tourists from in and around Nepalgunj to Pokhara and send tourists from Pokhara to destinations in the western region including Nepalgunj in promoting both the cities. Charter flights have been started from Sita Air's Dornier aircraft which will be operated two days a week (Sunday and Friday). One-way fare has been fixed at Rs 5,000. The initiation has been made to boost the tourism business affected by the COVID and will also add convenience to the Indian guests entering through Nepalgunj.
Tourism associations as NATTA, TAAN, HAN, NMA, HRA, SOTTO, NATO, NARA, NTVA, EOA, TBAN, REBAN, Homestay Association of Nepal, Everest Summit Association and Kailash Tour Operator Association Nepal went as a delegation on February 25, 2021, at the Ministry of Tourism and met with Joint Secretary to submit the 29 pointed Amended Budget for the fiscal year 2078/79 led by NATTA Senior VP, Mr. Binay Basnet. During the meet, they discussed the whole budget planning with the added suggestions and changing a few old written statements for the government to implement and change. Some of changes and suggestions are the tax that has been paid from the tourism industry to be used in the development of the tourism industry; providing special loan at the rate of 3% to the tourism industry, waiving of taxes, providing Lease financing to encourage the newly established tourism business, ensuring the employees of tourism industry Read More
Cautioning the travel agents community about the danger that is hidden behind countries working in silos in creating digital passport standards for their countries, Mr. Yossi Fatael, Vice President, UFTAA, has asked various travel associations across the world to engage their respective governments and alert them about the dangers of creating country-specific standards. Mr. Fatael addressed a webinar organized on 22nd February 2021 by UFTAA for its members globally on ‘How Digital Passports can change the global Travel & Tourism industry’. Although vaccination has begun the world over, countries have started discriminating against people based on the vaccines. American FDA recognizes the efficacy of only a few vaccines. The same is for many European countries. This will discriminate between people and countries, he said. When people are not equal, there will be no unity. Travel agents have to have a deeper understanding of the various standards being adopted in different Read More
On February 22, 2021, in coordination with all the tourism related associations and stakeholders, a Joint Press Meet was held where the tourism industry demanded the government to relax the strict health protocols for tourists arriving in Nepal. They also demanded that the government should remove the mandatory provision of quarantine for tourist carrying a negative report of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Almost all the tourism-related associations and industry including Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN),), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Himalayan Rescue Association and Society of Travel and Tour Operators organized the joint press meet to draw the attention of the government as the tourist season is approaching. They demanded to provide on-arrival visa, online visa and visa from Nepali Embassies, operate the TIA in a full-fledged manner and the removal of requirements of $5000 worth of Read More
NATTA Delegates led by President Mr. Achyut Guragain and other members including Secretary General Mr. Sudhir K Upadhayay, Secretary Mrs. Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha and CEO Mr Uttam Devkota called on Deputy Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, the Central Bank of Nepal and discussed burning issues of foreign currency exchange facility and refinancing facility for Corona-hit travel entrepreneurs on February 21, 2021During the meeting, President Mr. Guragain briefed the Deputy Governor on the problem faced by Outbound Travel Agents due to the USD 1500 ceiling provision of NRB for each traveller and requested for increasing the limit at least to USD 2500 per traveller. Secretary Mrs. Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha also indicated that the provision is very impracticable, as the USD 1500 may be insufficient to buy some expensive packages in American and European countries as the travellers might be in short of cash for other basic needs besides packages bought by Read More
MoCTCA held a meeting on February 21, 2021, with the private sectors of the tourism industry viz; NATTA, TAAN, HAN and NMA to discuss the concept of all seasons tourism. As a representative of NATTA, Senior Vice President, Mr. Binay Basnet participated in the meeting. The meeting had the interaction on including at least 5 destinations from the East, Central and West Region so that all the areas of the country are covered and how we can make use of the offseason with various marketing strategies inbuilding the destinations for a better place to travel. It was also discussed in developing and facilitating the areas for the betterment and researching the sources of the destination and promoting those new tourism products as in religious, trekking, travel, entertainment and sports tourism.
Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) organized the Heritage walk on the occasion of International tourist guide day at Patan Durbar Square on 21st February 2021. NATTA President, Mr. Achyut Guragain and Senior Director of NTB, Ms. Nandini Lahe Thapa were invited as Chief Guest for the inauguration of the Heritage walk. Including NATTA, several other tourism committees and stakeholders were also invited to the program. Speaking at the program, President Mr. Achyut Guragain assured the full support from NATTA in any of their endeavors. There was also an interaction about the necessity of cleaning of the Lalitpur area, promotion from the different associations, plans to extend the number of stay of tourists and also the development & promotion of the heritage sites.
Nepal Rastra Bank organized an online Zoom Meeting with the entrepreneurs of Nepalese industries to have the interaction on the Half-Yearly Monetary Policy of 2077/78 on 9th February 2021. The interaction discussed the current policy and the changes to be made in the coming days in keeping with the situations. Mr. Kumar Mani Thapaliya, Treasurer of NATTA participated in the program. NATTA had been submitting the specifics to be adjusted in the coming Monetary Policy.
Newly appointed Board Members of NTB Executive Committee Mr. Chandra Rijal, Mr. Ngawa Ngima Sherpa and Mr. Krishna Kumar Shah, were welcomed by Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation and NTB Chairman, Mr. Yadav P. Koirala at a program on February 9, 2021, at Nepal Tourism Board. Similarly, Mr. Deepak Mahat, Mr. Awadesh K. Das and Mr. Krishna B. Mahara were given a farewell at the program with an appreciation for their contribution to the development of Nepal’s tourism during their 3-year tenure. NTB CEO Dr. Dhananjay Regmi apprised the officials on the responsibilities borne and the work carried out by NTB in terms of crisis management and communication, destination visibility, virtual promotion, branding, product development and research in the past year. President of NATTA Mr. Achyut Guragain, taking a moment at the program welcomed the new Board Members and anticipated the support from Board to Read More
On February 7, 2021, The Namkha Municipality of village executive office held an interactive seminar for the promotion and development of the destination of Namkha municipality with the Nepal Tourism Board and tourism-related sectors. As NATTA Representative, Senior Vice President, Mr. Binay Basnet participated in this program which was conducted at Nepal Tourism Board. It was an interactive seminar with a draft presentation where they discussed the development and implementation, promotion of the area and its certain issues with the solution, particularly of Namkha Municipality. The objective of organizing such a seminar was also in promoting the destination as ‘Treasures of Humla’ with pictures presentation of the cultures and heritage sites.
TAJ Riverside Resort and Adventure Pvt. Ltd., organized a 2-day FAM Trip 2021 as a promotion for domestic tourism with the participation of different tourism related industries and associations on 6th February located at Sunkoshi 5, Mulkot, Sindhuli. As a representative of NATTA, Executive members; Mrs. Laxmi Karki (Adhikari) and Mr. Hari Kumar Shrestha attended this trip where they also discussed on focusing promoting, uplift and aware people of domestic tourism.
The 3rd edition of the Tour De Thakurdwara Cycling event was held on February 5th and 6th, 2021 at Nepalgunj. The 2-day cycling event was organized for the support in the revival of domestic tourism that was shattered due to Corona impacts and also to promote cycling tourism at the Nepalgunj with the benefits of cycling on both humans and the environment. The event was participated by around 200 cyclists. Also organized in the coordination of the NATTA Banke Chapter, there were several tourism committee members present from different Provinces including NATTA President Mr. Achyut Guragain for the encouragement of the event.
TAAN organized a felicitation program for the Nepali Summiteers who successfully ascended Mount K2 in Pakistan. The program was organized inviting all the tourism related association on the occasion of this achievement on 5th February 2021. Participating in the event, NATTA Senior Vice President Mr. Binay Basnet, Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kr. Upadhyay, Executive Members Mrs. Laxmi Karki Adhikari and Mr. Dendi Sherpa congratulated the summiteers of Mount K2 for their successful mountain climbing in history and heightening the image of tourism industry of Nepal. One of the most historic moment for Nepalese, as our Nepali climbers achieved to climb the great Mount K2 on January 16th located at the border of Pakistan and China. It is to be considered the most dangerous and Killer Mountain in the world and also is the second highest mountain in the world.
MoCTCA and Nepal Tourism Board jointly organized an "Orientation and Interaction Program on Centralized Electronic Tourism Management Information System CeTMIS" with all the tourism stakeholders on 3rd February 2021. On the program, there had been discussion on the advantages and the challenges of making the central tourism information system. With the growth in technologies and systems, there had been a dire need for a system that supports the effective planning of the tourism standard of Nepal. Joint Treasurer Ms. Yubika Bhandari participated in the said interaction program.
In promotion of Domestic tourism, Domestic Tourism Revival Committee (DTRC) had been formed in collaboration of NTB and NATTA with a motto of preserving, promoting and developing the different destination of Nepal. The CEO of Nepal Tourism Board and Coordinator of DTRC, Dr. Dhanajaya Regmi, President of NATTA Sudurpaschim, Mr. Maya Prakash Bhatta and Former Tourism Board Member, Mr. Krishna Bahadur Mahara and the tourism enterpreneurs visited the destinations; Dhangadi, Dadeldhura, Dipayal and Badimalika from January 30 till February 1 in introducing and promoting the potentials of the Sudurpaschim Province of Nepal.
NATTA Delegation met with newly appointed Ambassador of Government of Nepal to the USA, Dr. Yubraj Khatiwada on 31st January 2021. The delegation congratulated Dr. Khatiwada and had a short goodwill discourse regarding the tourism sector. Present in the meeting were Senior Vice President Mr. Binay Basnet, Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay, Secretary Ms. Jiswan Tuladhar Shrestha, Treasurer Mr. Kumar Mani Thapaliya, Jt. Treasurer Ms. Yubika Bhandari. During the meeting, various ideas were exchanged on how to make most out of the existing potential that Nepal has in tourism and promote Nepal in US Market. Also, embassies emphasizing on multinational companies to bring their staffs into Nepal with some programs were suggested by NATTA in the program. H.E Dr. Khatiwada assured to support the travel trade sector in the promotion of tourism in Nepal and showed eagerness to work together with NATTA in the coming days.
NATTA Central had a virtual meeting with President of all NATTA Provinces on 20th January 2021. There was a discussion on having suggestions for the role of the Provinces in local tourism promotion. Role of NATTA in Provinces had been active since prior days. But the impact of COVID on tourism has affected in all places. Domestic Tourism Promotion has been one of the keys as of now for the revival of tourism. In this case, to have an active involvement by the Provinces, the role and the planning of programs were discussed for the domestic promotions. The interaction was also held on establishing NATTA Province 2 and NATTA Province 6, Karnali and prepare for an ad-hoc committee regarding it. Likewise, some of the suggestions for the amendment of NATTA Central Statute were also discussed in the meeting. NATTA Central President Mr, Achyut Guragain and Senior Vice President Mr. Binay Read More
