On 28th September 2020, Dignitaries of tourism associations were called on by Valley Tourism Office at its office at Hattiban, Lalitpur to discuss and take the opinions on the ongoing COVID -19 difficulties and the effort to make solutions to them that benefit the tourism industry. Together with nine different tourism associations, on coordination of NATTA, Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay submitted 15 pointed suggestions and demands to the Valley Tourism Office on 13th October. Addressing the letter, Valley Tourism Office has referred the submitted Letter to the concerned offices for the consideration and further implementation.
On October 9, 2020, Nepal Academy of Tourism & Hotel Management (NATHM) organised a farewell program in honor of Mr. Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, retiring Secretary of Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation and outgoing Chairperson of NATHM Board. On this occasion, Board Member of NATHM and President of NATTA, Mr. Achyut Guragain expressed gratitude and thanks to Mr. Adhikari for his unwavering support and guidance for the upliftment and expansion of the Academy and tourism industry. Mr. Adhikari as well praised for the support of NATTA President in the initiation of the opening of tourism colleges being opened outside Kathmandu Valley.
Plan International conducted a virtual workshop on Co-Creative Process to understand the current challenges and opportunities, policy gaps of Government to support towards gender-equal Hotel and Tourism sector, to identify the key solutions of the problems and its roadmap for follow-up steps jointly with multi-stakeholders. The workshop focused on multi-stakeholder cooperation with participation from Government stakeholders, private sector engagement, business associations, CSOs and young women working in the sector. As a major stakeholder in the Hospitality and Tourism sector, NATTA had been invited for the participation in the discussion from 6th –8th October 2020, where Joint Treasurer Ms. Yubika Bhandari had active participation in the sessions.
After realizing the need for expanding hotel and tourism management related education for the overall development of hospitality sector, the government has decided to open Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM)’s branches outside Kathmandu valley and in all the seven provinces. Recently, NATHM college had been set up in Nepalgunj and Bardibas to start the study from the next academic session whereas work for Birtamod is the next in line. On the inaugural programs and for the visit of the sites in the initial phase of the establishment of Colleges, NATTA President Mr. Achyut Guragain as a Board Member of NATHM had coordinated and actively participated. Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM) on its board meeting had decided to launch Bachelors in Hotel Management (BHM) and Bachelors in Travel and Tourism Management (BTTM) programmes at Birtamode of Jhapa district in Province 1, Bardibas of Mahottari district Read More
The Kakarvitta Province of NATTA organized its 9th AGM at Birtamode, Hotel Hicola on 2nd October 2020. The AGM was followed by the election of the new executive committee. On the Election, Mr. Uday Shrestha has been unanimously elected as President of NATTA Kakarvitta Province, with the new Executive Committee Members; Senior Vice President Mr. Punyaprasad Bhattarai, Vice President Mr. Rishiraj Timsina, Secretary General Mr. Nabin Kharel, Secretary Mr. Surendra Prasad Poudel, Treasurer Mr. Sanit Tamang and Executive Members Mr. Jeevan Parajuli, Mr. Manarath Silwal, Mr. Dharmaraj Shiwakoti and Mr. Chakrabahadur Karki for the year 2020-2022. NATTA President Mr. Achyut Guragain accompanied by Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay and Executive Members Mr. Hari Kumar Shrestha and Mr. Dendi Sherpa of NATTA Central committee participated in the NATTA AGM.
Conceptualizing from the BIMSTEC, BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) Tourism Forum Nepal has been formed for the tourism promotion. The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative is a subregional architecture of countries in Eastern South Asia, a subregion of South Asia. The Forum will be having a meet through the official representation of member states to draw out the ideas and implement on the tourism sector. Representing Nepal, on the BBIN Tourism forum Nepal, President Mr. Achyut Guragain has been nominated as the Vice President of the Forum. Likewise, NATTA Past President Mr. Arjun Prasad Sharma, President of NATTA Gandaki Province Mr. Sanjay Kanta Sigdel and Former Secretary General Ms. Mihika Dhakwa has been nominated as the Member of BBIN Forum.
NATTA celebrated the World Tourism Day -2020 this year with the major programs on the WTD-2020 theme Tourism and Rural Development. BLOOD DONATION NATTA 9th Blood Donation Program was organized at the premises of Goma Ganesh Temple at Naxal on 25th September, '16 from 10 am - 2 pm. Humanitarian gesture at the event was shown by the members of NATTA, and other generous people. About 35 people donated blood on the occasion. HERITAGE CLEANING AT BUDHANILKANTHA NATTA in association with Budhanilkantha Municipality on the occasion of 41st World Tourism Day organized a Heritage Cleaning Program in Budhanilkantha on 26th September 2020. This novel initiative was inaugurated together by Mayor of Budhanilkantha Municipality Mr. Uddhav Kharel and President of NATTA, Mr. Achyut Guragain. Joined by NATTA Members and associates of NATTA, the cleaning program was prepared in and around Budhanilkantha temple premises. The objective of the program was to clean the heritage sites Read More
This year Sichuan International Travel Expo (SCITE) Expo collaborated with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) which took take place from September 23 – 27 virtually. NATTA had been regularly invited in the SCITE Expo for years. This year due to the situation of COVID, the program was organized virtually as a PATA Travel Mart. Participants also had the involvement in the Sichuan International Travel Expo through the Virtual PTM 2020 platform. The event also had some of the networking opportunities as well as gaining some insights into the industry during the presentations. NATTA Executive Member and Chairperson of China Tour Promotion Committee Mr. Subarna Shrestha virtually participated in the Expo. The event had been organised in conjunction with the Sichuan International Travel Expo with the support of the Leshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau powered by official virtual partner Dragon Trail Interactive.
NATTA Delegation, President Mr. Achyut Guragain, Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay and Treasurer Mr. Kumar Mani Thapaliya had an online meeting with Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Mr. Maha Prasad Adhikari on 25th September 2020. The meeting emphasized on the rescheduling of loan repayments deadline, for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic especially the tourism industry. The government had earlier announced the budget of Rs 50 billion to provide loans at 5 per cent interest for fiscal year 2077/78 to the tourism industrialists. Hence, NATTA requested for the loans to be provided to the small and medium enterprises based on the guarantee of Registration, Tax Clearance simply without the hassles in the travel, trekking, mountaineering, rafting, transportation companies of the tourism sector who have taken overdraft loan or term loan. As tourism stakeholders are unable to pay their previous loans due to the situation, NATTA also requested to provide Read More
Yeti Airlines on September 22 celebrated its 22nd Anniversary where various tourism promotion programs had been launched. On behalf of NATTA, President Mr. Achyut Guragain participated in the Anniversary Celebration. Mr. Guragain on the event advocated the tour package commission to be given to the travel agents as per the standards of International Travel & Tour. An agreement was been made between NATTA, TAAN and Yeti Airlines on joining hands together in Promotion of Domestic tourism end encouraging Nepalese to travel more often and create awareness of destination tourism amongst Nepalese market.
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has formed a task force aiming to revive the tourism industry. Under the coordination of Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of NTB, Tourism Revival Taskforce (TRTF) was formed on September 08 which includes representatives from tourism associations, government bodies and other stakeholders. The taskforce comprises presidents of six different tourism associations including NATTA President Mr. Achyut Guragain, former CEO of NTB Deepak Raj Joshi, and Mr. Rajan Pokhrel, Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). Similarly, as tourism experts, the task force has included NATTA Past President and Chairperson of Hotel Dwarika Mrs. Ambica Shrestha, President of Temple Tiger Group Mr. Basanta Mishra, Managing Director of Buddha Air Mr. Birendra Bahadur Basnet, Former CEO of NTB Mr. Prachanda Man Shrestha and Executive Director of Yeti Airlines Mr. Sonam Sherpa. The task force has to prepare separate strategic plans for travel, hotel and civil aviation sectors Read More
Nepal Government has formed a high-level Buddhist Tourism Promotion Committee for exclusive promotion of Lumbini. Representatives from the Government including from Nepal Tourism Board, Lumbini Development Trust, and the private sectors from the tourism industry, are part of the committee. All the Committee members met online on September 8 2020, to discuss and share ideas on the promotion of Lumbini and other Buddhist heritage sites in the region. The region is expected to receive an influx of tourists once the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa starts gull operation. The committee is going to plan for the promotion, branding, and beautification of Tilaurakot, Ramgram, Devdaha, Kudan, Gotihawa, Niglihawa, and Sagarhawa. The committee has also been given the responsibility of making Lumbini a modality of publicity in international markets. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, the action plan has been formulated based on the findings of the committee, and a policy Read More
There had been relentless communication between NATTA and IATA Officials since the begin of the COVID situation for the assistance of the IATA Agents. As no agents would willingly delay any of the payments or any other submission, the charges charged by IATA to the Nepalese agents had added financial burden. Therefore, regarding the late payment interest and reinstatement fee (M15) charged by IATA, NATTA requested IATA to review on this matter. Likewise, the 2nd lockdown in Nepal as well affected in the regular payment of IATA agents, NATTA requested in the defer of the payment.
NATTA held a meeting with International Airlines operating in Nepal on 13th July 2020 at Marriott Hotel for the Refund request as it had been for a longer period. Most of the airlines responded to NATTA on their Waiver policy and also informed that their Refund process has already been processed. In the case of Refund of Airlines, on July 28, NATTA Senior VP Mr. Binay Basnet, Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay visited MoCTCA office with Legal Advisor Mr. Ishwari Bhattarai and apprised of the Refunds to the Secretary of Tourism Department Mr. Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, that hadn’t still been received of the unutilized Air tickets from the Airlines to the passengers or travel agency. The situation had led travel agencies to be in difficult situations. On July 22, NATTA circulated its members to send the Format with Details of Refund to be received from Airlines. Collecting those details, Read More
On 12th August 2020, pressurizing the government in the opening of flights, yet again NATTA and Domestic Airlines operating in Nepal had a meeting on reopening of domestic flights can be operated. The meeting had agreed to pressurize over again to the government in reopening Domestic Airlines from 17th September.
On 6th August 2020, via Teams, a meeting was held with the presence of the GIZ and NATTA representatives regarding mutual collaboration with NATTA and GIZ as NATTA being the implementing partner of one of the GIZ project. The meeting had the presence of Technical Advisor Mr. Deepak Adhikari, Senior Finance Manager Mr. Sebhanand Sangat, NATTA Senior Vice President Mr. Binay Basnet, Joint Treasurer Ms. Yubika Bhandari and Officiating CEO Ms. Shradha Chhetri. A project, Local and Provincial Economic Environment (LPED) supported by GIZ is currently working on exploring the possibility of additional funds to address the negative consequence on the local economy caused by the COVID - 19 in the LPED project areas. The idea is to support the stakeholders as well as workforce on business continuity especially in the tourism sector by motivating existing as well as laid-off workforce to continue the same business by providing the capacity Read More
The Chinese Tour Operators Alliance of Nepal (CTOAN) had been announced on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China on 1st August 2020. The Alliance had been inaugurated by CEO of Nepal Tourism Board, Dr. Dhananjaya Regmi. The objective of forming CTOAN is to move forward by improving any of the flaws of Chinese business operations occurred earlier and making the services more effectively to Chinese tourists coming to Nepal. On the inaugural ceremony, NATTA President Mr. Achyut Guragain congratulating the CTOAN team members suggested on uniting the team and having the teamwork among the alliance.
On 31st July 2020, Tourism Associations united together and had a meeting regarding the resume of national and international flights along with tourism services.
Nepal Airlines Corporation conducted an interaction program with key stakeholders in the tourism sector of Nepal on 31st July 2020 at Nepal Airlines Corporation Office. The interaction program was organized to evaluate the prospect of market expansion and current market scenario for further destination identification as well as to find out possible market potential. President Mr. Achyut Guragain, Senior Vice President Mr. Binay Basnet and Secretary General Mr. Sudhir Kumar Upadhyay participated in the interaction program.
A Google form had been sent to all members to fill out the survey form in receiving the feedback from members regarding the training programs to be organized in the coming days. NATTA is planning to organize a Training Programs related to Skill Development, Trends of Marketing and others for its members very soon in coordination with Nepal Tourism Board and other associates.
