Travel News & Events

Nepal Government revises Trekking permit fee in controlled Trekking areas of Nepal Himalaya!!
16th July 2008

In a bid to attract more trekkers in the controlled areas, the government has revised permit fee in different controlled areas of the country. The notice regarding the revision of permit fee was published in Nepal Gazette (Volume 58 No 10) and the revised permit fee will come to effect from Shrawan 1, 2065. As per the new provision, a trekker in Upper Mustang and Upper Dolpo has to pay US $ 500 or equivalent foreign currency per person for first 10 days. Likewise, fee for per extra day per person has been fixed at US $ 50 or equivalent foreign currency. Trekker in Manasulu Region needs to pay US $ 70 for a week and US $ 10 per person for each extra day during September to November. However, only US $ 50 is charged per trekker per week during December to August and additional US $ 7 per trekker per each extra day. Similarly, permit fee for Humla (Simikot-Yari) has been fixed at US $ 50 per person per week and US $ 7 per person per extra day. Likewise, permit fee for Kanchanjunga, Lower Dolpa and Gaurishankar and Lamabagar has been fixed at US $ 10 per person per week. However, permit fee for Chekampar and Chunchet of Gorkha district (Sirdibas-Lhokpa-Chumling-Chekampar-Nile-Chule) has been fixed at US $ 35 per person for eight days during September to November and US $ 25 per person per eight days during December to August. Similarly, the government has also revised existing tourist visa fee to be effective from Shrawan 1, 2065. As per the new fee structure, US $ 25 or equivalent foreign currency is required to obtain Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 15 days. Likewise, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 30 days can be obtained by paying US $ 40 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entry for 90 days can be obtained by paying US $ 100. Likewise, the government has also revised fee required to extend days of stay and visa renewal. As per the revise fee structure, Tourist Visa can be extended by paying US $ 2 or equivalent Nepalese currency per day. Likewise, Multiple Entry facility can be obtained only for the extension period by additional US $ 20 and visa fee for the extended period. Similarly, tourists can renew their visa by paying Nepalese currency equivalent to US $ 3 on the regular visa extension fee.

Tibet tour re-open to foreign tourists from Wednesday!!!
25th June 2008

LHASA -- Tibet will re-open to foreign tourists on Wednesday after a stoppage of more than three months due to the March 14 riot in the regional capital of Lhasa, a local official said Tuesday. The first foreign tourists, two Swedes, would arrive in Lhasa on Wednesday, and another four from Singapore would come on Sunday, said Tanor, deputy director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Bureau of Tourism. Tibet has been re-opened to domestic tour groups since April 23, followed by visitors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in May. As of June 20, the region had received more than 160 tour groups. "The tourists experienced by themselves the stable situation, harmonious society and beautiful environment in Tibet," Tanor said. "The success of the Olympic torch relay held three days ago in Lhasa demonstrated that the foundation for the social stability has been further consolidated." Also Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters in Beijing Tibet would not change the policy of opening-up. The regional government stopped issuing tourist permits to overseas travelers and the tourism authorities suggested travel agencies postpone organizing tour groups in the wake of the riot. It cited safety concerns and the reconstruction of tourism facilities around scenic spots damaged in the unrest. Independent domestic travelers have not been prohibited from entering the region. The riot, involving violent crimes against people and property, was organized, premeditated and masterminded by the Dalai Lama clique. The riot led to the deaths of at least 18 civilians and one policeman. It also left 382 civilians and 241 police officers injured, businesses looted and residences, shops and vehicles torched. Following three months, peace has gradually returned, with the resumption of schools, businesses and religious activities, as well as the re-opening of leading monasteries such as Jokhang, Ramoche, Sera and Drepung. "I don't worry about the personal safety here at all. It's safe and the people are very friendly," a tourist surnamed Tseng in his fifties from Hsinchu, Taiwan, told Xinhua on Tuesday evening. "Since the government announced the re-opening decision, I think it shows Tibet is indeed safe now." Local travel agencies have also prepared for a tourist surge. "We are ready," said Huang Lihua, general manager of the Tibet Tourism Corp., the largest travel agency in the region. "We are now doing two things: first, to resume the previous tour groups cancelled after the riot; secondly, to step up promotion and invite more groups," he said. The remote southwestern region had experienced a tourism boom in the past few years, especially since the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway on July 1, 2006. It linked Tibet with the rest of China for the first time by rail. Tibet received 4 million tourists from both home and abroad last year, up 60 percent from 2006. Tourism revenue reached 4.8 billion yuan (US$699 million), accounting for more than 14 percent of the region's gross domestic product. In the first two months of this year, the tourism business grew robustly in the region, greeting 110,000 tourists, including 6,000 from overseas, up 60 percent from the same period a year earlier. The March, April and May figures were not immediately available. Before the riot, the regional government had expected the number of visitors to increase by 25 percent year-on-year to hit 5 million in 2008, and tourism revenue to increase by 24 percent to reach 6 billion yuan (US$873 million). "We will still strive for the goal," Wang Songping, another Tibet Autonomous Regional Bureau of Tourism deputy director, told Xinhua. "Usually, January to April is the low season for Tibet," he said.

Revised Nepal Mountaineering Royalty
24th June 2008

Realising mountaineering as the back-bone of Nepal’s tourism industry, the Government of Nepal has made following decisions in a bid to make mountaineering royalty fee competitive amongst the neighboring countries, promote mountains lying in remote and less privileged areas, and create environment to transform the seasonal mountaineering business operational round the year and materialize the concept of ‘Nepal for all Seasons’: 1. Provide discount of 75% in winter and Summer Season and 75% in Autumn Season keeping intact the Royalty Fee in Spring Season. 2. Increase the number of climbing member in an expedition from 12 to 15. 3. Provide 100% discount on Royalty Fee for mountains located in Mid and Far Western Development Regions for 5 years. 4. Implement Incremental Royalty Break-down System (IRDS), a system under which permit fee increases with the increase in number of climbing members, on all mountains instead of lump sum per expedition having climbing members seven or less than that. The Ministry hopes that the new provision in mountaineering royalty that will come into effect from Shravan 1, 2065, will help increase the number of mountaineering in Nepal.