News December 2005 Khumbu: Community-based eco-tourism November 2005 Tourist arrivals up in October August 2005 Pre-paid mobiles to resume July 2005 Tourists to get VAT refunded Eco-Tourism - Making Nepal Unique Ban on mobile services Pillion ride ban in Kathmandu? New trekking destinations Pre-paid mobiles to resume

A unique project in the Khumbu tries to turn treks into pilgrimages and benefit people outside the tourism loop.

Trekking, more than other types of tourism, benefits local communities because it injects money directly into rural areas. Properly handled, trekking can play an important role in poverty alleviation. Guides and porters get jobs, lodges and restaurants along the trails get business.

A form of community-based eco-tourism is currently being tried out in the Khumbu region where villagers are actively engaged in natural and cultural heritage conservation. The aim is to reduce trekking's ecological and cultural footprint while maximising its benefit for marginalised communities

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November 2005

The tourist arrival was up by 15 per cent in October 2005, according to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). The Maoist called unilateral ceasefire encouraged the tourists to visit Nepal.

The NTB's figure shows that 38,563 tourists visited Nepal by air during the period, up from 33,510 tourists who visited on the same month last year.

The number of Indian tourists registered a significant rise of 58 percent. A total of 8,327 Indian tourists visited the country during the period, as compared to 5,268 of the corresponding month last year.

Asian markets also showed steady growth during this month with the number of Chinese, Singaporean and Thai tourists going up by almost double.

The number of tourists from the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Spain moved up by 21.3 percent, 16 percent, 8 percent, 3.4 percent, and 2.8 percent respectively.

The tourist arrivals from third countries increased by 7.1 percent to 30,236 from 28,242.

The NTB's figure shows that 38,563 tourists visited Nepal by air during the period, up from 33,510 tourists who visited on the same month last year.

The number of Indian tourists registered a significant rise of 58 percent. A total of 8,327 Indian tourists visited the country during the period, as compared to 5,268 of the corresponding month last year.

Asian markets also showed steady growth during this month with the number of Chinese, Singaporean and Thai tourists going up by almost double.

The number of tourists from the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Spain moved up by 21.3 percent, 16 percent, 8 percent, 3.4 percent, and 2.8 percent respectively.

The tourist arrivals from third countries increased by 7.1 percent to 30,236 from 28,242.

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August 2005

Nepal Telecom (NT) is resuming the pre-paid mobile services from August 20, 2005. "The pre-paid mobiles will be resumed from 9:00 on August 20, 2005. Nepal Telecom who had been waiting for the approval of the authorities to resume the pre-paid services began re-registration process of pre-paid mobile phones in the first week of August.

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July 2005

According to a Financial Ordinance-2061 provision, which the government has recently decided to implement, Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by tourists on goods worth more than Rs 15,000 would be refunded at the time of their departure. The decision will come into effect from May 1. Any international tourist, who has not been employed in Nepal for the past six months and has not stayed for more than 183 days in Nepal, can claim VAT refund on his purchases. The VAT refund applies only to goods being taken out of Nepal within 60 days of the date of purchase. For the time being the provision will benefit tourists leaving through the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has directed the Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) to open a branch at the TIA lounge to provide refund services to tourists, according to a bank source. The RBB unit will refund the amount in foreign currency to the tourists. The Ministry of Finanace has directed the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to provide application forms VAT Refund for Tourists at department stores with immediate effect.
Source: NTA (Nepal Tourism Board)

An Eco-Tourism based economy features steady, vigorous competition among those who provide the money and take the risks and benefits of ownership. They buy equipment, goods and labor services to create tourism for sale. "Buy cheap and sell dear" is their slogan to increase profits. We have to seldom serious problems like war and economic depressions interfere with our eco tourism development.

It is also true, eco tourism provides for full and effective participation and viable income-generating opportunities for local people and it may also provide significant opportunities for income-generation and employment.

Some eco tourism based economy will make enormous profits. Thus, in a eco tourism-based economy, money creates greater amounts of money and greater average living standards. What a eco-tourism can provide, if managed and catered for properly, is the utilisation of natural resources to create sustainable income for businesses and individuals.

The authorities decided to prolonge the closure of mobile phone services in the country. The government resumed 40,000 post-paid lines only in Kathmandu valley from May 2, 2005.

Home Ministry had prohibited pillion riding on the back of motorcycles in the capital Kathmandu for security reasons. A government statement said that the country's Maoist rebels had been using motorcycles to launch attacks.

Later, authorities have clarified that 'a request, not an order' was made asking people to avoid pillion riding.

Nepal's newest travel product is the "Upper Mustang Trek". The recent opening of Mustang, an ancient Himalayan kingdom with some of the largest Tibetan monasteries means there is a new destination for those seeking true adventure among the wilds of the Himalayas. March-October is the best time of the year for a trek to Mustang, situated at an altitude of more than 4,000 metres above sea level.

Another new trekking destination are the Nar-Phu Valleys, a hitherto restricted region in the remote Upper Manang valley that is home to just 850 inhabitants. Only a certain number of tourists are allowed at a given time. The region boasts of original Tibetan culture and you need to obtain a special permit to travel there. The more challenging treks are to Kang La, 5,322 metres above sea level and Thorong-La, 5,416 metres.

Mustang Upper Manang Trekking