December
2005
Khumbu:
Community-based eco-tourism |
|
|
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
top
November
2005
Tourist
arrivals up in October |
|
|
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.
top
August
2005
Pre-paid
mobiles to resume from 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.
top
July
2005
Tourists
to get VAT refunded
Eco-Tourism
- Making Nepal Unique
Ban
on mobile services |
Pillion
ride ban in Kathmandu?
New
trekking destinations |
|
Tourists
to get VAT refunded |
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)
Eco-Tourism
- Making Nepal Unique |
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.
Upper
Mustang & Upper Manang Treks |
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.
|