Tourism ministry proposes waiving royalty for 11 mountains in 2020

Kathmandu / Dec 25: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTA) has proposed waiving the royalty for mountaineers climbing 11 mountains in view of attracting more tourists in Nepal to make Visit Nepal Year 2020 successful.

The mountains proposed for a climbing royalty waiver include Choyu, Sarphu II, Gyalzen Peak, Pkhar Khang, Kande Himchuli, Nampa II, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjungha main, Ganesh Himal, Putha Himchuli and Saipal.

Before making a formal decision to this effect, the ministry had sought information on the state of royalty collected from these mountains in recent two fiscal years from the Department of Tourism. The department has already provided the details of royalty fixed for the aforementioned mountains and the royalty collected from them in the last two fiscal years.

“The ministry had asked us to compile the state of royalty collected from certain mountains and we have already provided the details to the ministry,” said Mira Acharya, director at the Department of Tourism. “Hope the ministry will take a formal decision soon.”

The government has set a target of welcoming two million tourists in Nepal in 2020. To lure more tourists, the ministry has come up with the plan to waive the climbing fee for mountaineers in the upcoming spring.

The Department of Tourism charges $1800 as expedition permit for Choyu, Dhaulagiri and Kanchenjungha, $600 for Ganesh Himal, Putha Himchuli and Saipal, $400 for Kande Himchuli and Nampa II, $250 for Sarphu II, Pokhara Khang and Gyalzen Peak.

This is the royalty fixed for the spring season. Climbers, however, have to pay half the royalty in the autumn season.

Durbar Squares To Remain Open In Night During VNY 2020

Only five days are left to begin the mega tourism campaign –Visit Nepal Year 2020, which President Bidya Devi Bhandari will inaugurate on New Year Day 2020.

The government and the private stakeholders are gearing up to inaugurate the super event with different activities with a theme ‘lifetime experience’.

The government has set up a target of welcoming two million tourists in 2020.

The government and the private sectors are working together to make the year a grand success, said Mani Raj Lamichhane, director at Nepal Tourism Board.

“Tourists will be entertained right from the airport throughout the VNY 2020,” he added.

“To meet the target of two million tourists, the present flights are not enough. Existing flights to the Tribhuvan International Airport alone will not be enough to cater services to that big volume of tourists,” he said.

Around 40 international airlines are now operating their fights to the TIA every day, if one flight carries 120 tourists, the number will be only 4,800 in a day. But we need around 5,500 tourists a day to meet the target in a year, Lamichhane said. “We can meet the target only if the Bhairawa Airport comes into operation,” he added.

To lure more tourists, the government has also come up with different plans in coordination with the private sector.

“Discount card will be distributed at the airport for hotels, trekking, paragliding and other activists provided by the private sectors,” Lamichhane added.

He said that they had agreed to provide 20 per cent discounts on trekking, hotels and paragliding.

According to him, the coupons will be distributed on December 31 and January 1 2020 at the airport to those who take picture keeping Yeti and mountains in their background.

Lamichhane also informed that the Hotel Association of Nepal had declared 30 per cent discounts on all hotels for 2020 and Nepal Tourism Board would initiate international marketing campaigns.

“This will be a lifetime experience for the tourists in Nepal,” Lamichhane said.

The government and the stakeholders are ambitious about the goals to bring two million tourists in the year and promote Nepal as a lifetime experience destination.

He said that in collaboration with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the secretariat was working towards creating more green urban spaces in the city.

To engage tourists each and every time, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Lalitpur Durbar Square are going to open throughout the night, he said.

“There will be various programme on the first day of the grand event. The President will inaugurate the event. Around 40 international journalists are also invited to observe and report the event,” Lamichhane added.

Different events will be organised by the government and stakeholders with a theme together for tourism.

Lamichhane said that 39 Embassies would also organise a formal event to join hands with the government to make the mega event a success. Formal programmes will be organised in all State capitals.