PRESS RELEASE

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is happy to announce that the operation of Nepal’s tourism sector remains fully open and ready to host the world’s tourists as we approach the new high season starting in September.

Tour operators and tourists interviewed by the NTB since mid-June repeatedly affirm that their holidays in Nepal, both in Kathmandu and in up-country areas, are going well with no unexpected logistical or security concerns.

We would like to encourage all foreign tour operators who have contracted to send tourists to Nepal and all independent travellers to whole-heartedly continue with their plans to visit our wonderful country and its hospitable people.

NTB’s tourist facilitation cell provides escorted airport-downtown-airport transfer services to all the tourists even when some unforeseen events do happen.

The recent appeal of ceasefire made by the new prime minister immediately after his appointment and the prompt positive response for ceasefire announced by the Maoist leadership has obviously generated new ray of hopes for fruitful dialogue and peace. It is important to reiterate here that even prior to this understanding, all parties concerned have always given due importance to tourism. The leaders of the insurgency had categorically declared that tourists are not going to be inconvenienced. This has also been borne out by reports in international magazines like Newsweek as recently as last month. Potential tourists are, however, advised against visiting the districts of Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot. Just four of Nepal’s seventy-five districts. Tourists are always advised to use the services of Government Registered agencies providing travel related services even when travelling alone.

Many of the prominent Nepal’s cultural and other national events, festivals like Dashain, Tihar, Teej, Indrajatra, Gaizatra, to name a few are scheduled to start from the month of August will certainly provide added flavor to the tourist visiting mainly during this period.

At this juncture, His Majesty’s Government (HMG) is also leaving no stone unturned to promote Nepal as an exotic destination. HMG has decided to celebrate “Destination Nepal Year 2002-2003”, which is committed to providing better services and facilities to incoming tourists.

The year 2002 has been designated by the United Nations as the “International Year of Mountains” and the government has formed a national Committee to work out in detail about the plans and programs for making it a year of mega events. Similarly the year 2003 is also being observed as the “Mt. Everest Golden Jubilee Celebration Year” commemorating the first conquest of Mt. Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. The activities to be held for one year will begin in June 2002 and end in May 2003. Events lined up for the period include International Rock Climbing competition, Golf Tournament, Cricket tournament, Everest Marathon, White Water Rafting, Elephant Polo tournament etc.

There have been upgrades or additions to major infrastructure for tourists in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, and the Everest, Annapurna and Langtang regions where majority of the tourists vacationing in the country visit. The airports at Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lukla and Jomsom have either just been upgraded or are nearing their scheduled completion. Major improvements and additions have been made to the existing stock of hotel rooms in Lumbini, the birthplace of The Buddha. The road linking Kathmandu to the Langtang region has been partially upgraded and work goes to complete this important access route on time. Nepal Tourism Board is re-launching it signature “Nepal – Festival of Life” campaign with many attractive incentives for tourists during August and September. Nepal Tourism Board runs tourist facilitation and information services at the airport in Kathmandu (Tel: 470537), at its HeadQuarters (Tel: 256909) and there is also a tourist police unit (Tel: 247041).

The Nepal Tourism Board extends a warm welcome to those planing to visit Nepal with the customary Nepalese belief that “Our Guests Deserve the Same Treatment as God”.

For Immediate Release

Pradeep Raj Pandey
CEO
Kathmandu, July 27, 2001