ouse panel stresses on promoting special tourism zone

Kathmandu, Jan 26: The meeting of the International Relations and Labour Committee under the Legislature-Parliament today directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to make integrated plan to promote tourism.

The meeting has directed the government to review to open the restricted zones in some hilly trekking routes and fee charging for visitors.

Earlier, Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Basnet had informed that the government had arranged to take permission to the tourists to visit trekking routes in different 12 hilly districts considering the geographical and social condition of the nation.

He further opined for reviewing the restricted zones and for the same integrated view among the concerned bodies and Ministries was needed.

Similarly, secretary at the Ministry Narayan Gopal Malego said that the visiting permission and conditions given to foreign tourists and timely review on it was justifiable as per the geographical and other security issues.

Secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation Dinesh Thapaliya stressed on allocating the responsibility of lessening the entry fee, increasing the tourists, developing the one door policy to promote the tourism sectors and making special tourism sector rather than restricted zone.

Speaking in the meeting, Nepal Mountaineering Association Vice President Santa Bir Lama viewed that it was need of the hour to review some provisions requiring high charge and prior permission for a trekking in some areas.

The participates also stressed the need for introducing one window policy among concerned authorities to let the prohibited areas open and feasible for tourists to visit by making some changes to a provision that bars tourists from entering some archaeological, religious and cultural areas in the view of protecting them.

Likewise, Nepal Association of Travel and Tour Agents Madhu Sudhan Acharya said that the government should focus on making laws that should facilitate development in the field of tourism.

In response, Department of Immigration general secretary Kedar Neupane viewed that the laws that bar entrance of tourists to some restricted areas could be amended as per the need and demands.