Adventure sports permit system simplified

The Tourism Ministry following complaints from travel traders has changed the regulations to create a one window system for acquiring adventure sports permits. The Tourism Ministry will henceforth issue permits to conduct adventure sports activities in protected areas. Formerly, the Forest Ministry gave out permits. The Ministry used to collect separate fee for 10 tourism activities in the Himalaya and high hills which contain biological diversity needing conservation.

According to the old regulations, anyone wanting to go skydiving, skiing, paragliding, bungee jumping, rafting, canyoning, abseiling, mountain biking and kayaking had to get separate permits from the Department of National Park and Wildlife. The new regulation is expected to ease the lengthy hassle and boost the tourism industry.

As per the new fee structure, the royalty for skydiving for tourist from SAARC nations has been reduced to Rs. 2000 from Rs. 6000. Similarly the fee for foreign tourist has been cut to US $ 100 from US $ 500. Similarly, charges for paragliding and Para mountaineering have also been decreased to Rs. 1000 from Rs. 6000 and US $ 50 from US $ 300.

ACAP Proposes new trekking route in the Annapurna region

Annapurna Conservation Area Project has developed new routes in the Annapurna range to provide an alternative to the world famous Around Annapurna route. ACAP came up with the idea of marketing new trekking routes as old trekking routes in the area are getting shorter with increased access to transport services. The process of constructing necessary infrastructure as well as erecting sign board along the new routes has begun recently.

The new routes cover major tourist destinations including Ghalegaun, Ghanpokhari, Tharchu, Dudhpokhari, Namunapass, Timang, Bhujung, Pasaung, Besisahar and Tanting. Tourist guide information center has also been set up.

A total of 10 days is required to complete each new trekking route.

Peace festival in Nepal from September 30

Nepal is all set to host the Global Peace Festival South Asia 2010, scheduled from 30th September to October 02. The 3 day event is likely to see the participation of faith leaders, social entrepreneurs, government and community leaders, business and NGO representatives. The conference promises to provide inspirations, vision, practical tools and partnerships to address the fundamental global challenges being faced in South Asian countries.

The Global Peace Festival (GPF) is a global movement of committed peace builders working in partnerships based on common principles, values and aspirations. The GPF promotes and celebrates persons and programmes that contribute to reconciliation, mutual respect, harmony and cooperation and sees all people as ‘one family under God’.

NTY Promo held in South Africa

With the view to promote Nepal tourism year 2011 in South Africa, the Nepali Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa and the Non- resident Nepali Association together organized a program to promote Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The program was jointly inaugurated by ambassador of Nepal to South Africa and the president of the resident Nepali association, South Africa.

Ambassador for Nepal highlighted the importance of Nepal Tourism Year and different aspects of Nepal – South Africa relations. He said that its main objective was to establish Nepal as a major tourist destination and pledged full cooperation and support from Nepal embassy in disseminating information about Nepal, facilitating visa issuance and other such matters.

Officials from the department of International Relations, representatives from media and travel trade and a large number of Nepalis residing in South Africa were present on the occasion.

The event was the first official program organized by Nepal Embassy

A Plane Crash in Nepal

In yet another tragic accident, Agni Air crashed while flying back from Lukla airport which was closed due to bad weather. The crash site is believed to be approx 2 hours hike from Kathmandu. All passengers and crew on board are feared dead as the wreckage of the airplane, according to the eye witnesses is scattered over the hill side.

Every year mostly during the monsoon season we hear news of landslides, flooding and occasionally, plane crash. It is a know fact that due to the nature of the Nepali terrain any rescue mission becomes a daunting task for the search team. Our search and rescue team only comprises of a handful personnel from Nepal army and some from the Police force. On top of that, we are not equipped to deal with such cases of emergencies due to lack of proper preparation and planning by the concerned authorities.

Despite all the above, there seems no legislation from the government to take corrective measures to ensure accidents like this don't repeat itself. Why then do the airlines still fly under such adverse conditions?? Where is the safety criteria by the Civil Aviation? Isn't preventing incidents like this a wiser course of action than trying to fight against it. Like the old saying " prevention is better than cure" which aptly applies to a country like ours, it is time to follow these simple rules.

Knowing your own turf and the capability of your team has been a winning mantra, why then do we not take preventative methods to ensure that no more lives are lost in vain.

Responsible Adventure Trail in Nepal

For the trekking enthusiasts and adventure seekers, The Great Himalayan Trail (GHT) is set to unveil trekking routes which promise rare walks into the remote regions of the Himalayas. The launch of GHT is being planned for January – February 2011, targeting Nepal Tourism Year. The Great Himalayan Trail is an extreme trekking trail for over 162 days with more than 1, 50,000 meters of climbing and descending, a proportion sure to tempt adventurous trekkers. Australian trekker Robin Boustead completed this trek after years of research. Starting in September 2008 in Kanchenjunga and ending in July in 2009, Boustead crossed the entire length of the Nepal Himalaya.

The Great Himalayan Trail is being developed with two different routes, the High GHT and the mid GHT. Higher GHT will be above 5000 meters with more than 21 different trails for tourists willing to experience this extreme adventure while the mid hill GHT will be for all types of trekkers.

According to travel trade entrepreneurs, Nepal has tremendous potential in adventure tourism which has been identified as one of the fastest growing segments in global tourism. There has been a significant rise in young adventure tourists coming to Nepal. The rise in young tourist supplements the fact that more people are coming to Nepal for adventure tourism.

The GHT trekking route developed from the eastern border to western border of Nepal will not only provide adventure thrills for the tourist but also aims to help the local communities in this remote region. Trekking groups can make a real difference to the lives of the people that are barely above subsistence. Trekking in these regions would also mean being responsible tourist and contributing to pro-poor sustainable Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.

Bagmati festival - Media and School Challenge

As a part of its continuous attempt to save Bagmati river and to revive its lost glory, Nepal River Conservation Trust had organized the Media/School Challenge last weekend on the Bagmati river. I was very fortunate to be a part of this mega event unlike the previous years, this time I got to witness the festival and participate in it as well.

Despite some resistance from the local people, mainly the local clubs due to certain misunderstandings from the past, the festival was a huge success and saw a grand participation of many media houses and local schools from the area.

This was also an opportune moment for many rafting companies, who otherwise are competing against one another to collaboratively work together for a greater cause. The team spirit and an extremely cohesive professional approach by the river companies is well worth applauding. This was one time when professionals from various organizations were untied towards achieving a common goal, a time for all to join hands to raise their voice and express solidarity to protecting the rivers of Nepal and conserving its habitat.