KATHMANDU: Different umbrella organizations related to tourism have demanded vaccines against coronavirus to entrepreneurs, employees, and staff deputed in the frontline at tourism destinations within 30 days.

Issuing a joint press release on Tuesday evening, the tourism-related organizations urged the government to open all tourism sectors by taking initiative for creating a trustworthy environment in the international tourism sector by providing vaccines against COVID-19 to all citizens at the earliest for the revival of tourism business hit hard due to COVID-19.

They also demanded immediate implementation of policy and programs related to tourism announced in the budget of the current fiscal year 2020/21 and making arrangements for tourists visiting Nepal and inoculated with a full dose of vaccine against coronavirus so that they need not stay in quarantine as well as arrangement of PCR test at the airport and other entry points, said General-Secretary of Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA), Shishir Khanal.

Similarly, implementation of free visa immediately to implement ‘visa on arrival system in an easy manner through online visa service system in order to encourage tourists to visit Nepal only through hotel/agents has also been demanded.

The joint press statement also asked the government to make arrangements of nation-wide training and monitoring mechanism in order to make health safety protocol implementation effective, to ensure representation of chairperson of main umbrella organization related to tourism in the CCMC, and to make arrangement of a separate number of embossed number plate for tourism-related vehicles.

Chairperson of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Khum Bahadur Subedi, said that arrangement should be made of the minimum authorized capital worth Rs 2.5 million without any collateral at zero percent interest in order to sustain the business like trekking, tour, and rafting.

A loan should be provided to tourism transport entrepreneurs at a three percent interest rate and tax and fines on vehicle inspection and pollution tests should be waived for one year, said Tourists Bus Association of Nepal (TBAN), Ishwor Sharma.

Different organizations–TAAN, TBAN, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATA), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO), Himalaya Rescue Association (HRA) had issued the joint press release. RSS