July
2005
| Pillion
ride ban in Kathmandu |
New
Trekking destinations |
|
Authorities
in Nepal have banned passengers from riding on the back of motorcycles
in the capital Kathmandu for security reasons. A government statement said
that the country's Maoist rebels had been using motorcycles to launch attacks.
| Upper
Mustang & Upper Manang Treks |
Nepal's
newest travel product is the "Upper Mustang Trek". The recent opening of
Mustang, an ancient Himalayan kingdom with some of the largest Tibetan
monasteries means there is a new destination for those seeking true adventure
among the wilds of the Himalayas. March-October is the best time of the
year for a trek to Mustang, situated at an altitude of more than 4,000
metres above sea level.
Another
new trekking destination are the Nar-Phu Valleys, a hitherto restricted
region in the remote Upper Manang valley that is home to just 850 inhabitants.
Only a certain number of tourists are allowed at a given time. The region
boasts of original Tibetan culture and you need to obtain a special permit
to travel there. The more challenging treks are to Kang La, 5,322 metres
above sea level and Thorong-La, 5,416 metres.
top
June
2005
| Kathmandu
faces acute shortage of drinking water |
|
|
Kathmandu
is reeling under severe shortage of drinking water with soaring temperature
and no rainfall. According to reports, Nepal Drinking Water Corporation
(NDWC)- the only state-run agency for management and distribution of drinking
water in Nepal- is supplying just about 100m liters water in Kathmandu
daily against the demand of 294m liters. According to reports, due to the
delay of monsoons in the country, water sources have decreased by two-thirds.
On the contrary, the population of Kathmandu is increasing all the time.
Though authorities cant provide exact data on population of Kathmandu,
it is estimated that the figure stands over 2.5 million.
top
May
2005
| When
the tourism industry hits rock bottom, there is nowhere to go but up |
This
time of year, Jomsom should be bustling with trekkers headed down from
Thorung La and waiting for flights to Pokhara and pilgrims walking up to
Muktinath. This year, all you have are tumbleweeds blown up the dusty banks
of the Kali Gandaki by the fierce afternoon wind.
Lodge
owners here don't remember things being as bad as this, even in the autumn
of 2001. There used to up to 800 trekkers moving up and down through Jomsom
during peak season. These days ,there are barely a100 tourists.
If
it is any consolation, Pokhara is even more deserted. In fact, the big
difference with previous years is that the tourists who are here seem to
have skipped Pokhara completely or just overnighted there.
The
lodge owners are competing against each other for the stragglers. Undercutting
is rife and trekkers have learnt to bargain hard and bring prices down.
top
April
2005
| Robbery
in Thamel, Kathmandu |
|
|
| Robbed
in broad daylight in Thamel |
On
19 March, I went to Thamel to a money exchange counter to change my hard-earned
euros. At 8AM, I was standing outside the counter when a middle-aged man
approached me. He asked me what I did for a living and thinking he might
be a prospective client, I answered his questions. Then he took me to a
corner, flipped an identity card (I couldn't see it properly) and said
he was a CID police officer. ....
I
don't know his name and I never saw him again. I have thought about this
man's language, demeanour and behaviour. I don't think he was a professional
conman, in fact he really looked like a policeman. But the fact remains,
I was conned out of two weeks of hard-earned money.
top
March
2005
| VISA
renewal for foreign tourists within five minutes |
Tourism
& Media |
|
The
Department of Immigration has announced to carry out the renewal of
foreign tourist visa within in five minutes to half an hour anstead
of three hours before. The department has started providing this services
within this period in the circumstances of completion of the process including
the necessary documents and certificates.
Daily
90 tourists come to the tourist visa section at the department for renewing
the date of their visa. The department has also fixed the time for the
non-tourist visa and freed the service-recipients of the hassle of having
to wait for many hours or even days to have their work done.
The
tourism entrepreneurs and experts have expressed a grave concern over the
inability to present the true picture of Nepal abroad in order to attract
more tourists. The past few years that saw record political instability,
frequent strikes and violence had sent a bad message in the international
arena that badly hit the tourism industry in Nepal. Now, the situation
has changed in Nepal .... The tourism industry has also started recovering
as the tourist arrival in Nepal has registered a slight growth. ... Those
who are conspiring against the interest of Nepal have continued to spread
negative propaganda and unnecessary rumours against Nepal in the international
media. The concerned authorities, tourism entrepreneurs and Nepali media
have not been able to counter these negative propaganda and portray Nepal's
good image in the international arena. As a result, many foreigners are
still not aware of the situation in Nepal. .... In fact, tourism industry
is the backbone of Nepal's national economy. The share of tourism industry
in the national income, foreign currency earning and employment opportunities
is huge. Tourism industry is the country's largest source of foreign currency
earning. .... People and parties may have ideological and political differences,
which is natural in a democratic polity. But these differences must not
harm the national interest...
top
January
2005
| Insurgency
situation was becoming really "tedious" and "problematic" |
|
According
to figures, tourist arrivals in Nepal dropped to 288,000 in 2004 from nearly
half a million in 1999 - the most successful year for the sector. Tourism
in Nepal has been badly hit since insurgency began in 1996; the political
landscape has been pitted with trouble, frightening away all except the
most stouthearted tourists. Meanwhile, Britain, Australia and America -
all major tourist markets for Nepal - continue to issue security warnings
to their nationals about the situation in Nepal.
Tourism
officials say that there are no problems for tourists. The Maoist insurgents
have never said they would harm our foreign visitors.
| 
