KATHMANDU, Feb 25: The Department of Immigration (DoI) has issued route permits through an electronic system (online) for domestic and foreign tourists going to restricted areas.

The DoI has made such arrangements that the tourists visiting the restricted areas can get 'route permits' through electronic means to facilitate the process of getting the permit. Earlier, the Department was issuing permits to tourists going to restricted areas only on papers. Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) General Secretary Binod Sapkota said that now the route permits can be obtained online

According to him, through Magical Nepal Pvt Ltd, route permits have been issued to three Chinese citizens online. Among the Chinese nationals whose route permits were issued online are Bing Si, Chichi Ping, and Winhua Luo. This development is expected to ease the journey for tourists visiting upper Mustang, upper Dolpo, Chum and Nubri valleys in the Manaslu region of Gorkha, as well as Simikot, Changkheli, Namkha in Humla, and Kanchenjunga in Taplejung.

TAAN President Nilhari Bastola said that the online route permits for the restricted areas will make the trek easier for both tourists and entrepreneurs. "The easier we make it for the tourists, the more tourists will come to visit Nepal. I believe this online service will be beneficial for the tourism industry," he said.

Acting director general of DoI, Krishna Bahadur Katuwal said that with the opening of the online permit system, the long time-consuming process of obtaining route permits has come to an end. According to him, tourists can now easily get permits from their company and personal accounts by 'QR payment'.

 
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