NTB will contribute Rs 100 million into the fund.
Similarly, the board meeting of NTB also decided to donate Rs 50 million into the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund.Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, chief administrator of NTB, said money collected in Tourism Recovery Fund will be used for early to repair and rebuild various places of cultural importance and rehabilitate trekking trails in collaboration with different stakeholders for bringing tourism industry back on track at the earliest.
Earlier on May 7, the Department of Tourism (DoT) formed Tourism Recovery Committee (TRC) to study impact of the earthquake on tourism industry, identify short-term and long-term works that are needed to be done, formulate necessary programs for recovery of tourism industry, and suggest to concerned government agencies for speedy recovery of the tourism industry, among others.
Rapid Assessment Committee, formed under the TRC in coordination with Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), is assessing tourist-standard hotels with regards to the strength of their property and their capability to accommodate guests in the post earthquake situation. Likewise, Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) is studying the status of cultural heritage sites and monuments, while Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) is assessing the condition of trekking trails in Manaslu, Langtang and other trekking areas.
According to DoT, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter will coordinate with different international agencies to assess trekking trails in the Everest and Annapurna regions which have not suffered physical damage.
PATA Nepal Chapter will coordinate with international agencies like PATA International and invite delegates from PATA headquarters next week for a preliminary discussion on tourism recovery plans and strategies, according to a statement issued on Sunday.
According to the statement, HAN and Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) will jointly work to devise marketing schemes, discounted packages and other measures to attract foreign tourists.
The government has requested private sector to provide discounts in their packages to attract more tourists to the country. It has asked different umbrella associations of tourism sector to inform it within May 20 about discounts and promotional schemes that their members can provide to foreign tourists.
Tulsi Prasad Gautam, director general of DoT, said Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) preparing to provide discount on air tickets. "We will request other airlines to follow suit," he added.
According to Gautam, airlines carried only around 25 to 30 passengers in the first 10 days after the earthquake of April 25. The number was picking up after that, but Tuesday's big jolt again affected number of passengers, said Gautam.
Meanwhile, NTB has started devising special plan for the upcoming Kailash tour and the autumn season that begins in September. "Our focus is on bringing tourists for the autumn season. As Annapurna Region and Everest Region, which constitute 70 percent of the market for international tourists, are safe, we can certify that these places are safe. If we can build confidence of the international reinsurer and the embassies so that the negative travel advisories are lifted up, tourist will definitely come back here," Suman Pandey, president of PATA Nepal Chapter and spokesperson of TRC, said.
DoT has recommended to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to establish tourism village in five quake-hit districts -- Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha -- in the coming fiscal year. It has also submitted a proposal for the reconstruction and maintenance of tourism infrastructures to its line ministry.
According to DoT, altogether 581 cultural heritages sites across the country have been destroyed by the earthquake. Many more have suffered physical damage.
GOVT BANS INDIVIDUAL TREKKING IN QUAKE-HIT DISTRICTS
The government has decided to stop issuing trekking permits for free individual trekkers (FITs) in 36 affected districts until further notice.
Director General Gautam said the government will issue permits to only groups consisting two or more people. "The groups must be accompanied by either a trekking guide or a porter," said Gautam. "The decision has been taken considering the safety of tourists."
According to Gautam, the government will not recommend trekking in Langtang and Manaslu at least for three months.
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