KATHMANDU, April 2: Nepal’s tourism industry seems to have bounced back with a notable number of foreigners arriving via air routes last month. According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the number of foreign visitors in March surged by 28.90 percent compared to the same period of last year.

Tourism accounts for 6.7 percent of Nepal’s GDP, as per the latest World Bank report. The tourism industry in Nepal also accounts for direct and indirect employment of over a million people. There is no denying that tourism is crucial for the country’s economy. Unfortunately, the travel industry in Nepal is under threat.

Nepal needs to start thinking about post-COVID tourism strategies as a country with considerable dependence on tourism income.

POKHARA, August 21: The tourism industry has been severely affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry which was already suffering from the initial wave of the virus was crippled due the surge of the second wave of the COVID-19 infection.

KATHMANDU, May 30: The tourism industry, including hotels, will be provided with benefits and incentives like those provided to the productive sector.

KATHMANDU, March 22: The government has decided to waive the electricity demand charges of the lockdown period for the hotel and restaurant industry that are hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. A cabinet meeting held recently took a decision to this effect.

BHARATPUR, Dec 17: Tourism industry of Sauraha which was battered by the Covid-19 pandemic almost for a year has gradually started reviving.

KATHMANDU, Sept 27: The ‘Tourism Revival’ campaign has been officially launched to accelerate the country’s coronavirus-hit tourism industry.

KATHMANDU, Sept 8: The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has formed a ‘Tourism Revival Taskforce’ to revitalize the tourism industry that is hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

KATHMANDU, July 26: As the tourism business continues to take the COVID-19 generated blow, tourism entrepreneurs have sought a 50 percent waiver on their electricity bills.

KATHMANDU, June 24: Some businesses operating in the Thamel area have started getting relief on rents in response to their demand of 50 percent waiver on rents.

KATHMANDU, June 23: Hotel rooms in Nepal now require to be kept vacant for 72 hours before letting another guest check in the room.

KATHMANDU, June 22: The hotel quarantines set by the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) have remained underused amid the government’s decision to let abroad returnees be home quarantined.

KATHMANDU, April 11: The inflow of remittance has begun to witness a sharp plunge. The tourism industry faces the biggest catastrophe in Nepal's recent history. And there is only a slim chance for the country's exports to grow any further.

KATHMANDU, April 1: The government has formally canceled the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign. It also said that the VNY Secretariat will be dissolved on April 13.

KATHMANDU, March 5: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Bhattarai, has directed the officials of his ministry to form an action team to study the impact of coronavirus on tourism industry and identify measures that need to be taken to address them.

POKHARA, Mar 2: Hit hard by the impact of coronavirus outbreak, local entrepreneurs have suggested to the government to take needful measures to prevent further slide in their business. They have even warned of protest if the government failed to address to their concerns on time.

KATHMANDU, Feb 19: The government has put forth a plan to promote Nepal as 'Coronavirus Free Zone' to minimize the impact of the outbreak on the tourism industry.

Apparently, much like everything else, traveling will also develop and change drastically in the next decade. Here are some trends that experts claim the world will see in the field of travel in the upcoming decade.

The government of Nepal has declared 2020 as the Visit Nepal Year (VNY). The government hopes that two million tourists will come to the country and each will spend above $75 a day. Undoubtedly, our economy needs a boost and what better than backing the tourism industry to catapult our growth story to the next level?  Meanwhile, there has been criticism on the role of the government, especially, the pace with which things should have moved forward. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that it is “Visit Nepal Year” and not “Visit Nepal Government Year”. Therefore, we the people of Nepal have a solemn duty to contribute to making VNY successful.

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