News and Events

A delegation of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) led by President Mahindra Singh Thapa on Jan 20 met Mohan Krishna Sapkota, newly appointed chief of Tourism Industry Division under the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, and apprised him of the problems facing Nepal’s trekking sector. Handing over a 26-point memorandum, the delegation requested joint-secretary Sapkota to take the initiative for introducing one-window system for TIMS card distribution through TAAN.   The association has long been demanding that the government introduce one-window system for TIMS cards distribution, arguing that it would help discourage illegal operation in trekking business. The delegation also proposed to the ministry to issue trekking permits to controlled areas for even a single trekker. As of now, the government has been distributing permits for controlled areas to groups having a minimum of two trekkers. TAAN also demanded that the government bring down royalty fee for controlled areas so as to encourage more visitors to trek to those areas. The delegation requested that the government bring down royalty fee on mountaineering peaks, keeping in view increasing flow of mountaineers in mountain areas in Tibet and Pakistan. It strongly urged the government to keep trekking sector free from foreign investment and argued that categorization of trekking agencies in present context is not necessary. Responding to the demands, joint-secretary Sapkota said the ministry was positive toward the demand placed by TAAN. Senior Vice-President Jangbu Sherpa, 1st Vice-President Rana Bahadur Khadka, 2nd Vice-President Ambar Tamang, General Secretary Mohan Lamsal and Treasurer Anjan Kumar Thapa along with other members of TAAN executive committee and TIMS Officer Navaraj Kafle were also in the delegation.