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Press Release
A delegation of Trekking Agents
Association of Nepal (TAAN) called on Minister for Culture,
Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Buddhi Raj Bajracharya at the
latter’s office at Singh Durbar on Sunday (June 19, 2005).
Led by Mrs. Bandi Nima Sherpa,
Acting President of TAAN, the delegation demanded that the concept
of Trekking Registration Certificate (TRC) be reintroduced so as
to maintain records of trekkers and control illegal operators.
Handing over a TAAN’s proposal
regarding TRC to Minister Mr. Bajracharya, Mrs. Sherpa pointed out
the need for the implementation of TRC. She said that the
association was all set to provide more services to trekkers
seeking TRC in a simplified and effective manner.
On the occasion, Hari Dharel,
General Secretary of TAAN, emphasized the need for introducing TRC.
After listening to TAAN’s voice, Mr.
Sushil Jung Bahadur Rana, Acting Secretary at the Ministry of
Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), said that the
ministry would hold discussions with various stakeholders about
TRC. “We will decide on this only after collect views of all the
concerned agencies,” Mr. Rana said.
Other members of the delegation were
Mr. Harka Raj Pariyar, Secretary of TAAN, Mrs. Uma Khakurel,
Treasurer of TAAN and Mr. Raju Singh, the association’s executive
director.
The meeting was also attended by Mr.
Mukund Bista, advisor at MoCTCA, Mr. Narendra Bajracharya,
President of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), and Mr. Bikram Neupane,
advisor to TAAN, Mr. Surya Prakash Shrestha, President of Village
Tourism Promotion Forum Nepal, Mr. Surya Prasad Joshi, President
of Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA), Mr. Ang Karma
Sherpa, General Secretary of Nepal Mountaineering Federation, Mr.
Pabitra Kumar Karki, Secretary General of Nepal Association of
Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), and Mr. Tek Bahadur Dangi, Chief
Executive Officer (CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
Meanwhile, TAAN has urged the
government not to enforce the provision of increased amount of
bank guarantee required for the establishment of trekking
companies at least for some time.
As the tourism industry has been in
a difficult situation, the increase in the amount of bank
guarantee from Rs. 25,000 to 200,000 has affected this sector. We,
therefore, would like to request the government to stop
implementing this provision now.
It may be recalled here that TAAN
had asked MoCTCA and other concerned agencies not to increase the
amount of bank guarantee from Rs. 25,000.
Hari Dharel
Genera Secretary.
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