News Release from MoCTCAMonday, October 8th, 2018

Government of Nepal

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

News Release

In order to update the Diplomatic Missions and tourism stakeholders in Nepal about a new regulation: “Tourist Search, Rescue, Treatment, and Monitoring Mechanism 2075”, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) organized a program on 3^rd October 2018 in Kathmandu in the presence of Hon. Minister Rabindra Adhikari. This new procedure provisions primary health care and treatment for rescued tourist, trekking guide or work assistant. It also provisions that the patient should be taken to the nearest well-equipped hospital or clinic for advanced treatment as needed. It further states that a Tourist Search and Rescue Steering Committee would be formed with the participation of stakeholder organizations under coordination of Director General of Department of Tourism, MoCTCA, for monitoring the effectiveness of the search, rescue and treatment of the disaster-hit tourists. Details of this procedure is available at http://tourism.gov.np/files/publication_files/281.pdf

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Adhikari said, “The new rescue guidelines will not only control the rescue malpractices but also will put strict control on so-called illegal source of income”. “The concerned divisions under different ministries like Ministry of Home Affairs, Finance and Health will take stringent action against the companies found guilty in rescue fraud,” he asserted.

The ministry informed the participants about the robust growth of international arrivals into Nepal in the year 2017 (+25%) and 2018 (+18.2% Jan-August). In addition, it highlighted that 70% of the reconstruction of archeological monuments including Boudhanath Stupa, Swoyambhunath, Changunarayan Temple, Gaddi Baithak at Basantpur, Krishna Mandir at Patan and many more had been completed and the remaining 30% of the works would be completed within next two years. It further added that 21 hours’ operation of Tribhuvan International Airport had largely reduced air traffic congestion and had increased the flight frequencies to and from TIA.

Minister Adhikari assured that the Gautam Buddha International Airport would come into operation next year and it would be a game changer in terms of number and activities in Nepalese tourism. He appealed to all concerned to join hands and celebrate Visit Nepal Year 2020 with gusto. He considered VNY2020 as an opportunity to push up the arrival number and upscale the tourism’s contribution to national GDP to at least 10% so that Nepal’s tourism would deservedly receive national and international attention.

The program was attended by MoCTCA Secretary Mr. Krishna Prasad Devkota, NTB CEO Mr. Deepak Raj Joshi, Diplomats and Honorary Consuls representing various countries and Nepal-based international media.

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