Vol. XII Issue III | Nepal Tourism Board

NTB Facilitates Rescue of Tourists Stranded in Nepal During COVID 19 Lockdown

Nepal Tourism Board rescued a total of 1,721 tourists to Kathmandu from Lukla, Chitwan, Pokhara, Taplejung and other parts of the country, and repatriated 1,592 tourists to home countries from Kathmandu from March 27 to April 3, 2020, during the COVID 19 Lockdown across Nepal announced by the Government of Nepal from March 23. The Crisis Management and Communication Unit of NTB led by CEO Dr. Dhananjay Regmi carried out the rescue missions in coordination with the Government of Nepal, private sector tourism industry, local tourism stakeholders and authorities and the Diplomatic Missions in Kathmandu.

COVID 19 Lockdown Extended Till April 15, Visa & Flights Remain Suspended

As per the directives from the Government of Nepal the Lockdown across Nepal from March 23 which was initially announced for a week, has been extended till April 15. The extension seeks to contain the spread of the COVID 19 infection, a global pandemic that has created havoc and claimed thousands of lives across the world. Currently, visa to Nepal and regular flights remain suspended until further notice.

Diplomatic Missions to Coordinate With Govt. for Rescue of Tourists

With the Government stepping up to take charge of further rescue missions, the Diplomatic Missions in Kathmandu were requested to coordinate further with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) for rescue and repatriation of their nationals from the midnight of Apr. 3, 2020.

NA Flies Ktm – Brisbane to Repatriate Stranded Tourists from Australia & NZ

Nepal Airlines (NA) flew from Kathmandu to Brisbane on April 1 carrying 250 Australian and New Zealand nationals who had been stranded in Nepal in a repatriation flight mission. The flight that flew via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, landed in Brisbane, Australia, on April 3, 2020. This was NAC’s maiden flight to Australia. The flight was coordinated and facilitated by the Australian Embassy in Kathmandu with NA. Captain Bijay Lama from NAC headed the crew team.

Tourists Requested to Adhere Strictly to Lockdown Guidelines

With tourists not complying with the Lockdown guidelines given by the Government of Nepal, NTB has released a set of “Do’s & Don’ts” to facilitate tourists requesting them to strictly abide by the Lockdown regulations to avoid health hazards.

Stranded in Nepal Online Forums Facilitates Stranded Tourists

Stranded in Nepal website (www.strandedinnepal.com) and social media handles with #strandedinnepal as the official hashtag, have been launched to facilitate tourists stranded in Nepal by forming an online platform where their voices can be heard and shared. NTB in coordination with the private sector has ensured that all efforts have been made to make the platform most useful by providing all contacts and information that could be of help to tourists who are stranded in different parts of Nepal. The online platforms are also helping to generate real-time user-generated content from tourists.

Upcoming Events

Contemporary Print Art Exhibition 2020
Mar. 15 – Apr. 13, 2020

Nepali New Year’s Day 2077
Apr. 13, 2020

Nepali people follow their own calendar system known as the Bikram Era or Bikram Sambat. New Year is called Nava Varsha in the Nepali language and is observed as an official holiday. The day usually falls in the second week of April. During this occasion, people go for picnics, have get-togethers and celebrate the day socializing in various ways.

Bisket Jatra
Apr. 13, 2020

Bisket Jatra, Bhaktapur’s weeklong festival marks the ancient solar Nava Barsha (New Year) and is the only festival that does not follow the lunar-based Nepali calendar. The Jatra commences after a special Tantric ritual in the Bhairab temple in Taumadhi Tole in Bhaktapur. This year the celebration of Jatra has been canceled in a bid to curb the chances of possible spread of global pandemic COVID-19.

Sindoor Jatra
Apr. 13, 2020

As the 32 khats come together, sindoor (vermillion powder) is hurled at them and the ceremony reaches fever pitch as the khat bearing Ganesha arrives from the village of Nagadish. Crowds parade up and down the streets until late morning when Ganesha, borne by hundreds of men, makes a break for home, pursued by other khats. This year the celebration of Jatra has been canceled in a bid to curb the chances of possible spread of global pandemic COVID-19.

Bode Jatra
Apr. 13, 2020

North of Thimi in Bhaktapur, an important temple of a Tantric deity Mahalakshmi brings about a strange tongue-boring ritual that falls during Nepali New Year. The temple’s priest drives a thin metal needle through the tongue of the male volunteer who prepares for the day through several days of purification and fasting. This year the celebration of Jatra has been canceled in a bid to curb the chances of possible spread of global pandemic COVID-19.

Banner Image Credit: Utsab Jung Thapa