Modi visit boosts religious tourism

KATHMANDU, Nov 22

The area visited by Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi creates headlines across the world, and more so in India. There are tens of millions fans in India. Those who used to idolize cricketers and film stars have now become his fans. Arrival of Indians in Nepal has increased drastically after the Nepal visit of Modi in August.  

The biggest effect of Modi’s visit has been on religious tourism. Arrival of Indians to visit Pashupatinath Temple has doubled following Modi’s worship, according to Member Secretary of the Pashuapti Area Development Trust (PADT) Govinda Tandon. More than 12,000 Indians visit Pashupati a day after September, according to him. It was around 7,000 before that. He says many Indians want to offer special Puja at Pashupati like Modi did. Tourism entrepreneurs say overall arrival of Indians has increased significantly even though the Department of Immigration and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) do not have exact data on that. Indians still constitute most of the tourists visiting Nepal by air or land. Occupancy at hotels near Pashupati has increased while new hotels are being constructed in the area with the rise in arrival of Indians in Pashupati.

Indian hotel chain Mirage Lords Inn, that has 26 hotels in India, has recently opened a hotel at Battisputali. “Arrival of Indian tourists has increased following Modi’s visit. Travel agencies have also reported a rise in booking,” Market Manager of Mirage Lords Bijendra Bhakta Bhaju says. Tandon attributes the rise in arrival of Indian pilgrims to the massive coverage of Modi’s Pashupati visit in the Indian media. “Many Indians now want to take the path Modi took to worship at Pashupati. Most of the Indians used to come at around Shivaratri but all that has changed after the visit of Modi. I have never before seen such a crowd,” he reveals. He says many Indians had come even when Indian Central Minister Nitin Gadkari came to Nepal a few weeks ago.

“The number of tourists from Maharashtra is very big. This has sent a positive vibe to the tourism sector in Nepal. The number of elderly is high among the Indian tourists,” President of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and Managing Director of the three-star Airport Hotel Binayak Shah says. Public Relations Officer at Hyatt Regency, where Modi resided during his visit, says flow of Indian guests has increased in the hotel following Modi’s visit. “Indians did not have positive view about Nepal and Nepalis earlier. But Modi’s visit has changed that. They have now showed interest to visit Nepal,” President of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travels Agents (NATTA) DB Limbu says.  

This visit will add a new dimension

Tourism entrepreneurs hope that the Nepali tourism industry will take a huge leap following visit of Janakpur, Lumbini and Mustang by Indian PM Modi, and visit of other leaders from the SAARC countries. Modi will be visiting all three places on a chopper on Tuesday and they hope a massive rise in flow of Indian tourists there after his visit. “This visit of Modi is certain to have a positive impact on Nepal’s tourism. All three places will be advertized across the world after Modi’s visit and everybody will be curious to visit the places. This will ensure that not just the Indians but people from even other countries will visit the places,” HAN general secretary Shah says. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will also be visiting Lumbini.

NATTA president Limbu feels that Modi’s visit of the religious sites will promote those places for free and can significantly boost tourism. “This will have a long-lasting influence on Indians,” he claims.

A total of 180,974 Indians have visited Nepal in 2013. It was 165,815 in 2012 and 149,504 in 2011. Indians are considered to be high-spending in comparison to Chinese tourists.      

नेपाल भ्रमणमा बेलायतको अघोषित प्रतिबन्ध

केदार दाहाल
काठमाडौं, ३ मंसिर  - मुलुकको पर्यटन क्षेत्र प्रवद्र्धन गर्न अघिल्लो साता बेलायत पुगेका पर्यटन तथा नागरिक उड्डयनमन्त्री दीपकचन्द्र अमात्य गढीमाई बेलामा हुने गरेको पशुबलिका विषयमा एकाएक सहभागीहरुले प्रश्न उठाएपछि स्तब्ध बने । ‘वल्र्ड ट्राभल्स मार्ट २०१४’मा सहभागी हुन गएका मन्त्री अमात्यलाई सहभागीहरुले पशुबलिका विषयमा प्रश्नमात्रै गरेनन्, उनलाई ७२ हजार बेलायती नागरिकको हस्ताक्षरसहित ज्ञापनपत्रसमेत बुझाइयो । बेलायत भ्रमण खल्लो भएपछि अमात्यले राष्ट्रपति कार्यालय, प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयसहित मन्त्रिपरिषद्मा पनि यसरबो जानकारी गराए ।
मन्त्रालयका सचिव सुरेशमान श्रेष्ठका अनुसार गढीमाई मेलाकै कारण बेलायतीहरुलाई नेपाल भ्रमण नगर्न तीव्र लबिङ भइरहेको छ । यसले नेपालको पर्यटन क्षेत्रमा गम्भीर असर पर्नेछ । सन् २०१२ मा ४२ हजार ३ सय र २०१३ मा ३५ हजार ६ सय बेलायती पर्यटक नेपाल भित्रिएका थिए ।
बेलायतलगायत युरोपभर अहिले गढीमाई मेलामा हुने बलिविरुद्ध अधिकारकर्मीले अभियान सुरु गरेपछि नेपालमा युरोपेली पर्यटक आगमन गम्भीर असर पर्ने भन्दै व्यवसायीले चिन्ता प्रकट गरेका छन् । युरोपेली पर्यटक बढी खर्चालु भएकाले उनीहरु नै आउन छाडे नेपालको पर्यटन क्षेत्र धराशायी हुने व्यवसायीको चिन्ता छ ।
गढीमाई मेलामा गरिने पशुबलिलाई लिएर नेपालमै कार्यरत विदेशी नियोगले पनि गम्भीर चासो व्यक्त गर्दै खुला स्थानमा पशुहिंसा नगर्न नेपाल सरकारसँग माग गरेका छन् । ब्रिटिस गोर्खाको पक्षमा लड्ने अभिनेत्री जोहाना लुम्लेले पनि यसलाई रोक्न सार्वजनिक अपिल गरेकी थिइन् ।
“बेलायती अभियानकर्मीहरुले गढीमाईको विषयलाई लिएर नेपालीहरु विश्वमै बढी हिंस्रक र क्रूर भएको भन्दै नेपाल भ्रमण नगर्न आग्रहसहित आफ्ना नागरिकलाई प्रचार गरिरहेका छन्,” सचिव श्रेष्ठले भने, “यसले हाम्रो पर्यटनलाई अहिलेसम्मकै ठूलो धक्का लाग्ने निश्चित छ । हामीले यसबारे सबै सरोकारवाला निकायमा जानकारी र सुझाव दिएका छौं ।”
१२ हजारको संख्यामा हुने पशुबलिलाई लिएर बेलायतमा चलेको हस्ताक्षर अभियानमा ७२ हजारभन्दा बढीले सहभागिता जनाएको उनले बताए । उनका अनुसार बेलायतकै सिको गर्दै अन्य मुलुकले पनि नेपालीको बारेमा नराम्रो भ्रम फैलाएका छन् ।
मंगलबारमात्र एमाले सभासद राज्यलक्ष्मी गोल्छाले सर्वोच्च अदालतमा ‘पशुबलि रोकिपाऊँ’ भन्दै मुद्दा दायर गरेकी छन् । गढीमाई मेला प्रत्येक ५–५ वर्षमा लाग्छ, जसमा ५ लाख पशुलाई बलि दिइन्छ ।

भिडियो र फोटो खिच्न प्रतिबन्ध
संस्कृति, पर्यटन तथा नागरिक उड्डयन मन्त्रालयले गढीमाई मेलामा कुनै पनि प्रकारको भिडियो खिच्न रोक लगाउन बारा प्रशासनलाई निर्देशन दिएको सचिव श्रेष्ठले बताए । “पशुबलि दिने÷नदिने भन्ने विषयमा मन्त्रालयले केही बोल्न पाउँदैन तर त्यसको भिडियो÷फोटो प्रचारले नेपालको पर्यटन र संस्कृतिमा गम्भीर आघात पु¥याएको छ,” उनले भने ।
५ वर्षअघिको भिडियोलाई लिएर विदेशीले चासो दिएकाले यो वर्ष कुनै पनि भिडियो खिच्न प्रतिबन्ध लगाइएको श्रेष्ठले जानकारी दिए ।
 

Brits lobby against visiting Nepal due to Gadhimai

KATHMANDU, Nov 19

Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Deepak Chandra Amatya, who went to Britain last week to promote Nepal’s tourism, was left speechless when he was asked questions about animal sacrifice at the Gadhimai Fair.

Minister Amatya, who was there to participate in the World Travel Market 2014, was not just asked questions about animal sacrifice but was also handed over a petition signed by over 72,000 Brits. He has reported about that to the President’s Office, Prime Minister’s Office and the cabinet after feeling bad during his visit. Secretary at the Tourism Ministry Suresh Man Shrestha says Brits have been lobbying to advise British tourists to not visit Nepal due to Gadhimai. This may seriously affect the Nepali tourism industry. A total of 42,300 British tourists had visited Nepal in 2012, and 35,600 in 2013.

Tourism entrepreneurs are expressing concerns stating that the campaign started by animal rights activists against animal sacrifice at Gadhimai across Europe can seriously affect arrival of European tourists. They fear that fall in arrival of European tourists, who are considered to be high-spending, can seriously affect the tourism industry. Foreign missions in Nepal, expressing serious interest about animal sacrifice during the Gadhimai Fair, have also urged the government to stop slaughter of animals at an open space. Joanna Lumley, who has fought for rights of the British Gurkhas, had also publicly appealed to stop that some time ago. “British campaigners have been urging Brits to not visit Nepal accusing Nepalis to be the most violent and cruel in the world citing Gadhimai. This is set to be the biggest setback for our tourism industry. We have informed all the stakeholder bodies and advised them about the issue,” secretary Shrestha adds.

He reveals that over 72,000 Brits have signed petition against sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of animals at Gadhimai and such campaigns spreading rumors about Nepal have also been held in other countries emulating Britain.

Constituent Assembly (CA) member from CPN-UML Rajya Laxmi Golchha on Tuesday had moved the Supreme Court to stop animal sacrifice. The Gadhimai Fair is organized every five year and around 500,000 animals are sacrificed during the fair.  

Ban on filming/photo

Secretary Shrestha reveals that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has already directed Bara administration to stop any kind of filming/photography during the Gadhimai Fair. “The ministry cannot speak about whether to allow sacrifice or not. But photos and videos of that has seriously harmed Nepal’s tourism and culture,” he states. He says filming ban has been imposed this year as the foreigners have expressed concern due to the video filmed during the last edition five years ago.        

पाकिस्तानी एयरलाइन्सद्वारा नेपाल उडान बन्द

केदार दाहाल-काठमाडौं, २ मंसिर । पाकिस्तानको राष्ट्रिय ध्वजावाहक पाकिस्तानी अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय एयरलाइन्स (पीआईए)ले नेपाल उडान बन्द गरेको छ । १८ औं सार्क शिखर सम्मेलनमा सार्क राष्ट्रबीच ‘एयर कनेक्टिभिक्टी’ बढाउने एजेन्डा तय भइरहेका बेला १७ वर्षदेखि उडान गरिरहेको पीआईएले आन्तरिक कारण देखाउँदै सेवा बन्द गरेको हो ।

 

नेपालमा आफ्नै कार्यालय खोलेर दैनिक उडान गरिरहेको पीआईएले डिसेम्बर १५ देखि कार्यालय पनि बन्द गर्ने बताएको छ । उसले ३० वटा विमानमार्फत एसिया, युरोप तथा अमेरिकाका विभिन्न विमानस्थलमा उडान भर्दै आएको छ । थप ७ वटा विमानका लागि उसले एयरबस कम्पनीलाई अर्डर दिइसकेको छ ।

 

पीआईएले जुलाईबाटै नियमित उडान गरेको छैन । “नेपाल पीआईएको राम्रो गन्तव्य हुँदाहँुदै पनि आन्तरिक कारणले बन्द गर्नुपरेको हो,” कम्पनीका नेपाल प्रमुख महमद हमिद बाराकजायीले भने, “काठमाडौंबाट कराँची उडानमा ९० प्रतिशत र कराँचीबाट काठमाडौं ३५ प्रतिशत अकुपेन्सी थियो ।”

 

नेपाल र पाकिस्तानबीच सन् १९९५ मा द्विपक्षीय हवाई सम्झौता भएपछि पीआईएले १९९७ देखि नेपालमा उडान थालेको थियो । उसले एयरबस ए–३१० (२ सय सिट) विमानमार्फत् उडान गर्दै आएको थियो ।

 

१९९९ डिसेम्बर २४ मा भारतीय विमान कम्पनी एयर इन्डिया त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थलबाट अपरहणमा परेपछि उसले उडान बन्द गरेको थियो ।

पाकिस्तानको कराँचीबाट काठमाडौंमा दैनिक उडान भर्दै आएको एयरलाइन्समा विशेषगरी नेपाली कामदार जाने–आउने गर्थे । नेपालबाट अफगानिस्तान, इराक, दुबईलगायत मुलुक जाने यात्रु प्रायः पीआईए चढ्थे  ।

 

पीआईएले नेपालसँगै हङकङ र थाइल्यान्डमा समेत उडान बन्द गर्दै कार्यालय हटाइसकेको छ । “नेपालमा भने सार्क सम्मेलनका कारणले मात्र कार्यालय बन्द नगरेका हौं, नत्र हामी नोभेम्बर १५ मा जाने कार्यक्रम थियो,” बाराकजायीले ने ।

 

पीआईएले सेवा बन्द गरेपछि भारतबाट नेपाल उडानमा चाप पर्ने नेपाल एसोसिएसन अफ टुर एन्ड ट्राभल एजेन्ट्स (नाट्टा)का अध्यक्ष डीबी लिम्बूले बताए । “जति धेरै एयरलाइन्स नेपाल आउँछन्, त्यति धेरै नेपालको सम्बन्ध अन्तर्राष्ट्रियस्तरमा विस्तार हुने भएकाले एयरलाइन्स बन्द हुनु राम्रो होइन,” उनले भने, “हामीले नेपाल र पाकिस्तान सरकारबीचको पहलबाट उडान सुचारु बनाउन पहल गरे पनि एयरलाइन्सकै समस्या भएकाले उपलब्धि भएन ।”

 

पीआईएले गत वर्ष १०५ वटा उडान गरेर झन्डै ३० हजार यात्रुलाई उडान-अवतरण गराएको थियो । नेपालमा हाल २७ वटा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय एयरलाइन्सले उडान भर्दै आएका छन् । पीआईए गएपछि अब २६ वटा हुनेछन् । 

PIA stops flights to Nepal

KATHMANDU, Nov 18

National flag carrier of Pakistan, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has stopped flights to Nepal after 17 years of operation even as the agenda of increasing air connectivity among the SAARC countries is being set for the upcoming SAARC Summit.

PIA, that had been operating daily flights keeping its own office in Kathmandu, will also shut the office down from December 15. PIA has been operating flights to different destinations in Asia, Europe and America with 30 airplanes, and has already placed order with the European manufacturer Airbus for seven more airplanes. It has not operated regular flights to Kathmandu from July. “We have stopped flights to Nepal due to internal reasons even though Nepal is a good destination for PIA. There was 90 percent occupancy in the flights to Karachi from Kathmandu, and 35 percent in those from Karachi to Kathmandu,” Nepal chief of the company Mohammad Hamid says.

PIA had started flights to Kathmandu in 1997 after Nepal and Pakistan signed bilateral aviation agreement in 1995. It had been operating flights to Kathmandu with an Airbus A-310 (200-seater). It had stopped flights for some time after an Air India flight from Kathmandu was hijacked on December 24, 1999.

Nepali workers were the main customers of the flights to Karachi. Passengers travelling to Afghanistan, Iraq, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other countries from Nepal generally used the flight. PIA has also stopped flights to Hong Kong and Thailand, along with Nepal, and shut down its offices there. “We have not shut down the office in Nepal only due to the upcoming SAARC Summit. We would have left on November 15, otherwise,” he adds.

President of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) DB Limbu says pressure on flights from India to Nepal will increase after stopping of PIA’s service. “It is not nice for the service to be stopped as flights by international airlines help in expansion of bilateral relationship with other countries,” he reasons. “We had tried to resume operation through initiative of the governments of the two countries but to no avail due to internal problems of PIA,” he reveals.

PIA had operated 105 flights to Nepal last year catering to almost 30,000 passengers. A total of 27 international airline companies have been operating flights to Nepal now. It will fall to 26 after PIA’s withdrawal.  

क्यासिनो रोयाल बन्द गर्न परिपत्र

" नियमावलीविपरीत सञ्चालन : मन्त्रालय "

केदार दाहाल
काठमाडौं, ३० कात्तिक- सरकारले दरबारमार्गको याक एन्ड यती होटलमा सञ्चालित क्यासिनो रोयाल बन्द गर्ने भएको छ । ‘क्यासिनो नियमावली ०७०’ विपरीत सञ्चालन भइरहेको भन्दै संस्कृति, पर्यटन तथा नागरिक उड्डयन मन्त्रालयले क्यासिनो बन्द गर्न गृह मन्त्रालयलाई शुक्रबार परिपत्र गरेको छ । मुलुकमा सञ्चालित विभिन्न १० क्यासिनोमध्ये रोयालमात्र दसैंअघिदेखि चलिरहेको थियो ।

नयाँ नियमावलीअनुसार नचलेको तथा वक्यौता तिर्नसमेत अटेर गरेको भन्दै सरकारले जेठदेखि सबै क्यासिनो बन्द गरेको थियो । नेपालमा मिनी क्यासिनोबाहेक नै १० वटा पाँचतारे होटलमा १० वटा क्यासिनो सञ्चालनमा थिए । अरु सबै बन्द भए पनि सर्वोच्च अदालतको आदेशपछि रोयाल असोज ३ देखि खुलेको थियो । सर्वोच्चले रोयाललाई सञ्चालनमा अवरोध नगर्न सरकारका नाममा अन्तरिम आदेश दिएको थियो ।
क्यासिनो अन्ना (होटल डेल अन्नपूर्ण), माजोङ (होटल सोल्टी), सांग्रिला, स्टार (होटल ह्यात), एभरेस्ट, भेनस (होटल मल्ल), ¥याड (होटल ¥याडिसन) तथा पोखराका फूलबारी र पोखरा ग्रान्ड बन्दै छन् ।
रोयालले आव ०६९÷७० को रोयल्टी २ करोड ५४ लाख ७५ हजार रुपैयाँ बुझाइसकेको थियो ।  पुरानो वक्यौता तिरे पनि नयाँ नियमावलीअनुसार दर्ता नभएको भन्दै सरकारले बन्द गरिदिएको थियो । रोयल्टी बुझाएपछि क्यासिनो बन्द गराइएको भन्दै सञ्चालक मनोज सुवेदीले प्रधानमन्त्री तथा मन्त्रिपरिषद्को कार्यालय, पर्यटन मन्त्रालय र गृह मन्त्रालयलाई विपक्षी बनाएर सर्वोच्चमा रिट हालेका थिए । रोयालमा ७५० कर्मचारी छन् ।
मन्त्रालयले ०७० साउन ७ गते जारी गरेको नियमावलीअनुसार प्रत्येक क्यासिनोले नवीकरणबापत ३५ करोड ५० लाख रुपैयाँ जोहो गर्नुपर्छ । १० वटा क्यासिनोको कुल नवीकरण शुल्क ३ अर्ब ५० करोड ५० लाख रुपैयाँ हुन्छ । त्यस्तै, ०७०÷७१ को रोयल्टीबापत प्रत्येकले ४ करोड बुझाउनुपर्छ । नियमावली संशोधनअघि वार्षिक रोयल्टी २ करोड रुपैयाँ थियो ।
नयाँ नियमावलीअनुसार प्रत्येक क्यासिनोले चुक्ता पँुजी २५ करोड, बैंक ग्यारेन्टी ४ करोड, इजाजत दस्तुर २ करोड र निवेदन दस्तुर ५ लाख रुपैयाँ व्यवस्था गर्नुपर्छ । यसमा विवाद भएपछि सरकारले नियमावली संशोधन गरी क्यासिनोले तिर्नुपर्ने आर्थिक दायित्वमा झन्डै ५० प्रतिशतसम्म कटौती गर्ने तयारी पनि गरिरहेको छ ।
क्यासिनो र मिनी क्यासिनोको समेत गरी पुरानो वक्यौता ६७ करोड रुपैयाँ छ । चालू आवको रोयल्टी र जरिवाना गरी ४१ करोड ६० लाख रुपैयाँ बाँकी छ । ४ करोड रोयल्टीको जरिवाना १ करोड २० लाख रुपैयाँ हुन्छ । पटक–पटक म्याद थप गरे पनि क्यासिनो सञ्चालकहरूले नवीकरणका लागि अटेर गर्दै आएपछि सरकारले जेठदेखि बन्द गराएको हो ।
 

Govt to shut down Casino Royal

KATHMANDU, Nov 16

The government will shut down Casino Royal operated by Yak and Yeti Hotel at Durbar Marga with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation writing to the Home Ministry on Friday to that regard stating that it is being operated violating Casino Regulation 2013. Royal was the only casino among the 10 casinos in Nepal to be operating before Dashain.

The government had shut down all the casinos since May stating they were not operating as per the new regulation and refusing to clear accumulated dues. Though all 10 casinos at five-star hotels were shut down by the government Royal had reopened on September 19 after the Supreme Court issued an interim order in the name of the government to not obstruct its operation. Casino Mahjong (at Soaltee), Shangrila, Star (at Hyatt), Anna (at Annapurna), Everest, Venus (at Malla), and Rad (at Radisson) in Kathmandu Valley, and Fulbari and Grand in Pokhara are still closed.

Royal had already paid Rs 25.47 million in royalty for the fiscal year 2069/70 but the government had still closed it stating that it had not registered as per the new regulation even after clearing dues. Promoter Manoj Subedi had moved the court making the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Tourism Ministry and Home Ministry as defendants.

Every casino has to pay Rs 355 million for renewal as per the new Casino Regulation issued on July 23, 2013. The casinos also have to pay a royalty of Rs 40 million a year from the fiscal year 2070/71 as per the new regulation. It was Rs 20 million earlier. Similarly, each casino must have paid-up capital of Rs 250 million for operation at five-star hotels, keep bank guarantee of Rs 40 million, and pay license fee of Rs 20 million and application fee of Rs 500,000. The government has also been preparing to amend the new regulation to reduce fees by almost 50 percent after dispute about the high fees.

The casinos and mini-casinos have to clear accumulated dues of Rs 670 million. Royalty and fine for the current fiscal year amount to Rs 416 million. A fine of Rs 12 million is levied on royalty fee of Rs 400 million. The government had shut down the casinos in May after they refused to renew despite repeated extensions of deadline by the government.