Nepal for all seasons
Nepal for all seasons
Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) President Ramesh Prasad Dhamala has said that the responsibility of assessing and reconstructing quake-damaged trekking trails should be given to TAAN. Stating that TAAN has a pool of trained trekking workers, who know geography of mountain areas very well, and the expertise in trekking and mountaineering sector, Dhamala said TAAN will perform responsibility assigned to it in time and in a professional manner. Speaking as a keynote speaker in the second session of a workshop organized by Development Committee of legislature-parliament in Pokhara on January 20, he also urged the government and the donor…
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The government has reopened most of the cultural heritage sites that were damaged by the earthquake of April 25 in its efforts to lure back foreign tourists to the country. Six of the seven UNESCO World Heritage sites closed after the quakes have reopened from Monday. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kripasur Sherpa announced reopening of the sites at a function organized at Bhaktapur Durbar Square on Monday morning. The UNESCO World Heritage sites which reopened for tourists from Monday are Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Swoyambhunath Stupa and Bouddhanath Stupa.…
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Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) has provided cash assistance of Rs 100,000 and some tarpaulin sheets to earthquake victims of Langtang village in Rasuwa districts who are presently living in temporary shelter at Yala Monastery. TAAN President Ramesh Prasad Dhamala handed over the check to Temba Sherpa of Langtang Young Club which has been looking after the management of temporary shelters. He also handed over tarpaulin sheets to Sherpa. TAAN Secretary Pasang Sherpa and executive members Bidya Hirachan, Pasang Tendi Sherpa and Sonam Gyalzen Sherpa as well as TAAN staffers were present in the program. Meanwhile, locals of Langtang…
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A delegation of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) paid a courtesy call on newly appointed Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) at his office on Tuesday. The delegation led by President Ramesh Prasad Dhamala congratulated Minister Sherpa on his appointment as the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and wished for his successful tenure by offering khada and bouquet. Other members of the delegation also congratulated Minister Sherpa by offering khadas. "We are grateful to see a person with deep knowledge of tourism industry at the helm of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation,"…
View DetailNepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), together with Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Civil Aviation Office, on June 7 organized an interaction in Kathmandu on "Tourism Promotion in Nepal: Stakeholders' Responsibility". The interaction saw participation of representatives from different government agencies and travel trade associations as well as media persons. Speaking at the program, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), said only 0.15 percent of total population of six million in affected areas have become casualty of the earthquake. "Only two trekking areas of around 35 trekking areas in the country have been damaged by the earthquake. Likewise,…
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Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) on Friday organized a clean-up program on Bishnumati River and Shobha Bhagwati temple premises on the occasion of World Environment Day 2015. Office-bearers and executive committee members and TAAN staff members as well as representatives of member companies actively participated in the program. They picked up non-degradable wastages like plastic products, plastic and glass bottles and tin, among others, from the river and dumped them on garbage trucks of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) for safe disposal. They also cleared bushes on the river bank and picked up trashes from Shobha Bhagwati and Indrayani Temple…
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Tourism community celebrated 'International Sagarmatha Day' by organizing a program in Kathmandu on May 29. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kripashur Sherpa began the celebration by offering floral tributes on the statutes of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary – the first summiteers of Mt Everest – erected on the premises of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Similarly, a rally was taken out from Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). Participants of the rally carried banners and placards carrying messages on different aspects of mountaineering and Mt Everest. Addressing a program organized on NTB premises, Minister Sherpa said only around…
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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has joined hands with Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to transport humanitarian assistance to far-flung villages in six earthquake-affected districts – Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha. TAAN will work for the provision of logistic services in four districts – Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa and Nuwakot, while NMA will look after two districts – Dolakha and Sindhupalchowk, WFP officials told a press meet in Kathmandu on May 28. TAAN is beginning its works in Dhading immediately as a pilot project, while NMA will begin its work in…
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The government is opening some cultural heritages sites in Kathmandu Valley for tourists from June 15. The government had barred entry of tourists in these sites following the earthquake of April 25. The meeting of Tourism Recovery Committee (TRC) held on Monday took the decision. The meeting, which was chaired by tourism secretary Suresh Man Shrestha, saw participation of high ranking officials from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), Department of Tourism, Department of Archaeology (DoA), archeological experts, presidents of different tourism organizations, executive committee members and administrative chief of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), among others. Bhesh…
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The government has appointed CPN-UML lawmaker Kripasur Sherpa as the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Prime Minister Sushil Koirala administered oath of office and secrecy to Minister Sherpa amid a function on Friday. Sherpa is the third tourism minister in Koirala-led government. He replaces Deepak Amatya who resigned from the post, citing differences with party leadership. Amatya was appointed tourism minister after Bhim Acharya tendered resignation from the post about a year ago. Sources in CPN-UML said Amatya was recalled from the government because of his 'weak' performance. Sherpa is a Member of Parliament from Bhojpur district in…
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Rs 400 million sought to repair damaged trekking trails The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has prepared Tourism Recovery Action Plan to bring the tourism industry back on track at the earliest. The ministry submitted the action plan for approval to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala on Wednesday. The action plan includes immediate, mid-term and long term reconstruction, relief and package program for the recovery of tourism industry. Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary of MoCTCA, said that the action plan has been prepared to rebuild and rehabilitate cultural heritage sites, tourist areas and trekking trails damaged by the earthquake…
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Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) distributed relief material to 156 households in Sikre VDC of Nuwakot district. TAAN Second Vice President Kul Bahadur Gurung, General Secretary Sagar Pandey, Treasurer Gopal Babu Shrestha and Executive Member Vidya Hirachan, among others, were present in the team. The team distributed noodles and tarpaulin to the affected families. Second Vice President Gurung said they distributed high-quality tarpaulin sheets to the affected people as most of them were in need of temporary shelter following the earthquake. "We had talked to the affected locals about three days ago to know what they needed the most.…
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Tourism stakeholders have formed a joint panel of government officials and private sector to assess damage on hotels, cultural heritage sites and trekking trails made by the earthquake and initiate repair works immediately to bring the country's tourism industry back on track at the earliest. The Tourism Recovery Committee (TRC), which was formed on May 7, is led by Director General of Department of Tourism (DoT) Tulsi Prasad Gautam. The panel will study impacts of the earthquake on tourism industry, identify short-term and long-terms works that are needed to be done, formulate necessary programs, and make necessary suggestions to concerned…
View DetailAltogether 61 people, including 26 foriegners, were rescued from different quake-hit areas on Tuesday, according to Emergency Command Center at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). A total of 30 helicopters -- 10 of Nepal Army, 2 of private companies, 13 of Indian Army and five of US Army -- were used for rescue purpose and to distribute relief to affected people on the day. Rescue workers distributed 25.3 tons of relief materials to quake victims. Rescue workers used helicopters to drop relief materials in different villages of Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Dhading where roads have been damaged by the earthquake. Meanwhile,…
View DetailRescue workers rescued 352 injured Nepalis and 101 foreigners from different parts of the country on April 30. According to Emergency Command Center at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, a total of 108 rescue flights were made with 29 helicopters to different parts of the country. Eight helicopters of Nepal Army, seven of private helicopter operators and 14 of Indian Army were used for the purpose. These choppers also distributed relief materials in different disaster hit areas. The helicopters rescued injured people from different parts of Dhading, Gorkha, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchowok, Rasuwa, Dolakha and Ramechhap districts. They distributed around 36.7…
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Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) celebrated 100th week of Bagmati Clean-Up on April 11. Office-bearers, executive committee member, member agencies and staff members of TAAN formed human chain in Jambo Danda-Guheshwari section of Bagmati River. The participants also collected waste materials from the river. The program was organized to celebrate 100th week of Bagmati Clean-up Campaign. Different government and non-government agencies participated in the campaigns. Human chains were formed on both sides of the river to show solidarity with the campaign. Participants also carried placards with different slogans aimed at raising awareness about the importance of clean environment. TAAN…
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Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM) is organizing second phase of trekking guide training at NATHM from April 28, 2015. The training is being organized in coordination with Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN). Applicants, who have already filled up the form, are required to make payment for training at TAAN Secretariat, Maligaun, by April 12. The first phase of trekking guide training concluded on March 30. Altogether 692 trekking staff of different member companies of TAAN participated in the training. TAAN and NATHM have been organizing trekking guide training for staffers of TAAN member agencies every year…
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The government is celebrating 100th week of Bagmati Clean-up Campaign by preparing 'human chains' on both sides of Bagmati River -- from Sundarijal to Chobhar – this Saturday (April 11). The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has requested different travel trade associations to show solidarity with the campaign by participating in the program. The government has allocated Jambo Danda-Gaurighat section of the holy river for tourism professionals. Bagmati Clean-up Campaign was started nearly two years ago at the initiation of Chief Secretary Leelamani Poudyal. Different government agencies, non-government organizations, professional bodies, security agencies, among others, are actively…
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The government has formed a high-level taskforce for redefining remote areas. The High-Level Taskforce on Study and Recommendations of Remote Areas under the Remote Areas Development Committee, in association with Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), on Sunday organized a daylong workshop with lawmakers as well as local development officers of 22 remote districts along with representatives of TAAN and NMA to seek inputs from them for redefining remote areas. The committee has altogether 70 lawmakers representing 22 'remote' districts as members. The taskforce is redefining remote areas based on indicators like infrastructure development, population…
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Popular travel portal TripAdvisor has included Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, in the list of 25 destinations in its 'Travelers' Choice Destinations 2015' list. Kathmandu is in 19th position in the list. The destinations were selected using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions in destinations worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period. Kathmandu is the only South Asian city in the list. "Nepal's capital is surrounded by a valley full of historic sites, ancient temples, shrines, and fascinating villages," the site writes about Kathmandu, suggesting visitors to…
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