Nepal for all seasons
Nepal for all seasons
The Department of Immigration (DoI) has introduced online application system for trekking permits.Issuing a notice, DoI has asked trekking agencies to file online application for trekking permits. The department has also stated that it won’t accept paper-based application system now onwards.According to the notice, trekking agencies should apply for trekking permit by visiting www.online.nepalimmigration.gov.np or www.nepalimmigration.gov.np. After filling up the details, they would get electronic receipt through email. Trekking agencies will then have to produce bank voucher and receipt as well as other documents to the Immigration Office within 15 days of the filing of application. In a bid to…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) organized United Lhosar 2014 at The Shanker Hotel in Lazimpat on February 17.TAAN has been organizing United Lhosar festival every year to celebrate Lhosar. Lhosar is the New Year festival of three major communities living in mountainous and hilly areas – Gurung, Tamang and Sherpa.The program saw participation of ministers, former ministers, CA members, high-ranking government officials, industry leaders, tourism entrepreneurs, media persons as well as office-bearers, executive members and staff members of TAAN.Representatives of all three communities – Gurung, Tamang and Sherpa – welcomed guests by offering khada and traditional drinks.Welcoming the guests,…
View Detail
A 12-member delegation of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has left for the US to participate in the Los Angeles Travel and Adventure Show 2014.The three-day event will kick off at Long Beach Convention Center, Los Angeles on February 8.Rajendra Sapkota, coordinator of TAAN’s Nepal Promotion and Exhibition Department, is leading the delegation. Eleven trekking companies, including two member companies of TAAN Pokhara Chapter, are in the delegation. The participating companies are: Outshine Adventure, Himalayas On Foot, Destination Nepal Trek & Expeditions, Mountain Sherpa Trekking & Expedition, Makalu Adventure, Adventures in Asia Treks, Osho World Adventure, Sherpa Society, and…
View Detail
The government has lowered permit fee for Mt Everest by nearly 50 percent.Issuing a notice on the Nepal Gazette on February 12, the government also introduced separate permit fee for Nepali and foreign climbers. So far, the government had been levying same permit fee for Nepali and foreign climbers. While the new permit fee for Nepali climbers came into effect from February 12 itself, the new fee for foreign climbers will come into effect from January 1, 2015.As per the new fee structure, foreign climbers will have to pay US$ 11,000 per person as permit fee for normal route (South…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) is organizing ‘United Lhosar Festival 2014’ at The Shanker Hotel on February 17.TAAN has been celebrating Lhosar festival -- the New Year festival of Gurung, Sherpa and Tamang communities -- for the past many years to preserve our timeless culture and enhance brotherhood among tourism entrepreneurs.Though these three communities celebrate Lhosar festival on different dates, TAAN has been organizing the festival to represent all three communities. TAAN has been trying to promote Lhosar celebration as a tourism product with a distinct brand.Among others, the festival will feature cultural performance of Gurung, Sherpa and Tamang…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) on February 13 felicitated office-bearers and executive members of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA).At a program organized at TAAN Secretariat, President Ramesh Dhamala felicitated NATTA President DB Limbu and other office-bearers and executive members of NATTA by offering bouquets and khadas.Along with Limbu, Dhamala offered bouquets and khadas to 1st vice president Sambhu Pathak, General Secretary Mihika Dhakwa, Treasurer Naryan Prasad Gurung Koney, Secretary Ramesh Thapa, Joint Treasurer Jiswan Tuladhar and executive members Kamala Gurung, Sabita KC, Binay Basnet, Fu Doma Sherpa and Yubaraj Subedi.Dhamala also felicitated newly elected president of…
View Detail
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on January 28 organized to felicitate office-bearers and executive members of different travel trade associations.Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sushil Ghimire felicitated President Ramesh Dhamala as well as other office-bearers and executive members of TAAN. He also provided President Dhamala a special entry pass.On the occasion, Ghimire also felicitated office-bearers and executive members of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, Nepal Association of Tour Operators, Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, PATA Nepal Chapter, Thamel Tourism Development Board, and Tourist Guide Association of Nepal.Speaking on the occasion, TAAN President Dhamala said…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) participated in the 3rd Eastern Regional Tourism Fair 2014 held on Damak of Jhapa from Janaury 30 till February 1.Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha inaugurated the fair amidst a grand function. Addressing the function, Minister Shrestha said that it was a great time to promote tourism regionally to strengthen the national economy. He also said local tourism entrepreneurs should come forward to integrate themselves in the mainstream tourism.In his welcome speech, Acting CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Subash Nirola said that stakeholders need to make joint efforts for the…
View Detail
A five-day canyoning exploration concluded at Lwang Ghalel and Ghachok of Kaski concluded on February 1.The exploration was organized by Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Pokhara Chapter while technical support was provided by Nepal Canyoning Association. The exploration was promoted by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and supported by Annapurna Area Conservation Project (ACAP), DDC Kaski, Lwang Ghalel VDC and Paddle Nepal.The exploration was organized to promote Kudi Falls at Ghattekhola of Lwang Ghalel VDC as a canyoning site.“We organized the exploration to promote the area as a hub for adventure tourism,” acting president of TAAN Pokhara Chapter. “Now we…
View Detail
Basic Canyoning Training organized by the Trekking Agencies' Association (TAAN) concluded at Lamjung on January 23.Keshav Pandey, senior vice president of TAAN, gave away certificates to the participants and instructors during the inauguration of Lamjung Festival at Besisahar on January 24.Coordinators of TAAN's HR & Training Department Dhan Prasad Gurung, and Sports and Events Department Ranjan Rajbhandari, and president of Nepal Canyoning Association (NCA) Karna Lama was also present on the occasion.NCA was the co-organizer of the 10-day training which was supported by District Development Committee (DDC) Lamjung and Deep Jyoti Club.A total of 11 underprivileged youths, mainly from Lamjung,…
View DetailTrekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) is organizing a 10-day ‘Tourism Destination Identification and Skill Development Training’ in Ankhukhola-Netrabati Lake area of Dhading district.The manpower produced by the training will be able to conduct search and rescue operation during natural disasters and will be able to start business ventures on their own, according to the training instructors. Moreover, they will also be able to guide local and foreign tourists visiting the area and organize boating trips on the Netrabati Lake.The training kicked off on January 19.A total of 10 instructors (10 Nepali and 2 Italians) are conducting the training.Along with…
View Detail
A 10-day Basic Canyoning and Leadership Development Training kicked off at Besisahar of Lamjung on January 14. The training is being organized by Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN).Nepal Canyoning Association (NCA), District Development Committee (DDC) Lamjung and Dip Jyoti Club are the co-organizers.A total of 13 underprivileged youths, mainly from Lamjung, are participating in the training.Rich Carlson, a trainer from American Canyoneering Academy (ACA), is the instructor of the training while Dabindra Tamang is the assistant instructor. As per the training schedule, practical training will be held on January 22 and 23 in the Marshyangdi Valley Canyoning Site. Practical…
View Detail
The High Impact Tourism Training (HITT) Program for Mountain Leaders has concluded.The program was implemented by European Commission (EC) and SNV Nepal in partnership with the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA).Altogether 17 trainers were produced during the project period. The trainers trained a total of 394 trekking workers.Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha hoped that the training would be helpful in enhancing safety in Nepali mountain tourism. He also thanked the organizers for implementing the project in Nepal.TAAN President Ramesh Dhamala said time has come…
View Detail
A four-week long trekking guide training kicked off at the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM) on January 8.The training is being organized by NATHM and coordinated by Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN). A total of 742 trekking workers from different member agencies of TAAN are participating in the training.The training covers issues like culture, geography, rope safety, map reading and negotiation, history, first aid, trekking, and basic rock climbing among others.Speaking at the orientation class ahead of the training, TAAN President Ramesh Dhamala said the association has raised the number of quota to 742 this year…
View Detail
Tourist arrivals via air went down by 4.9 percent in December 2013 compared to figures of the same month last year.A total of 42,601 international visitors entered the country via air during the month, according to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Immigration Office.According to industry people, a series of issues like the Constituent Assembly (CA) election and strikes by anti-poll parties during the peak season, European Commission´s (EC) ban on Nepali airlines citing safety issues, runway problem at TIA, increase in number of air accidents, and lack of tourism promotion in international market due to the absence of CEO in Nepal…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) Pokhara Chapter and Sanctuary Tourism Entrepreneurs Committee (STEC) signed a six-point agreement in Pokhara in the presence of representatives of TAAN and Annapurna Area Conservation Project (ACAP) on December 25.TAAN President Ramesh Dhamala was present in the signing ceremony.TAAN Pokhara and STEC have agreed to jointly review menu of hotels affiliated with the committee every two years. Similarly, the committee has agreed to upgrade physical infrastructures at hotels and lodges above Sinuwa and allocate two rooms for trekking workers.Similarly, the committee has agreed to collect lodging and food fee from trekking workers from the…
View Detail
The first meeting of secretariat chiefs of different travel trade associations was held at the Secretariat of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) in Maligaun on December 18.The meeting was held as per the decision taken by an interaction with partner associations organized by TAAN in Kathmandu on December 12. The meeting was led by TAAN CEO Gangasagar Pant.In the meeting, the secretariat chiefs of all the trade associations agreed to prepare a joint document to put forth their demands to different national and international organizations. For this, they have agreed to finalize a five-point demand (on priority basis) of…
View Detail
The Regional Hotel Association Nepal Chitwan is organizing 10th Chitwan Elephant Festival in Sauraha of Chitwan from December 26 to 30. The event will feature activities like elephant race, elephant football, elephant beauty contest, ox cart race, horse cart race and canoeing race. Similarly, the organizers will give information about daily activities of elephants to the visitors. The event will feature cultural activities of Tharu – the indigenous community living in and around Sauraha. Organized since 2004, the elephant festival is already a popular event in Nepal’s tourism calendar. The event draws thousands of domestic and foreign visitors to Sauraha…
View Detail
The four-day refresher training for trekking guides organized at Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Secretariat concluded on December 13.Twenty-nine trekking guides from different member agencies of TAAN participated in the training organized jointly by TAAN and High Impact Tourism Training (HITT) under SNV Nepal.TAAN General Secretary Sagar Pandey handed over certificate of participation to all the participants at a program organized at TAAN on December 13.Speaking on the occasion, trainings like these are essential to boost confidence and encourage team spirit. “In these four days, you have learnt important issues related to trekking and mountaineering sector. I request you…
View Detail
Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) on December 12 organized an interaction with partner travel trade associations to discuss pertinent issues in Nepali tourism sector.Along with TAAN, representatives of seven travel trade associations – Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents (NATTA), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA), Nepal Tourist Vehicles Association (NTVA), PATA Nepal Chapter and Nepal Association of Rafting Agents (NARA), participated in the interaction.Welcoming the participants, TAAN General Secretary Sagar Pandey proposed forming a joint coordination committee of travel trade associations to lobby with the government on important issues related to Nepali tourism sector. “Individual…
View Detail
