KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 24

The tourism associations have submitted a joint letter to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba urging to initiate measures to facilitate tourist arrivals into the country and for the revival of the coronavirus-battered tourism industry.

The associations have requested the government to ensure hassle-free travel for tourists by doing away with provisions for mandatory PCR tests for fully vaccinated travellers and the current requirement of filling out an online form.

'Various countries, including neighbouring India has already scrapped the compulsory PCR tests for fully vaccinated passengers,' the letter says, a copy of which was obtained by The Himalayan Times.

The associations have pointed out that more than 86 per cent of the targeted population have already received two doses of anti-COVID vaccine, booster dose campaign is underway and the vaccination drive for children under 18 years of age is also underway.

'All these positive developments have given us hope that the effects of COVID will be minimal in the coming days.'

The effects of coronavirus have been waning in the recent days, the letter states adding that the local and international health officials have also projected the impact will further decline in the future. Consequently, many countries have already lifted various restrictions that had been earlier placed to control the spread of the virus.

The associations have also offered assurances of fully following all the health safety protocols recommended by the World Health Organisation and the Nepal government.

They have said the various restrictions enforced by the government have discouraged tourists from travelling to the country.

This has adversely impacted not only all tourism sector workers but could also dent government's revenue collection and growth targets.

The signatories of the letter include Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN), Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN), Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOA), Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA), Society of Travel and Tour Operators Nepal (SOTTO), Nepal Tourist Vehicle Association (NTVA), Tourist Bus Association of Nepal (TBAN) and Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO).

A version of this article appears in the print on February 25, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.