Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 16:

Daily wage earners’ associated with the travel and trekking industry have reason to rejoice, thanks to the government’s new Travel and Trekking Regulations-BS 2062 that have come into immediate effect. On the other hand, those managing this sector are an unhappy lot.

The revised rules have hiked company registration fees and have also specified the wages that travel and trekking agents must pay their workers. From now on, individuals wishing to register a company are required to deposit a paid-up capital of Rs 500,000. For travel and trek-king agents, the fee is Rs 300,000. For a company owned by more than one individual, the registration fee is Rs 1,000,000. For travel and trekking syndicates it is Rs 600,000, said the Tourism Industry Division. Wages of travel and trekking workers have been raised. Companies must now pay Rs 250 a day to a worker and Rs 300 to a team leader working within an altitude of 3700 meters. Workers and team leaders operating above an altitude of 3700 metres will get Rs 300 and Rs 350 a day, respectively. The rules ban tourists and trekkers from dirtying public and religious sites.