Tourists treveling to any trekking destination will have to take at least a support staff with them from September. Government officials say the decision has been taken for the safety to tourist.
According to a recent policy decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, tourists, who want to trek solo in Nepal, must hire at least a porter or a guide, Trekkers traveling in groups are already required to take the service of government registered trekking agencies.
Trekking Agencies Associationof Nepal has welcomed the decision and urged the government to include the decision in the Tourism Act for effective implementation. “The decision will helps promote Nepal as a safe destination for tourists at a time when international media are questioning the safety of foreigners in Nepal,” Mohan Lamsal, general secretary of Langtang National park along with some other cases of disappearance of trekkers have created negative image of Nepal in international market. according to Lamsal. Rana Bahadur Khadka, first president of TAAN, said the new policy decision means all the trekkers will have to take the service of government registered trekking agencies. He said this will control illegal operation of trekking business.
According to trekking operators, the new policy change will increase budget of FITs by only around $10 per day. “This is a very nominal amount and it won not affect tourist arrivals.
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