Namobuddha Temple, Nepal — Credit: 123rf
NEPAL is doubling its tourism service fee for all non-Nepalese nationals departing any international airport in the country beginning March 1 in order to boost its marketing funds.
The fee will be increased from 565 Nepalese rupees (US$5.70) to 1,130 Nepalese rupees. This is on top of the mandatory 1,100 Nepalese rupee airport tax, meaning each foreign traveller must pay a total of 2,230 Nepalese rupees when leaving Nepal.
Subhash Niraula, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said: “Due to rising prices in the international market and the devaluation of the Nepalese rupee, it has become inevitable to raise the fee in order to be able to promote our destination as required in the current tussle for tourist destinations worldwide.”
NTB will use the funds to develop and promote Nepal internationally through participation in trade events and roadshows. “With a bigger budget, NTB will now prepare and implement a five-year plan to penetrate the markets that have been unexplored before,’ explained Niraula.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Nepal grew 0.3 per cent year-on-year in 2013 over 2012’s 803,092 arrivals. Visitors from India, its largest source market, declined 15.8 per cent. China ranks second followed by Sri Lanka, the US and the UK. Average length of stay for tourists is 12 to 13 days.
