KATHMANDU, March 4: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has closed 'Free Individual Trekker (FIT)' with effect from April 1, 2023. With this arrangement, foreign tourists in Nepal have to compulsorily go on a trek only with a guide through a trekking company.
The NTB has made this decision in accordance with Section 7 of the Nepal Tourism Act, 2053 BS and Section 10 'A' of the Trekking Information Management System, Operation (First Amendment) Guidelines, 2066 BS.
According to NTB, this decision was made to guarantee the safety of tourists during trekking in Nepal's adventure destinations. In this way, both tourists and guides will be insured. There used to be problems like tourists getting lost and being unsafe while traveling alone with the permission of NTB and Tourist Information Management System (TIMS) card sales agencies.
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Similarly, the newly-appointed Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, was also interested in this matter and taking into consideration the safety, rescue and management of tourists in the discussions held between the board of directors and the representatives of the Taking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAN) and the Tourism Workers Trade Union.
The executive head of the Nepal Tourism Board, Dr Dhananjaya Regmi said that Nepal should be made a safe tourist destination by all means. “This decision has been taken to make the destination safe, easy to rescue and agile management based on the interest, instructions and consent of the stakeholders of the departmental minister. It will have a good overall effect from this decision.'' he said. Dr. Regmi said that with this decision, the employment and income of trekking guards in Nepal will also increase.
According to the statistics of NTB, 30 percent of the total tourists who come to Nepal for trekking are FITs and the total income from them was around 47 percent.
Maniraj Lamichhane, director of the Board, also said that before the COVID-19, about 46,000 tourists came to Nepal annually as 'Free Individual Trekkers (FITs). He also said that after the board stopped the TIMS card issued for FIT, now they will distribute the same type of TIMS card to all the tourists.
Previously, those going on a group tour paid Rs 1,000 per person and those going on a solo tour paid 2,000 rupees per person to get a TIMS card, however, now for all tourists, the cost of the team card will be Rs 2,000 per person. Director Lamichhane mentioned that in the case of citizens of SAARC countries, it was Rs 200, but now it will be Rs 1,000.
Organizations like Nepal Trekking, Travels Rafting, Airlines Labor Union have been raising their voice on this issue for a long time. Suman Prasad Parajuli, president of Airlines Labor Union said that this decision of the board is welcome and it should be properly implemented. Chairman Parajuli said that when this decision is implemented, the safety concerns of Nepal's mountain tourism will also be addressed.
