Nepal
Tourism Board (NTB) has revised Tourism Service Fee(TSF) revised from Rs 500 to
Rs 1000 – excluding VAT – effective from March 1.
The revised
fee will be levied on the outgoing foreign travelers departing from all
airports in Nepal. However, it will be implemented only from Tribhuvan
International Airport at present, according to the NTB.
The revision
– after nine years – would enable the Nepal Tourism Board to concentrate more
on international promotion and domestic tourism development,
according to acting chief executive of Nepal Tourism Board Subash Nirola.
"With a
bigger budget, the board will now prepare and implement five years plan to
penetrate the market that has been unexplored before,” he said, urging all the members
of Nepali travel trade industry to join in hands with the board in promoting,
expanding and developing tourism industry also in regional level by putting
effort in increasing length of stay, tourist arrivals and average income per
visitor per day.
Over the
last few years, the price rise in the international market coupled with the
devaluation of Nepali currency and stiff competition among
destinations, for their presence in the international tourism
market, has made it difficult for Nepal Tourism Board to fare well
in the international promotion.
It has
become inevitable for the board to increase the fee to meet the expectation of the
tourism industry and to cope with the paradigm shift in the international
tourism promotion and marketing, said the board thanking especially the national
flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation, along with all international airlines
for their continued support and cooperation.
The Tourism Service Fee was
introduced in 1999 to fund the promotional activities of Nepal Tourism Board
levying two per cent service charge in tourism services. However, it was changed
in January 14, 2005 to Rs 500 – excluding VAT – to all outgoing foreign
travelers exiting from Tribhuvan International Airport. 
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