Tour operators urge to save 1.05 million tourism-related jobs

 Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) has – issuing a press note today – called upon the government to chart out a plan to save 1.05 million jobs, which are in danger of being lost.

Tourism stands out as the most hit sector compared to other sectors affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, reads the press note.

The association has also drawn the government’s attention to the fact that tourism-related businesses have now been operating on negative cash flow since March and fears the situation cannot be sustained for long.

The association has also shed light on the fact that 6.3 million people depend directly or indirectly from the tourism sector on a daily basis, assuming that each worker in the travel industry in Nepal supports 6 family members. 

The Covid-19 – that hit the tourism industry worst – might eat the jobs permanently, the association press note reads, fearing that the road to recovery will be long and drawn-out with traveller number reaching 2019 levels only in 2024, if at all, given the government support is provided. “These job losses would be a permanent loss, even when tourism begins to revive and travellers start to come back gradually.”

NATO seeks road repairs

Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) has drawn the serious attention of the government towards taking immediate steps to repair the roads, on super priority basis to tourist destinations like Nagarkot, Boudha, Jorpati, Sankhu, Dakshinkali and Kakani as soon as the weather permits.
These roads have been in a sorry state for a long time and tourists are facing severe problems reaching these destinations, it said, adding that their worst condition is creating added financial burden on tour operators in added manpower charges, vehicle wear and tear and fuel consumption.
According to a press note issued by the NATO, tourists have been facing problems and the tour operators have been incurring financial burden due to potholes, dust and mud on the road, depending on the season.
As the country is making preparations for the grand tourism campaign – Visit Nepal 2020 –  the shoddy, and in some cases non-existent infrastructure facilities are sure to add anguish to those who visit Nepal expecting experiences of a lifetime but, instead have to contend with mud, dust and bone jarring potholes, the release reads, adding that NATO will like to remind the government to make necessary arrangements for the smooth movement of tourist vehicles to and from all the major tourist destinations in the country for Visit Nepal 2020 and better experience of tourists.

Tourism entrepreneurs hail NAC decision to add aircraft

Tourism entrepreneurs have hailed Nepal Airlines Corporation's (NAC) decision to purchase new aircraft.
Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) president Prasiddha Bahadur Pandey, Nepal Association of Travel and Tour Agencies (NATTA) president Ram Kaji Koney, Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN) first vice-president Bacchu Narayan Shrestha, PATA Nepal Chapter president Pawan Tuladhar, Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) president Bikram Neupane, Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) vice-president Ashok Pokharel and Tourist Guide Association of Nepal president Vishnu Gyawali today in a press statement hailed NAC's decision to purchase new aircraft A320-200 by next year.
"The national flag carrier's decision before the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 will help the tourism sector," they said.
A meeting of NAC´s executive committee recently decided to buy two aircraft -- a wide body A330-200 with a seat capacity of 279 and a narrow body A320-200 with 150 seat capacity -- from the European manufacturer Airbus. The committee -- headed by NAC chairman Sugat Ratna Kansakar -- has finalised one plane in the A320-200 series and another in the A330-200 series. The estimated cost of the aircraft comes to around $41.289 million and $92.845 million.
NAC had called for tenders on April 7 and after going through the proposals it found the proposal of Airbus more profitable, said NAC officials adding that it is operating two Boeing 757s. Apart from Airbus, Boeing also had submitted a proposal.
The operating cost of the Airbus A330-200 comes to 40 per cent less than the wide-body Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 that the American company had proposed to NAC that is buying aircraft from Airbuses after 1987-88 when it had bought two Boeings -- Karnali and Gandaki
"We will purchase a fleet of six aircraft in five years' time," said an official of the ailing national flag carrier that has fallen in controversy every time it has tried to buy or lease aircraft.
Lately, NAC is losing its customers. Not only are more international airlines flying to Nepal but it also has been repeatedly grounding one of its aircraft due to technical glitches.