WTO team to visit Nepal on tourism plan

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KATHMANDU, Oct 5 – The executive level team of World Tourism Organisation (WTO) is coming to Nepal within November to formulate a Master Plan for tourism development in the Himalayan country.

"The preliminary draft of the Master plan has already been made but it would be finalised only after the discussion with the visiting team," said Bal Bahadur KC, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Minister KC was talking to pressmen at the Tribhuvan International Airport on his return after attending the 14th General Assembly of the WTO that was organised in Korea and Japan.

The Master Plan includes several tourism-related programmes, such as developing infrastructure, formation of new policies, identifying the areas that can help in promoting Nepali tourism market in international arena, he said.

"At a time when the whole tourism sector is at a downturn, especially after the devastating terrorists attack at the United States, Nepal talked with several nations and has insisted that Nepal is still a safe place to visit," Minister KC said. "We tried to cash on the natural beauty and the religious importance of Buddhism in Nepal."

The Nepalese visit to the WTO assembly has also identified Japan as a potential tourism market for Nepal. With an aim to attract more Japanese tourists, Nepal has requested the Japanese counterparts for opening the international airport for Nepal at Tokyo. "The Japanese officials have shown positive response on the issue," Minister KC said.

Latest findings have shown that an additional flight can be carried with the existing aircraft of the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation, he said. "We are thinking to fly an additional flight it to a new destination. It might be to Japan too."

122 countries out of a total 139 member countries of the WTO participated the 14th general assembly. All the member countries at the conference condemned the recent terrorists attack at the United States, informed Minister KC.

At the beginning of the assembly, Nepal was nominated as the vice president of the organisation. Nepal, as a vice president would represent South Asia in the committee. The next general assembly is going to be held at China in 2003.

FM apprehensive about assistance

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KATHMANDU, Oct 5 – Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat expressed apprehension that financial assistance being provided by the developed nations to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) will fall in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the US.

"A chunk of the available finances is likely to be diverted for strengthening security within the donor countries now," said FM Mahat, while inaugurating the sixth annual general meeting of Nepal-Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NBCCI) here today.

Mahat on the occasion also urged the business community and tax administrators to be transparent and receptive to reform. He emphasized upon the need to make the most of the comparative advantages enjoyed by Nepal in the form of low tariff rates, low cost of manpower, low corporate tax and easy access to high government authority for foreign investment.

Addressing the function, British Ambassador to Nepal Ronald P Nash lauded the government for taking strong stand against the Maoist and the government’s initiative for restoring peace in the country.

He also said that the British Embassy would provide support and encourage the government to resolve the Maoist problem, which has kept both the government and the business community preoccupied with industrial security over the few years.

Similarly, Rajendra Kumar Khetan, President of NBCCI, said that the People’s War launched by the Maoist has been chilling to the investment climate.

Khetan expressed concern over industrial security, tax and revenue collection procedures and the government’s policy on issues related to industrial relation.

Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, President of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), said that Ambassador Nash has made efforts for strengthening bilateral relationships between Nepal and Britain and supporting Nepalese exports to UK.

He also said that political instability, industrial insecurity and corruption have destroyed the social fabric making it difficult to run businesses, and the government and the private sector should make concerted efforts to mitigate the challenges.

Nepali team to take part in Lhasa Fair

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KATHMANDU, Oct 5 - Over hundred members representing various business firms and houses of Nepal is leaving Kathmandu for Lhasa, Tibet on Saturday to take part in the five-day Nepal-Tibet Trade Fair that is slated to begin on October 11.

The fair is held every two years alternatively in Nepal and Tibet, the autonomous region of the Republic of China. The Saturday’s delegation will be led by Bharat Prasad Baskota, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MICS).

Several high level government officials are also slated to leave for the Tibetan capital on Oct 9 to take part in the trade fair. The officials include Bhanu Prasad Acharya, Secretary at the MICS, Naresh Chandra Lamichhane and Bharat Bahadur Thapa, both Joint Directors at the Trade Promotion Centre, among others.

According to information provided by officials at the MICS, 34 firms from Nepal are taking part in the event. The objective of the fair is to promote cross-border trade and investment between Nepal and China.

Some of the products that the Nepali team would be displaying at the fair include statues, garments, agro-products, ghee, oil, Nepali paper, thanka, aluminium products, PVC products, hides and skin, medical herbs, iron, furnitures, confectionery, spices, biscuits, noodles, pashmina products, sugar and flour, among others.

Officials said that fair is of significant importance in the light of the huge trade volume between Nepal and China. The thrust of the fair should be to increase Nepali exports to Tibet and mainland China to bridge the trade gap.

Annual trade between Nepal and China, including Tibet, stands at around Rs 12 billion. While imports from Tibet in the first six months of the last fiscal year stood at Rs 2.56 billion, the exports were merely Rs 339 million. With the mainland China, the trade for the whole year stood at Rs 6.27 billion imports and Rs 2.6 million exports.

Revenue collection at some customs points remains nil

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KATHMANDU, Oct 5 – Some of Nepali customs offices at the Northern border may have historical importance particularly in safeguarding sovereignty and national integrity, but, interestingly, majority of these customs offices have failed to collect even a single rupee in revenue.

According to revenue statistics provided to The Kathmandu Post, out of nine customs points along northern border, revenue collection at five of them including Lamabagar Customs Office (Dolakha), Olangchung Gola Customs Office (Taplejung), Nhechung Customs Office (Mustang), Mugu Customs Office and Kimathanka Customs Office (Sankhuwasava) was zero in the last fiscal year.

Not just that the revenue collection was nil in these five customs points, collection in the remaining customs points, other than Tatopani and Rasuwa, was far below its normal expenditure. The revenue collection from the Yarinaka customs point in the last fiscal year was just Rs 12,841 while Larke Customs Office collected a mere Rs 336 in revenue.

Despite the meager collection at these points which is not even enough to cover their operational costs, officials say that the check points are needed even if just for name sake.

There are five government employees in each of these customs offices and additional three employees at each of the five branch customs points that are under the customs office along the border.

Explaining the reason for low revenue collection at these customs office, officials at the Customs Department say that cross border trade through these customs points are nominal as the local villagers just brings non-taxable food items from the Tibetan side.