Fourth meeting of Nepal-Tibet Joint Tourism

Coordination Committee concludes The fourth meeting of Nepal-Tibet Joint Tourism Coordination Committee concluded recently in Lhasa of Tibet, putting special emphasis on problems being faced by Nepali trekking entrepreneurs in sending international tourists to Tibetan Autonomous Region of China.

The Tibetan side has agreed in principle to immediately take up the issue related to resuming direct bus service between Lhasa and Kathmandu. It also agreed to promote Nepal Tourism Year 2011 campaign through local media and put hoarding boards of the year-long tourism promotional campaign at major intersections in the Tibetan capital.

The Tibetan side also agreed to request the authorities concerned to provide visa for China bound Indian and international tourists from Kathmandu, allow Nepali choppers to conduct trans-border rescue and chopper flights in Mansarovar area and encourage Chinese airlines to fly on Lhasa-Kathmandu route. Likewise, the Tibetan side have also assured the Nepali delegation to request concerned authorities to provide three-month visa for Nepali tour operators and trekking workers, operate Tibet’s immigration office at Zhangmu as per localtime and open immigration office at Hilsa to facilitate tourists heading to Mansarovar.

The Nepali side also assured the Tibetan authorities that they would take up Chinese demands like providing free visa for Chinese tourists in 2011, allow Chinese national holding travel document to enter Nepal for a day and help Tibetan authorities to start rafting service.source: TAAN