Tour operators to get $1000 per Nepali outbound tourist

Aug 23, 2015

Travel and tour operators running tour packages for outbound Nepali tourists will get up to $1000 per person to pay for travel and tour operators outside the country in partnership with the Nepali companies, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has said.

The central bank made available the facility to the travel and tour operators by issuing a directive in the name of commercial banks and development banks amid rising number of Nepali outbound tourists which peak during the festive season of Dashain and Tihar.

Travel and tour operators here should submit the transactions details to the banks they are dealing with along with invoice issued by the partner company outside the country in order to get the facility. The partner company should issue the invoice by mentioning the number of Nepali outbound tourists and fee charged on them. “It must be ensured that no other than partner company receives foreign exchange,” said the NRB.

To get foreign exchange, passport, visa and confirmed ticket should be submitted to the bank. If the amount available is inadequate, one can get additional foreign exchange that is available to Nepali against the passport.  “Travel and tour operators will be responsible to get back the foreign exchange in case the travel is cancelled,” said the NRB.

Once the foreign exchange is returned, the concerned bank should give the equivalent amount to travel /tour operators in Nepali currency.

Likewise, Nepali tour operators taking the Indian tourists to Kailash Manasowar will get up to $500 per tourist to pay to Tibetan authority provided they established that these tourist spent certain amount in Nepal’s hotels. The tour operator has to prove that it received at least IRs100,000 from an Indian tourist through banking channel. And, at least half of that amount should have been spent in Nepali hotels.

Source: The Kathmandu Post