Entry fee to Pashupatinath Area Raised

Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has decided to double the entry fee for foreigners to the Pashupatinath area from June 15. Paramananda Shakya, member secretary at PADT, said that the entry fee had been increased to Rs 500 from existing Rs 250.

Visitors from India, however, are not required to pay any fee. Shakya, however, revealed that the PADT had been studying the possibilities of introducing entry fee for Indian visitors to generate more funds. Shakya also said the PADT already informed tour operators about the change in entry fee structure to the area listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

More than 300 foreigners visit the Pashupatinath area every day.

“After increasing the entry fee, we will also focus on infrastructure development in the area. We will build more eateries and restrooms of international standard. We are also planning to present an attractive souvenir to every foreign visitors visiting the area,” Shakya said.

Meanwhile, the PADT has deployed additional tourist police personnel and security guards for the wellbeing of foreign visitors.

Direct Kathmandu-Amsterdam flights from October 2009

Arke Fly of the Netherlands is planning to launch direct flight from Holland to Nepal from October 2009. This was announced in a reception held at Amsterdam on 18 June 2009 in honour of a selected group of travel trade representatives, senior government officials, and friends and well-wishers of Nepal.

Earlier, Transavia and Martin Air used to fly from the Dutch capital to Kathmandu.

Nepali Ambassador to the Netherlands Pramesh Kumar Hamal said that increased air connectivity to Nepal from market hubs of Europe such as Holland would bring positive effect on the resurgence of tourism in Nepal. Stating that Nepal has adopted a liberal and open sky policy in view of the landlocked status of the nation, he said that Arke Fly would be able to tap the already existing market demand for direct air connection to Nepal and that their venture would lead to success.

Chief Executive Officer of Arke Fly Steven Vander Heijden spoke of Holland’s past experience in direct flight operation to Nepal and said that the decision taken by his company to launch flight to Nepal from October 2009 draws a lot from those experiences. He underlined the magnetic charms of Nepal as a tourist destination and showed his commitment to launch the flight at the stipulated time.

He informed that there would one flight per week in the beginning, which could be increased as per the market demand in the future.