Tourism fraternity baulk at target of two million annual tourists by 2020

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Tourism fraternity baulk at target of two million annual tourists by 2020
Nepal Tourism and its possibilities

Statistics show foreign tourist inflow surged by less than 250,000 in the last seven years

Kathmandu, May 31

While tourism entrepreneurs are optimistic about a gradual increase in the flow of foreign visitors to Nepal in the coming years owing to political stability, they are baulking at the target of attracting two million tourists annually by 2020, which was announced through the 2018-19 federal budget.

The private sector tourism entrepreneurs have said that the target of two million annual foreign tourists with the current infrastructure is not only highly impractical, but also close to impossible.

“We all know how bleak the tourism infrastructure in the country is. Without making the available road infrastructure and aviation tourism-friendly, it is extremely difficult to bring in two million foreign tourists annually by 2020,” said Sunil Sakya, chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Nepal Chapter.

According to tourism entrepreneurs, targeting a 100 per cent growth in arrival of foreign tourists within the next two years is unrealistic also in the backdrop of annual average growth standing at less than 15 per cent at present. Also to be noted is the fact that the country was able to achieve the target of drawing in one million annual tourists – a goal set for year 2011 – only in 2017.

According to Sakya, the government should have set a wider vision of drawing almost five million additional tourists annually after 10 years, which would have been comparatively feasible.

Tourism stakeholders said that the growth of tourism industry and inflow of foreign tourists highly depends on the state of our tourism-related infrastructure, including international and domestic airports, tourism promotion activities and formation of skilled human capital.

“Extreme reforms in all these sectors are not possible overnight,” said Sakya.

A few days ago, economist Bishwo Poudel had told The Himalayan Times that the unrealistic tourist inflow target set in the budget was one of its greatest drawback.

Moreover, official data reveal that Nepal was able to increase the number of foreign tourists by less than 250,000 over the last seven years. Government statistics show that 736,215 foreign tourists had visited Nepal in 2011 while the country was able to draw in one million tourists in 2017.

Amar Man Shakya, president of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), said that the government should first prioritise the development of tourism infrastructure in the country instead of eyeing impractical tourist arrival targets.

“Tourism growth in any tourist destination is directly linked to its state of infrastructure. Once Nepal is equipped with sound tourism infrastructure, the flow of foreign visitors will automatically increase,” said Shakya.

The post Tourism fraternity baulk at target of two million annual tourists by 2020 appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/women-take-abortion-pills-in-northern-ireland-protest/ under the title “Tourism fraternity baulk at target of two million annual tourists by 2020”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Government begins process to form National Supply Company

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Kathmandu, May 31

Following a nod in the federal budget, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies (MoICS) has begun the process to merge the now-shuttered National Trading Ltd (NTL) with National Food Corporation (NFC).

The fiscal budget of the government unveiled on Tuesday had envisioned merging NTL with NFC to form an autonomous National Supply Company (NSC), as recommended by MoICS.

A few months ago, the government had decided to shut NTL after the enterprise persistently incurred losses and added financial burden on the government. The government had given voluntary retirement to all 264 NTL staffs before shutting the enterprise..

After it was made inactive, almost Rs 25 billion worth of property of NTL across the country has remained unused.

“We are in the last stage of identifying and valuating the actual property of NTL. Once it is completed, we will use the existing network of both NTL and NFC to enhance the supply situation of essential goods in the country,” said Mukunda Poudyal, joint secretary at MoICS.

The new NSC will basically deal with import, collection and distribution of 10 essential goods, including rice, oil, sugar, lentil and other food grains, according to Poudyal.

MoICS believes that the supply network of essential goods in the country, especially in the remote areas, will be stronger following merger of NTL with NFC.

Similarly, MoICS officials informed that NSC will also be responsible to distribute subsidised food items in remote areas and run subsidised food outlets across different local units as envisioned by the budget.

Meanwhile, formation of the NCS is expected to be under the provincial format.

“In the long-term, NSC will aim to provide services at national, provincial and local levels,” added Poudyal.

In the long run, the National Supply Company could also enter into fuel supply business and diversify Nepal’s fuel trade, as per MoICS officials.

The post Government begins process to form National Supply Company appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/government-begins-process-to-form-national-supply-company/ under the title “Government begins process to form National Supply Company”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Dealers elated as autos termed ‘non-luxurious goods’ in budget

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Kathmandu, May 31

NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal (NAAN) – the umbrella body representing automobile dealers in the country – has praised the fiscal budget citing that it has partially acknowledged automobiles as ‘non-luxurious’ goods.

Issuing a press statement, NAAN (formerly called Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association) welcomed the government’s decision not to raise excise duty on four-wheelers up to 1,000cc and two-wheelers up to 150cc.

“Since long, automobile dealers had been urging the government not to further increase taxes on vehicles as they can no longer be considered luxurious items in Nepal. We believe that the government did not increase excise duty on low cubic centimetre (cc) capacity vehicles following the realisation that such vehicles are integral part of human lives,” Shambhu Dahal, president of NAAN, said in a press statement issued here today.

Similarly, auto dealers have also praised the budget citing that it has highly focused on economic disciplines and emphasised enhancing industrial sector in Nepal.

They have also praised the government’s move to effectively use taxes collected from automobile sector under headings like ‘pollution tax’ and ‘road maintenance tax’. Auto dealers have also welcomed the government’s decision to improve tax administration through the federal budget.

On top of that, automobile dealers said that increase in excise duty on two-wheelers above 150cc and four-wheelers above 1,000cc will have a direct impact not only in the revenue of the government, but also the domestic automobile industry.

Through the budget, the government had increased excise duty on vehicles above the aforementioned capacity by up to 40 per cent. Previously, excise duty on vehicles was 60 per cent. With the new tax adjustment, excise duty on vehicles has reached up to 100 per cent.

The post Dealers elated as autos termed ‘non-luxurious goods’ in budget appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/dealers-elated-as-autos-termed-non-luxurious-goods-in-budget/ under the title “Dealers elated as autos termed ‘non-luxurious goods’ in budget”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Army open campaign with easy win

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Army open campaign with easy win
PM Cup

Kathmandu, May 31

Tribhuvan Army Club defeated Province2 by 55 runs under Duckworth-Lewis method in the Prime Minister Cup One Day Cricket Tournament here at the TU Stadium today.

Batting first, TAC were bowled out for 244 runs before Province2 – chasing a revised target of 238 runs from 40 overs – scored 182-9. After the day’s result, all five teams in Group A have two points each. Nepal APF Club lead the table on better net run rate, while TAC are second, followed by Province4, Province2 and Province1.

TAC made slow start after opener Sagar Pun (eight) was bowled by Divyanshu Mallick with just nine runs on the board. Another opener Anil Mandal and skipper Binod Bhandari added 40 runs for the second wicket before the latter was caught and bowled by Samsad Sheikh for 12 off 16 balls that included four boundaries and a six.

Mandal then added another 55 runs for the third wicket with Raju Rijal to take the team score past three figures. Mandal scored 35 off 65 balls hitting four boundaries, while Rijal struck five fours and a six in his 85-ball 50.

Rajesh Pulami Magar scored 44-ball 40 hitting two each fours and sixes, while Sompal Kami struck three fours and a six in his quick fire 41 off 28 balls. Bhim Sarki (15) and Sushan Bhari (12) also scored in double figures for TAC. Divyanshu Mallick was the pick of the Province2 bowlers taking 3-42 off 8.3 overs, while Rashid Khan (2-68), Samsaf Sheikh (2-32) and Mehboob Alam (2-34) shared six wickets among them.

In reply, four Province2 batsmen got good starts but they failed to take the team home. Sompal Kami made the breakthrough in the third over by trapping Kundan Singh leg before the wicket at a time when Provice2 had put on 13 runs on the board. Opener Harishankar Shah and Hasim Ansari were consolidating the innings when rain stopped the match for about an hour.

On resumption, Province2 received the revised target of 238 from 40 overs. Shah and Ansari added 58 runs for second wicket before the former handed a return catch to Sagar Pun after scoring 34 off 33 balls that included four fours and a six.

Bhari reduced Province2 to 74-4 when he struck twice in the 15th over. He first trapped Ansari leg before the wicket for 28 off 38 balls that included four fours and then bowled Bishal Shusling (naught).

Province2 lost another four wickets for 26 runs before Rashid Khan and Suraj Patel added 43 runs for the ninth wicket. Khan scored 34 off 40 balls hitting three fours and a six. Patel remained unbeaten on run-a-ball 48 that included six fours and two sixes. Man-of-the-match Sompal Kami took 3-45 from eight overs, while Sagar Pun (2-23), Sushan Bhari (2-10) and Shahab Alam (2-22) took two wickets each.

The post Army open campaign with easy win appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/army-open-campaign-with-easy-win-pm-cup/ under the title “Army open campaign with easy win”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

EPL joins hands with Nepalflix

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EPL joins hands with Nepalflix
Everest Premier League

Kathmandu, May 31

EPL Pvt Ltd today signed Nepalflix as the officials broadcast partner of the TVS Everest Premier League slated for November.

EPL Founder Aamir Akhtar and Karel Kuiperi, Chief Operating Officer of Bangladesh-based Bongo Solutions which built Nepalflix, the general entertainment portal for Chaudhary Group, signed the memorandum of understanding at a press meet. As per the agreement, Nepalflix will be the exclusive digital partner of EPL and it will broadcast the matches and highlights worldwide. AP1 is the broadcast partner of the league and Nepalflix will distribute contents produced by the television channel.

“The key factor for the success of any league is its stakeholders, and we believe, in Nepalflix we have found the right digital broadcast partner,” said Akhtar. “With the expertise of Nepalflix, we can promote TVS EPL and Nepali cricket globally. With experience and proficiency of Nepalflix team, we can expect a glitch-free, easily accessible, and properly marketed and dispersed digital content at your fingertips.”

Kuiperi said Nepalflix was proud to the digital partner of EPL and AP1. “A professionally organised tournament like EPL is an opportunity to showcase Nepali cricket around the world. Nepalflix will target international audiences as well as Nepalis living abroad.” According to Kuiperi, Bongo is also the digital partner of Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League.

Managing Director of AP1 TV, Laxmi Poudel said getting in specialised experts like Nepalflix would add value to EPL. “All the stakeholders can take benefit out of it and together we can make EPL a big event,” he said.

Akhtar informed six teams will compete in the city-based league. “As the national team players will be free in November, we are planning to organise the tournament at that time. We are currently working on the model of the tournament and we are hoping to get it done in a couple of months,” he added.

The post EPL joins hands with Nepalflix appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/everest-premier-league-joins-hands-with-nepalflix/ under the title “EPL joins hands with Nepalflix”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Solo says more US women players should speak up on pay

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Solo says more US women players should speak up on pay
Hope Solo

LONDON: World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hope Solo on Thursday called for more US women soccer players to speak up for equality but suggested some feared their careers would suffer if they did.

Speaking at the launch of the Foundation for Sports Integrity, the 36-year-old said her own campaigning had made her feel like an outcast.

“I’d welcome more players to stand up and speak out, but unfortunately there’s pressure,” said Solo. “You can see what happened in my case where I fought for equal pay.”

The double Olympic gold medallist has not featured for the US since being suspended for calling opponents Sweden “a bunch of cowards” for playing defensively at the Rio Games in 2016.

A new deal through 2021 was agreed last year bringing improved base pay and bigger bonuses for the US Women’s team but it still does not guarantee parity with the men’s national team, even if they get the same per diems.

“There’s a law in America that says you cannot discriminate based on gender, but we still have discrimination everywhere you look,” said Solo, who recently stood unsuccessfully for president of the US federation.

The US men’s team have failed to qualify for the World Cup finals starting in Russia next month while the women’s team are world champions and have won three of the seven tournaments to date.

The women have also won four Olympic gold medals and a silver from the six Games since their competition was added to the programme in 1996.

Solo, who joined four high profile players in filing a complaint in 2016 to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, said some others were privately supportive but reluctant to take a stance in public.

“Ultimately they want to remain playing on the US team, so I became kind of the outcast,” she said.

“I understand. We have young players, players who more than anything are passionate about the game. They want to play World Cups and Olympics. They want to represent the country.

“But these issues are so much bigger, and the way the world is going… it’s a time for women’s empowerment. You’ve seen women in more leadership roles yet it’s still against a backdrop of inequality and male chauvinism and sexism.”

Australian businessman Jamie Fuller, who chairs the foundation, said its aim was to restore integrity in sport through exposing and confronting corruption and unethical behaviour.

The post Solo says more US women players should speak up on pay appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

Written by Sandeep This news first appeared on https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/hope-solo-says-more-united-states-women-players-should-speak-up-on-pay/ under the title “Solo says more US women players should speak up on pay”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

NBA Finals 2018: LeBron James tells ESPN reporter, ‘Be better tomorrow’ after J.R. Smith questions

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A frustrated LeBron James had heard enough questions about J.R. Smith’s inexplicable error at the end of regulation.

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-finals-2018-lebron-james-be-better-tomorrow-walks-off-press-conference-mark-schwarz-espn-video/gwyx9r5cyk6p15a0sogbbs8rf under the title “
NBA Finals 2018: LeBron James tells ESPN reporter, ‘Be better tomorrow’ after J.R. Smith questions
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NBA Finals 2018: Steve Kerr says Warriors got lucky after Smith error

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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said his team was fortunate Thursday following JR Smith’s spectacular mental mistake.

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-finals-2018-steve-kerr-warriors-lucky-smith-kevin-durant-lebron-james/12ftvo2ddfm1o175w2ocfcasl4 under the title “NBA Finals 2018: Steve Kerr says Warriors got lucky after Smith error”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

Warriors survive chaotic Game 1, take early series lead over Cavs

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The Warriors took advantage of a rare second chance in overtime, dominating the final five minutes on the way to a 124-114 victory.

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/cavs-vs-warriors-score-updates-highlights-game-1-lebron-james-nba-finals-2018/17yz3w3u6v1hp12lsnpfo6da5a under the title “Warriors survive chaotic Game 1, take early series lead over Cavs”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.

NBA Finals 2018: Tempers flare as Tristan Thompson shoves Draymond Green

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After being ejected with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Cavs center Tristan Thompson shoved Draymond Green, as tempers flared.

Written by This news first appeared on http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news/nba-finals-2018-tempers-flare-warriors-cavaliers-tristan-thompson-draymond-green/acdxh6wv9yo91p6v4fdoxt69k under the title “NBA Finals 2018: Tempers flare as Tristan Thompson shoves Draymond Green”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
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