The latest Membership Directory-2010 of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) has been released. The NATTA Membership Directory comprises contact details of total of 412 active and provisional members, 70 members from NATTA Regional Association Pokhara and 13 Allied Members. The latest edition of NATTA Membership Directory bringing together important information related to NATTA, Facts about Nepal, Cultural and Natural Heritages of Nepal, Tourism related offices contact details and contact details of Nepal Government, Departments, Tourism Associations, Foreign Embassies in Nepal, Nepalese Embassies/Consulate abroad, International and Domestic Airlines, Hotels and Resorts.

The NATTA Secretariat has been distributing the Directory to its members in First Phase and sufficient copies have been sent to Regional Association for circulation to its members and tourism related offices and hotels in Pokhara. The NATTA coordinator for publication Ms. Jiswan Tuladhar said that more the latest Membership Directory of NATTA is of and its circulation has been in full swing and currently is being circulated to Airlines, Government Agencies, Hotels, NTOs and Embassies. Furthermore, Ms. Shrestha said that the Directory is all set to sent abroad to Nepalese Embassies/Consulate, International Tourism Association and National Tourism Organizations targeting Nepal Tourism Year 2011.

After a year long research, dialogs and assessment the IATA Consolidated Bank Guarantee (CBG) will be finally implemented from 1^st August 2010. NATTA Secretary General Mr. Madhu Sudan Acharya informed that the IATA Accredited members will issue the new and single bank guarantee of amount specified by IATA by 25^th July 2010 and will be fully implemented from 1^st August 2010. Mr. Acharya has been steering this issue from the very beginning.

Similarly, the NATTA Aviation Coordinator Mr. D.K Sharma said that with the implementation of this system, agents  will not have to issue individual bank guarantee for each airlines. Moreover, he stressed on advantages of CBG over individual guarantee for renewal in different frame of time and full utilization of Bank Guarantee compared to under-utilization of individual bank guarantee.

The CBG implementation was finalized on last Agency Program Joint Council (APJC) meeting held between BARN-NATTA-IATA representatives last March on Kathmandu. The APJC also agreed on for compulsory membership of National Travel Association having membership of UFTAA to obtain IATA Accreditation.

Targeting the Nepal Tourism Year 2011, couple of Nepalese tour operators have launched the Buddhist Circuits Fixed Departure Tours. Under this package, the tour will start from Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha.

At the launching program held at Kathmandu, Tourism Leaders highlighted the attraction of the tour. With this new product, Nepal can be recognized as one of the top Buddhist destinations.  The tour will encircle Delhi, Kolkata, Vanarasi, Bodhgaya and Kushinagar which are the primary pilgrimage places associated with the life and teachings of Lord Buddha.

At the program, officials said that the tour will be inaugurated on January 1, 2011 but tour will start from November. It has been estimated that 300,000 tourists & pilgrims will visit the proposed route in 2011.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have extended their strong support to Thailand and its tourism industry as the country has returned to normalcy after political unrest earliest this year.

At a special meeting on International Solidarity with Thai Tourism, both parties commended the recovery measures undertaken by the Thai Government and the collaboration of the Thai private sector to support tourism in the country. They expressed the unwavering solidarity of the international tourism community, according to press release issued by PATA.

While recent unrest in the capital of Bangkok and the provinces of Thailand has been brought under control, the activities has a significant impact on the flow of tourist, a major source of jobs and export revenues for the country. Against this background, a Special Meeting on international Solidarity with Thai Tourism was organized by UNWTO and PATA in Bangkok in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand.

The Thai Government has been quick to show support to this key industry and implement recovery measures in close partnership with the private sector.  

Nepali Travelers flying with Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to different countries via Hong Kong now need not receive a transit visa for Hong Kong. Hong Kong is the biggest hub for Nepalese travelling to east-south, countries like Singapore, Australia, Japan and Western America.

According to NAC, this provision came in to effect from July 12, 2010. Earlier, only passengers flying with Hong Kong based Dragonair were enjoying this facility.

The Government of Nepal has approved the Home Stay Directive to help increase accommodation facilities, as the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 is nearing.

The Directive has been introduced to regulate, develop and promote the home-stay tourism in the country. The formal launching program of home-stay will start from Bhadra 1, 2067 B.S. The home-stay policy has aimed to promote rural tourism with local participation of backward community and indigenous groups.

Also the policy is expected to increase more jobs at local level and increase living standard. The home stay facility would also provide the opportunity to tourist to learn about the local culture, religion and living styles.

The house owners should register their house for home-stay before hand. Also maximum four rooms should be separated for tourists.

With the sudden rise in the criminal activities in Pokhara, the Western Regional Hotel Association, Pokhara has made it necessary for domestic tourist to produce identity certifications while books rooms at the hotels in the lake city.

 The visitor can produce any of the identity cards, driving license, passport or citizenship while booking the room. Similarly, foreign tourist coming to Pokhara need to show their passport while booking rooms.

The new rule has been effectively implemented by more than 300 hotels of Pokhara.

The agro-resort "HANANO-IE" (House of flower, in Japanese), situated at a hill top, Astam-village, Kaski has opened for general tourist. It was established with a team of Japanese management, in 2001, to promote agro-tourism.

It is extended in a area of 45,786 square meters includes vegetables & herbs garden, fruit tree, bee keeping & animal shades. The resort has 5 cottages with two guest rooms in each. Also separate buildings of living, Dining & Kitchen and staff houses. The resort also serves the choices of typical Nepali and Japanese meals produced from its own organic farm.

It has a panoramic view of Annapurna Himalaya ranges, valleys and villages, hills and rivers and so on. To provide an immense entertainment and knowledge to the visitors and guests on Art of Farming is an additional feature.

The opening of the resort at the gateway of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 will help in overall Nepalese tourism development.