Kathmandu. The International Relations and Tourism Committee of the Parliament has stressed the need for immediate special strategy to restore the confidence of Nepal’s tourism in the international market along with the search and rescue of tourists amid the serious impact of the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods on the tourism sector.

Committee chairperson Sumnima Udas said that the government and tourism sector should work jointly to create confidence among tourists and the international community. She stressed the need to disseminate positive and credible message about Nepal’s tourism after the disaster.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadga Raj Poudel ‘Ganesh’ said that the government was sensitive and responsible towards the rescue and relief operations after the disaster. Minister Poudel also said that the helicopter operation has been systematized by bringing it into a one-door system. He also informed that five flights are being operated free of cost as a public service except in the Bhotekoshi area. He said that the government was working on a strategy to maintain the confidence of the international community and increase the arrival of tourists in Nepal.

He said, “Tourism business is a business linked to emotions and based on empathy. At present, the tourism sector has suffered a huge human and economic loss. The government is working to set up an employee welfare fund for the affected tourism workers. ’

Minister Poudel said that the concept of developing Rasuwa as a ‘climate heritage’ in the long term by linking the Bhotekoshi disaster with climate change should be put forward. He said that Nepal should raise the issue of climate justice and damage caused by such disasters at the international level as the mountains are the common climate heritage of the world.

Member of the House of Representatives and member of the International Relations and Tourism Committee, Anushka Shrestha, suggested that the dissemination of information during the crisis should be made faster and more effective through infographics and digital mediums. She opined that the vacancy of leadership and posts in the concerned bodies could affect the decision-making process and the necessary posts should be filled immediately.

Committee member Jagadish Kharel said that the state should immediately reach out to the people waiting for rescue in the affected areas. He proposed that the families and relatives of the missing foreign tourists should be given visa facilitation and hotel discount and at least 15 percent of the budget should be allocated from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the rehabilitation of tourism. He suggested that a memorial should be built in the memory of the foreign tourists who lost their lives in the disaster in Rasuwa.

Similarly, committee member Prem Kumar Hamal suggested that climate change and climate justice should now be kept at the center of tourism policy. He stressed that Nepal should raise the increasing risk of climate change in the Himalayan region in the international forum and take forward the issue of loss and damage effectively.

Committee member Sandip Rana said that immediate rescue should be given first priority and a fixed help desk should be set up to disseminate information and coordination to the families of foreign tourists. He said that an integrated information system is necessary to reduce the fear among the families due to lack of information about the missing relatives.

Committee member Dhananjay Regmi said that there is still confusion about the actual information about the tourists who have disappeared in the floods as the tourists sending tourists have not been able to inform the Nepal Tourism Board about the actual data of their tourists. He added, “In the context of the increasing impact of climate change worldwide, any damage can happen to any country at any time. Therefore, by guaranteeing precautionary and security measures, it can be assured that Nepal is safe in the international market for this reason.” ’

Sahadev Dhamala, a member of the Tourism Board, said that the tourism business could be at risk and a large number of tourism workers were also affected. He said that social security and insurance should be arranged for the employees working in the tourism sector and effective implementation of TIMS in tourist information management was essential.

Director General of the Department of Tourism, Ram Krishna Lamichhane, said that regular information is being disseminated about the situation of tourists and passengers after the devastating floods in Bhotekoshi. According to him, information about the condition of tourists in the affected areas is being collected in coordination with the concerned bodies, tourism entrepreneurs and security mechanisms.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of Nepal Tourism Board Hikmat Singh Ayer said that information was being disseminated jointly from the Nepal Tourism Board during the time of crisis. He said that a proposal has also been put forward to make the ‘Calling Nepal’ campaign more effective for the revival of tourism and to provide discount or free facilities on airfare and hotel if needed.

Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) President Binayak Shah termed the current crisis as unprecedented and stressed the need to spread the message that Nepal is safe through Nepali embassies and missions abroad. He expressed the commitment of the private sector to make the tourism sector dynamic again by working with the government to further strengthen the campaign with the message that Nepal is open.

Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), said that around 995 foreign tourists, including Indian nationals, are missing in the affected areas and the tourism infrastructure has been badly damaged. He said that the international media in Nepal should give a clear message that Nepal is ready for tourists along with rescue and rehabilitation.

Bharat Jung Pandey, president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), said that the decision of relief and rehabilitation should be made on humanitarian grounds. He said that the government should pay attention to provide free visa, special discount in hotels and easy movement for tourists coming to Nepal to win the trust of the international market.

During the meeting, Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) President Phur Gelje Sherpa said that the first priority should be search and rescue after the floods. Stating that a special team of NMA has reached the affected areas since day one, he said that the association has about 12,600 rescue personnel and it can be mobilized immediately if the government gives necessary instructions. He stressed the need to make maximum use of the available resources as helicopters are ready for the rescue.

Rishi Bhandari, general secretary of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, said that long-term arrangement was necessary for the social security of the tourism workers. He said that priority should be given to the movement and diplomatic coordination related to Tatopani and Kerung border points, and the process of legal identification of the deceased foreign nationals and death certificate should be simplified.