FNCCI urged Minister of Tourism Tamang to solve problems related to tourism sector

KATHMANDU, May 11:The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) requested that Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang to resolve the problems in the tourism-related issues.

The team, led by the vice president of the FNCCI, Hemraj Dhakal, and coordinated by the chairman of the FNCCI's air and tourism committee, presented Minister Tamang with a demand that the tourism sector be classified as a national priority industry and given the same facilities as the manufacturing industry.

Similarly, the chairman of the committee, Deshbandhu Wasnet (Ajit), stated that the Foreign involvement and Technology Transfer Act 2075 prohibits foreign involvement in the tourism sector and should be modified immediately.

Similarly, the imposition of a 13 percent value added tax (VAT) on plane tickets in the current fiscal year's budget has caused Nepal's aviation sector to collapse. "Nowadays, when the government imposes VAT on air tickets, some Nepali companies have gone to open companies abroad, and when air tickets are not taken from Nepal, foreign currency has also left," he stated.

Similarly, imposing an additional two percent luxury tax on tourists at star hotels and luxury resorts sends a poor message to the world and should be repealed, he stated. Similarly, he has demanded that Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Budh International Airport in Bhairahawa be fully functioning to attract Indian tourists.

Similarly, in the program, Minister Tamang stated that he will work with the necessary ministries to resolve the issue through the budget in response to President Basnet's demands on behalf of the FNCCI. "The demand that you have put forward is in the interest of the nation and businessmen," he stated. "The government will not do anything that affects businessmen and consumers, so I will discuss with the relevant ministries and solve the problem."

On behalf of the FNCCI, Vice President Dhakal, President Basnet, senior industrialist Shashi Kanta Agarwal, committee member Shiva Adhikari, Youb Raj Shrestha, Treasurer of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN),  Tourism Secretary Dr. Ganesh Prasad Pandey, and others attended.