Nepal asks nations to lift travel warnings

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015 file photo, trekkers take an acclimatization hike to Nagarzhang peak above Dingboche valley on the way to Everest base camp, Nepal. Climbers are returning to Mount Everest as the climbing industry recovers from last year's deadly disaster on the world's highest peak, a Nepalese mountaineering official said Wednesday, April 1. The popular spring climbing season began last month and runs until the end of May. (AP Photo/Tashi Sherpa, File)

Nepal’s government is urging other countries to lift travel advisories that discourage their citizens from visiting the Himalayan nation following a devastating earthquake in April that killed thousands of people.

Tourism minister Kripasur Sherpa said on Wednesday the government has asked other nations through diplomatic channels to remove the advisories because most parts of the country are safe.

“Only about 15 per cent of the country has been affected by the earthquake while the rest is fine,” Sherpa said.

So far the US, Britain, Switzerland, New Zealand and Italy have removed their advisories, but some other European countries have not, he said.

Nepal received nearly 800,000 tourists last year, but the number is expected to drop by about 40 per cent this year because of the April 25 earthquake.

Sherpa said he recently asked ambassadors from India and China to encourage their citizens to visit. Indians and Chinese account for about 30 per cent of Nepal’s tourists.

Tourism is a key source of foreign currency for Nepal, which has many of the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest.

One popular trekking route was damaged by the earthquake but the others were unaffected.

Latest News

  • Products

Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun

If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Tourism

TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

  • Aviation

Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

  • Hotels

Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

  • Luxury
  • News

Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]