By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Oct. 3: The Department of Immigration (DoI) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) will continue operating essential services even during the Dashain holidays to facilitate the tourists.
Ram Chandra Tiwari, spokesperson at the DoI, informed that all immigration offices would remain open during all days of the Dashain vacation.
The government has given formal holidays for five days from October 5 to 9 for Dashain festival.
Tourists will not face any problem to get visa during Dashain festival as all immigration offices will remain open during the festival holidays, he said.
Tiwari said that the agency and tourist section of the DoI will also remain open during the Dashain vacation except for October 8, the day of Bijaya Dashami.
“The tourists will also not get any problem to take permit for trekking in the restricted area during Dashain holidays,” he added.
Similarly, the NTB is opening its trekking information management system (TIMS) counter and tourist information centre during the festival.
Dipak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of NTB, said that TIMS counter and tourist information centre of NTB would remain open during Dashain holidays expect for the day of Bijaya Dashami (October 8).
As September to December is the main season for trekking in Nepal, many tourists come to trek in the major trekking routes of Nepal this season.
Likewise, Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) is also opening its Thamel TIMS counter throughout Dashain holidays except for the main day of Dashain on October 8.
Sarita Lama, general secretary of TAAN, said that the tourists who arrive in Nepal during Dashain Festival for Trekking would not face any problem in getting permission and other service.
C N Pandey, president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), said that tourists would not face any problem in their mobility and accommodation during the vacation.
Tourist vehicles and hotels will remain open during Dashain holidays to serve the tourists, he said.
However, the number of tourists visiting Nepal in the current trekking season has been low as compared to previous years, therefore, it will not be difficult to manage mobility and accommodation of the tourists during Dashain holidays, he said.
For the facility of tourists, some travel companies are also operating special tourist bus services during Dashain festival to major tourist destinations, including Pokhara and Chitawan, Pandey said.