The election for the executive committee of the TAAN was held at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu on 28th of August, 2009. Mr. Sitaram Sapkota, Managing Director of Karyang Kurung Treks & Expedition, Inc. was elected as the president of the association. The election also voted for the members and for other positions of the executive committee. Following are the names of elected executive committee members:

As per the provision of the constitution of the association, the immediate past president Mr. Jyoti Adhikari., Team Leader of Eco Trek International and Mr. Basanta Raj Dawadi – president of TAAN Western Regional Chapter will automatically be the members of the new executive body.

Similarly, in accordance with the constitution of the TAAN, the executive committee also nominates three persons as executive committee members.

It also constituted advisory committee and Seven different departments to represent various fields to facilitate the executive committee while carrying out various activities of the association in achieving its objectives.

20 May 2009: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to declare the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square and Thamel as vehicle restricted zones.According to KMC the roads in these areas will be paved with stones and linked with various temples, palaces and monuments in the areas to develop it as a heritage walk. Three special parking areas near the two tourist sites will be developed to make this project successful.

18 May 2009: Belgians Louis-Philippe Loncke and his team trekked from Kathmandu to Everest Base Camp for 20 days, from April till the first week of May, on a chocolate tasting project with international mountaineers and Sherpas at EBC. Their aim was to raise money for a mobile hospital in Nepal. En route they distributed 200kg of chocolates, and another 100kg when they reached EBC. According to the team members, during the next few months they will try to raise awareness on the necessity of a mobile hospital and raise funds for the project.

Tourists who visit Nepal must hold valid passport and visa.

Entry:
Tourist entry visa can be obtained for the following duration from Nepal Embassy/ Consulate or Mission offices abroad, or at the following immigration offices in Nepal:

Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
Kakarvitta, Jhapa (Eastern Nepal)
Birganj, Parsa (Central Nepal)
Kodari, Sindhupalchowk (Northern Border)
Belhiya, Bhairahawa (Rupandehi, Western Nepal)
Jamuna, Nepalgunj (Banke, Mid Western Nepal)
Mohana, Dhangadhi (Kailali, Far Western Nepal)
Gaddachauki, Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur, Far Western Nepal)

b. Tourist Visa

Visa Facility	Duration	Fee
Multiple entry	15 days	US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry	30 days	US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry	90 days	US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency

Tourist Visa Extension

Visa extension fee for 15 days or less is US $ 30 or equivalent convertible currency and visa extension fee for more than 15 days is US$ 2 per day
Tourist visa can be extended for a maximum period of 150 days in a single visa year (January – December).

Gratis (Free) Visa

Gratis visa for 30 days available only for tourists of SAARC countries.
Indian nationals do not require visa to enter into Nepal.

Transit Visa

Transit visa for one day can be obtained from Nepal's immigration offices at the entry points upon the production of departure flight ticket via Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal, by paying US $ 5 or equivalent convertible currency.

For further information, please contact:
Department of Immigration Maitighar, Impact Building, Kathmandu
Tel:00977-1-4221996 / 4223590 / 4222453
web site: www.immi.gov.np

As part of the ongoing annual activities of the Embassy of Nepal in Germany in connection to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Nepal and Germany, the Embassy in cooperation with the Honorary Consulate of Nepal in Frankfurt, organised an interactive luncheon programme on the theme of Nepal's tourism potentials in the light of political and security transformation in Nepal at the Frankfurt Press Club in Frankfurt on 9th of July 2008. About forty travel/tour operators, travel writers, Airlines representatives and journalists were present during the occasion. Ambassador of Nepal to Germany Dr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai welcomed the participants and dwelt on extremely cordial and excellent relations so happily existing between Nepal and Germany.

The Ambassador emphasized that tourism was one of the most promising areas for further strengthening bilateral co-operation between Nepal and Germany. German trekkers, mountaineers and other kinds of tourists visit Nepal and have been instrumental in promoting the country through repeated visits and propagation of Nepal as a safe, durable and unique destination, Ambassador Bhattarai added. He further said that the Nepal Tourism Board had launched a new brand, 'Naturally Nepal: Once is not Enough' to invite both new and old travellers to Nepal. He invited the journalists and travel writers to personally visit Nepal and make their own judgment on the peaceful and exclusive natural paradise as Nepal is justly known throughout the world.

The Ambassador informed the participants that the Nepal Tourism Board has launched 'Send Home a Friend' programme taking into account the presence of a significant number of Nepalese people in various parts of the world to further enhance the growth of international tourism of Nepal.

Speaking on the occasion, Honorary Consul of Nepal for Frankfurt and President of German-Asian Business Circle Mr. Bodo Krueger spoke on the tourism potentials of Nepal and requested German travel and tour operators to cooperate for the promotion of tourism between Nepal and Germany.

On the occasion, power point presentation highlighting the tourism potentials of Nepal as prepared by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) was shown. The Honorary Consulate also showed a film on Nepal that was prepared by a team of German journalists that was in Nepal in November 2007 to highlight the tourism potentials of Nepal as a unique and safe destination. The film covered the places of scenic, historical, archaeological and cultural interest of Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Tansen and Lumbini.

The Ambassador and the Honorary Consul answered various queries from the participants regarding the security and political situation in Nepal, necessity of diversification of Nepalese tourism products, need to focus more on cultural richness of Nepal rather than merely depending on nature-related promotion, direct air connectivity.