News PIA flights to Nepal from Jan 1, 2004 Everest Marathon booked as world's highest Taplejung, Panchthar - Kachenjunga area: Suspected Maoists rob foreign trekking groups Maoist policy US travel advisory Air seat bookings under pressure ACAP attacked by Maoists Martin Air to operate Amsterdam - KTM flights Cease_fire during festivals Manang: Trekking route disrupted Rasuwa: Strong Maoist forces in Langtang Chitwan, Kathmandu,Nuwakot, Parbat: Curfew orders Muktinath: No problems

PIA flights to Nepal from January 1, 2004
After two years of suspension, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced the resumption of its Karachi-Kathmandu flights from January 1, 2004. The airlines was forced to suspend its flight since January 1, 2002 after India imposed restriction on PIA planes from flying through its airspace.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has already approved the PIA flight schedules.
As per the schedule, the Pakistan's national flag carrier will operate its Boeing 737 aircraft or an Airbus 310 in this sector and fly twice a week - Wednesday and Saturday - from Karachi.

Everest Marathon booked as world's highest
The Guinness book of world records has registered The Everest Marathon, Nepal's high altitude marathon as the highest marathon in the world. The international record-book has entered the race under the category "Marathon at the Highest Altitude"."The Guinness book record has said that the Everest Marathon, first run on November 27, 1987, starts at the highest altitude."
The 42-km long race begins at Gorak Shep, 5,212 metres (17,100 ft.) and ends at Namche Bazar, 3,444 metres (11,300). Himalayan Expeditions is the official organisers of the race. Its tenth edition is being held in May 2004.

Humla: Maoists demand entry fee from tourists
The Maoist rebels have started charging the fee compulsory from each of the tourists to enter in the upper regions of Humla district. Each tourist has to pay US $ 100 for passing the Maoist checkpost. Even a tourist guide is compelled to pay 5,000 rupees to the Maoists. The government tourist tas is US $ 90 dollars per tourist for a period of one week, with 15 dollars for each additional day.

Chinese airlines to operate regular flights to KTM
Air China and China Eastern Airlines are preparing to operate regular flights from three major Chinese cities to Kathmandu from early next year. Air China has decided to fly from Chengdu two flights per week to Kathmandu from March 2004. The flight will fly via Lhasa and China Eastern Airlines is preparing to operate from Beijing and Shanghai to Kathmandu.

Maoist policy
According to sources, suspected Maoist rebels looted a huge amount of money from three foreign trekkers in the Mt. Kanchanjungha region and dismantled a makeshift tent of a British trekking group. They also ordered the group to immediately vacate the place. The group was on its way to Yamphudin from Suketar. In another incident in Gopetar area in Panchthar, the rebels looted Rs 12,000 in cash and binoculars from a German and another Dutch trekking groups. Similarly the rebels robbed Rs 48,000 in cash from other trekkers in the Yamphudin VDC. The site of the incidents where the foreigners were robbed is located about two days of walking distance from the district headquarters, Fungling. The trekkers were unharmed. Although the Maoists say they never target tourists, there have been reports of extortion.

Maoist policy
The CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda said in a statemant published in a Maoist-run news service that rebel policy did not allow foreign nationals to be targeted. The Maoist policy we be also applied to American tourists and officials.

Estmated tourist inflow on the rise
The United States has issued travel advisory to its citizens warning of danger to its citizens in Nepal from the Maoist rebels.

The State Department in a statement issued Wednesday said "Anti-American rhetoric by rebel leadership, including against US-sponsored or supported humanitarian organisations, has increased, raising security concerns for all US citizens living in or visiting Nepal,"

"There have been increased reports of threats against Americans,as well as intimidation, robbery and extortion of Americans and other foreigners by rebels, including on popular trekking routes,"the statement added.

Estmated tourist inflow on the rise
The total tourist arrival during October and November 2003 is estimated to increase by almost 40 percent comparing with the same period last year. The average per flight bookings in the international airlines stands at 85 percent for the two month period. Gulf Air, Druk Air and Biman Bangladesh reported that 100 percent of the companies' air seats were booked. The pressure on air seats is not just because of an increase in number of incoming foreign travellers but also due to a decline in the number of airlines landing at Tribhuvan International Aiport in recent years. Tourist agencies got informed that the tickets from Europe and elswhere are not available for the next couple of months at this time

In 2001, when the emergency was declared, NGOs were targeted but all of ACAP's offices were operational until September this year. After the peace talks broke down in August 2003, the Maoists came to Ghandruk and destroyed the ACAP office, telling staff not to return. ACAP had to close all our offices in the southern belt.

Martin Air to operate Amsterdam-KTM flights
Martin Air, a subsidiary of KLM, began once weekly direct flights between Amsterdam and Kathmandu via Sarjha. Altogether 199 passengers arrived by the maiden flight operated by a Boeing 757-200. Martin Air began the flights after Transavia withdrew last year.

Cease-fire during festivals in October
Maoist rebels announced a nine-day cease-fire beginning from October 2 during the greatest national festivals Dashain, Tihar and Chhat.

Manang: Trekking route disrupted
The suspension bridge over the Marsyangdi river at Chyampse in Taghrang near the border region of Lamjung and Manang districts was destroyed along the right-hand side dut to landslides. This bridge is the only means enter into Manang from Lamjung. Staff of Annapurna Conservation Area Project ACAP don't give permission to cross the bridge at this time. Tourists are recommended to take the Pokhara side route to go to Manang.

Rasuwa: Strong Maoist forces in the Langtang area?
Reports from Rasuwa district say that Maoist rebels had established a division of several thousand men waiting for orders in the Langtang mountains north of Kathmandu. These reports have not been confirmed by independent sources yet. The Royal Nepal Army denies the presence of strong Maoist forces in this area.

Curfew orders
The local administration of Nuwakot has issued curfew orders in adjacent areas of Bidur bazaar, district headquarters of Nuwakot, beginning on August 30, night.

The Kathmandu district administration has imposed curfew in some areas of Kathmandu district which are seen as sensitive areas. The government announcement said Wednesday evening that the curfew will come into force at 11:00 p.m. and remain till 4:00 a.m. the following day. The curfew order will affect Ramkot, Sitapaila, Syuchatar, Naicap, Thankot Chowk and areas north till borders of Nuwakot and Dhading in the East. Several urban areas of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur and Kirtipur are already under night curfew.

The District Administration Office of Myagdi has issued curfew orders in different parts of the district until further notice. The curfew will continue from 08:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m. everyday. Anyone to come out disobeying the curfew orders at night can be arrested as well as shot.

District Administration Office, Chitwan, has issued curfew orders within the Bharatpur municipality area.The curfew will continue until the next order regarding the matter is issued. Similarly, Parbat has imposed curfew orders in different parts of the district from today until the next notice is issued. The curfew will be continued from 08:00 p.m. to 04:00 a.m. in the morning.

Pokhara: Tourism sector in crisis
The Maoists' cease-fire breakdown and the resumption of violence in various parts of the country, has affected tourism entrepreneurs in Pokhara once more. With the resumption of the Maoists insurgency, cancellation of bookings has begun in the city. The tourism sector in the whole country has witnessed an economic slump over the past few years due to the Maoists insurgency. "We waited for long hoping that the business will improved, but there is no symptom of improving the situation," a hoteliers stated.
Hotels have been unable to pay the salary to its employees. In some cases the power supply has been has cut off to the hotels. After the announcement of the cease-fire, 70 to 75 per cent rooms of the hotels were booked for the upcoming seasons. However, after the breakdown of the cease-fire, the tourists have begun canceling the bookings.

Travel from Jomsom to Muktinath safe
Some areas in Nepal seem not safe for travelers due to the Maoist uprising. However the safety levels for Westerners or Indian travellers who fly to Jomsom and walk from there to Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa have not changed since 2002. No incidents were reported. The situation for pilgrims to Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa can be considered as stable.

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