March 26: The government has issued a fresh directive regarding the visit of foreign tourists to Nepal. All of the previous arrangements and restrictions have been removed with the announcement of the new directive on Thursday, March 25.

However,  tourists will have to submit the document of negative PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival in Nepal or the certificate of taking Covid-19 vaccine.

According to the new criteria, foreign tourists need to show the documents including recommendation from the Department of Tourism or Nepal Tourism Board, proof of hotel booking, valid travel insurance at the check-in counter of the airline while boarding plane for Nepal.

Foreign tourists visiting Nepal will have to undergo another PCR test before they are allowed to travel to their preferred destination on condition that the test report turns negative.

Earlier, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had issued a certain criteria under which tourists had to stay in hotel quarantine for at least seven days after entering Nepal. The tourists were allowed go for trekking and mountaineering only if they tested negative for coronavirus.

Spokesperson of the Ministry Taranath Adhikari informed that the recent cabinet meeting issued the new directive with the objective of facilitating the tourists. The move is expected to provide a relief to the ailing tourism industry that has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

In case the PCR report of tourists is positive after entering Nepal, they have to stay in the hotel quarantine, the official said.

The government has also made special arrangements for Indian tourists visiting Nepal. In case of Indian tourists coming by air, arrangements will be made in accordance to the Nepal-India Travel Bubble Agreement. Similarly, the government has made a policy that those coming through border should submit the required documents at the check points along the Nepal-India border.