September 1: Tourist bus operators of Nepal have launched an app – Tourist Bus Nepal – to facilitate visitors in booking bus tickets to various tourist destinations within the country.

The app was developed by Tourist Bus Association of Nepal (TBAN), an umbrella organisation of tourist bus entrepreneurs in the country.    
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati inaugurated the app amidst a programme in the capital on Wednesday.

The app was launched to facilitate domestic and foreign tourists book tickets online for tourist buses plying between Kathmandu, Pokhara, Sauraha, Lumbini and Janakpur, said Krishna Acharya, President of the Tourist Bus Association of Nepal.

For the service, the TBAN has coordinated with digital payment systems, Khalti, IME Pay and Prabhu Pay. Around 100 tourist buses leave to various tourist destinations from Kathmandu on a daily basis. 

On the occasion, Minister Kirati said that the ministry is working to amend the Tourism Act.        
On a different note, Tourism Minister Kirati said Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)'s budget would not be passed until it amends the budget.

"The NTB's budget cannot be passed in a hurry and until it is amended. The board's budget cannot be endorsed immediately to fulfill the interests of some people for commission," he said.    
He mentioned that it is not the responsibility of the Tourism Board to construct physical infrastructures. Stating that it is the responsibility of the Department of Tourism to construct physical infrastructures for the development of tourism sector, Minister Kirati clarified that the Tourism Board should work to promote tourism activities.    
The Tourism Minister shared that the Tourism Board should not spend Rs 800-900 million in Europe visit in the name of bringing in tourists in Nepal. -- RSS