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Govt warns illegal tourism firms

Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed tourism businesses that have been operating without a licence to get registered in accordance with the prescribed laws.

The ministry has also mentioned that it will fine businesses that have been operating illegally. There are a number of tourism related businesses that are being operated without a licence and the government through a public notice has directed them to legalise their businesses at the earliest.

“The government has formed a procedure to penalise such illegal businesses with certain fines,” said an official at the ministry. According to the official, there are a number of tourism related businesses who have been issued licences for operation but have failed to renew their licence on time according to the law.

The Tourism Industry Division (TID) on March 30 had directed tourism entrepreneurs to renew their licence. “If the tourism businesses fail to renew their license now the government may scrap their operating licence,” the official said.

According to the TID there are 10 five-star, 2 four-star, 25 three-star, 40 two-star and 30 one-star hotels in the country, but none of them have renewed their operating licence. There are 549 non-star hotels and 151 home-stays in operation.

source:The Himalayan Times, 4 April 2012