The Nepaese government said on July 20 that international and domestic flights will resume starting August 17, and asked the travel and tourism industry to take bookings for the autumn season accordingly.

However, the rising number of coronavirus cases has sent officials into a tizzy.

Ministers and secretaries from the Home, Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Health ministries have been holding marathon discussions since Wednesday, in order to decide on new emergency steps, a senior government official told the Post on Thursday.

According to the official, there are so many things on the table.

One of the issues is how to handle the arrivals when the flights resume.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not interested in providing on-arrival visas. The Health Ministry is also for regulating tourist movements,” said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Read More: https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/08/07/on-the-horns-of-a-dilemma-nepal-wants-to-say-it-is-open-to-the-world-but-COVID-19-cases-are-rising