With the objective of maintaining the database of trekkers and discouraging illegal operation in trekking business, Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) are all prepared to implement the Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) from 1st January 2008. Both the organisations have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the effective implementation of TIMS.
As per the provision, all trekkers should have the valid TIMS Certificate that is distributed free of charge by the TIMS counters of TAAN and NTB.
‘After many months of struggle and lobbying with the government, we have finally succeeded in introducing the TIMS. TAAN is hopeful that the new system would discourage illegal operation in trekking business,’ Jyoti Adhikari, president of TAAN, told a press conference and general convention of TAAN organised on 23rd December. Adhikari further informed that the TIMS mechanism would help secure business for government authorized trekking agents as it discourages independent trekking leaders that were robbing the trekking agents off their business.
TAAN has devised separate TIMS certificates for Organised and Individual Trekkers. For the effective distribution of TIMS certificates, TAAN will use the offices of all its member agents as TIMS Counter. Trekking agencies that aren’t affiliated with TAAN, however, have to get TIMS certificates from either TAAN Secretariat or NTB. Similarly, TAAN’s Pokhara Chapter member agencies of TAAN Pokhara Chapter will distribute TIMS Certificate in Pokhara.
‘The agencies have to file the database of trekkers to TAAN Secretariat within a day. The database will become useful to rescue the trekkers during the emergencies. Also it will help us to ascertain the number of trekkers in a particular trekking route,’ Adhikari added.
TAAN’s announcement to implement the TIMS was accepted by thunderous applause of its general members. The members requested the TAAN Executive Committee to fix the criteria for individual trekkers, lobby in maintaining one-window policy for all concerned services and the effective publicity of the TIMS.
TAAN has said that it would collect Rs. 100 per trekkers from the trekking agency against the TIMS. TAAN intends to use the collected amount for rescue, tourism awareness, publicity and administrative expenses.
Speaking on the occasion, Lila Bahadur Baniya, manager at NTB, said that NTB would promote the benefits of TIMS through its channels. ‘We are hopeful that the TIMS mechanism will help discourage illegal trekking operation. It will be a win-win situation to both the government and the private sectors,’ Baniya added.
For the effective implementation of TIMS, TAAN has constituted a 15-member TIMS Monitoring Taskforce under the chairmanship of executive member D.B. Gurung.
Speaking on the occasion, TAAN 2nd vice president Bachchu Narayan Shrestha requested the support and cooperation of the general members to successfully implement TIMS.