The upcoming festival season may provide respite for carriers, but with reduced incomes of people and no signs of the pandemic subsiding anytime soon, operators are worried about their survival.

Low spending outlook around Dashain clearly suggests that Nepal’s economy, 82 percent of which is driven by consumption, will continue to slide, economists say.

Domestic carriers say they are not going to operate any scheduled passengers flights until the government rolls back its decision.

A detailed feasibility study prepared by a South Korean firm in 2011 is good enough and there is no need to prepare a new plan at this time, officials say.

The Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee will discuss the proposals aimed at revitalising the economy before sending them to the cabinet for approval, officials said.

Winning bidder Zurich Airport was named concessionaire to develop the $3.45 billion airport in Bara.

Current policy makes foreigners pay higher fares than locals for the same flight and Nepali carriers are not willing to change it and lose the extra revenue.

Government data show a downward spiral, and with uncertainties caused by Covid-19, economists say the country will hugely struggle to escape a negative growth this fiscal year.

Carriers violating the rule have to pay the hotel quarantine charges of all passengers, according to a cabinet decision.

An agreement signed with India to directly procure 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually expired in 2017. Since then Nepali farmers have been deprived of timely supply of fertilisers, as authorities have failed to explore other options.

With the festival season approaching and a large number of Nepalis, including migrant workers expected to return home, government officials said it will be difficult to manage tourists.

Apart from time and cost overruns for the private and government-funded projects, the impact will also be on the country’s economy which could incur heavy potential output losses worth billions of rupees.

According to the central bank, revenues shrank to Rs 60.88 billion in 2019-20 that ended mid-July, a year-on-year loss of nearly Rs 15 billion.

Nepal received Rs 100.16 billion in remittance, an all-time high during mid-June to mid-July—the last month of the last fiscal year—that boosted the overall earnings.

The tourism entrepreneur on Covid-19 impact on Nepal’s tourism, government’s haphazard decisions and way forward.