KATHMANDU: Nepal said Tuesday it will resume international commercial flights in mid-August, in a boost for its coronavirus-hit tourism sector.
The Himalayan nation shut its airports in late March to combat the spread of the virus, which has so far infected 17,844 people and claimed 40 lives in the country.
The shutdown hit just before the peak of the tourism season, when hundreds of mountaineers and trekkers visit Nepal, costing the industry — a key part of the economy — millions of dollars.
The decision to restart commercial domestic and international flights from August 17 was taken in a cabinet meeting Monday, Nepal's Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Yogesh Bhattarai said.
"The ministry is working on safety protocols for airport management, flight operators and passengers for the purpose," he told AFP.
All arriving and departing international passengers would need to have a certificate saying they are not carrying the virus.
Bhattarai said arriving travellers would also have to stay in quarantine, without specifying the duration.
About one-third of the 1.2 million visitors to Nepal last year arrived during the autumn season, according to government figures.
"It is... positive news and we have been receiving questions from clients," Nabin Trital of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal told AFP.
"We are discussing... protocols to ensure (the) safety of those who visit."
After stepping back from Tata Group, Ratan became known as prominent investor in Indian startups
On Tuesday, Crown Prince Mohammed "reassured everyone" about his father’s health during cabinet meeting
Plane took off from the western US coastal city of Seattle on Tuesday evening, says spokesperson
EU's climate monitor Copernicus warns of ongoing year set to become hottest-ever
Milton grew from Category 1 to Category 5 in less than 24hrs, becoming third-fastest intensifying storm in Atlantic
Recent revelation by Democratic candidate for US presidential election surprises some voters
