Foreign trekkers receiving TIMS cards up increases by 5.46 pc

The number of foreign trekkers obtaining Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) cards from Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) in 2012 increased by 5.46 percent compared to figures of 2011.

According to data provided by TAAN, a total of 87,247 trekkers took TIMS cards from TAAN Secretariat in 2012. The figure includes 438 Free Individual Trekkers (FITs) and 14 trekkers from the SAARC region.

The figure excludes TIMS cards distributed by TAAN Pokhara Chapter and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), said TAAN. NTB distributes TIMS cards only to FITs.

The government has made it mandatory for trekkers heading to Everest, Annapurna and Langtang region to take TIMS cards. However, members of mountaineering expeditions with climbing permits and trekkers with permits to restricted areas are not required to get TIMS cards.

TAAN and NTB issue separate TIMS cards for FITs and trekkers travelling in groups. Trekkers traveling in groups have to pay US$ 10 as TIMS fee while FITs need to pay US$20 for the same.

Similarly, trekkers traveling in groups from the SAARC region are required to pay US$3 while FITs from SAARC have to pay US$6.

During October, TAAN issued a total of 20,618 TIMS cards, including 59 FITs and 18 trekkers from the SAARC region while it had issued 19,634 TIMS cards last year. nepalnews.com