Kathmandu, Feb. 7 -- Nepal's tourism industry has come down heavily on the government for not streamliningthe process for entry of foreign visitors even afterfour months of opening the sector to limited arrivals.

After not getting the desired response from the government despite making numerous requests, 51 companies representing hotels, restaurants and trekking agencies have now taken to the streets near the prime minister's office in Baluwatar to press their demands.

Even the head of the Nepal Tourism Board is impatient with the government's confusing and contradictory immigration and health rules. He toldNepali Times: "The government is not listening to the experts, and takes unclear and ad hoc decisions which just creates obstacles ...