KATHMANDU, May 21 -- In a bid to compensate the losses incurred by the country's tourism industry due to COVID-19, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has recommended to the government to make a policy level intervention. To make up for the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, NTB has asked the government to shift its focus on domestic tourism by introducing Leave Travel Concession (LTC), under which companies provide travel leave to their employees.

To ensure that the program is utilized well, NTB has proposed the leave be approved only if the applicants produce bills indicating that they have travelled. "Another criterion is the government should levy tax on those whose travel expense exceeds Rs 50,000," Dhananjay Regmi, chief executive offic...