40 per cent increase on salary of tourism workers demanded

Workers of tourism sector have submitted a memorandum before Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, demanding 40 per cent increase in their salary and action against the tourist company not obeying the law. 

A delegation comprising workers associated with UNITRAV (Union of   Trekking, Travels, Rafting, Airlines, Culture, Archaeologies, Cargo Courier Workers, Nepal) submitted the 17-point memo to Minister Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal demanding revival of tourism sector and survival of workers. 

Chairperson of UNITRAV, Suman Prasad Parajuli, said that they submitted the memo, stressing the upliftment of workers of tourism sector. 

Enlisting all workers in social security fund, closure of FIT teams are some of the demands. UNITRAV has asked to end discrimination between domestic and foreign guides, discrimination during helicopter rescue and determination of salary of mountain guide.

UNITRAV has demanded for prompt rescue of tourists and labours by helicopter in emergency situations taking into account the time, situation and location, and not on the basis of which country the tourist belonged to or the insurance amount.

Similarly, it called for systematizing the works of nature guides and labourers, for providing relief and collateral-free loans for the protection of the life of labourers affected by COVID-19, for ending the discrimination against women tour guides and for breaking the monopoly in the trekking routes, among others.

On the occasion, Minister Dhakal gave assurances that efforts would be made towards addressing the demands for the development of the tourism sector.