“Due to the syndication enforced by the committee we have not been able to operate the tourist buses. We had started the service on 27 September on the occasion of World Tourism Day,” said Som Thapa, manager of the Mountain Overland Tours and Travels. “Immediately after we launched the service, the committee said green-number-plate buses cannot operate along the route.”
According to Thapa, the committee has been demanding that the tourist buses should also use black and white number plates just like other buses operated by the committee. Thapa also said the tourist bus service will not affect competition as the fares are much higher than ordinary buses. “Our aim is to promote tourism through quality service. We don´t intend to compete with the local bus operators,” he said.
Thapa added that they had launched the bus service as tourists demanded quality service and they were ready to pay for such service. “The existing bus service does not address the quality concerns of foreign tourists.”
However, Dadhiram Kharel, the president of the committee, claimed that the green-number-plate buses will certainly affect the committee´s buses as everyone include non-tourists would prefer to board new buses.
“Can they assure that they would carry only foreign tourists? If they cannot give such assurances then our business will be affected,” he said. “There is no dearth of quality bus service along the route. If they want to operate their buses then they should use black and white number plates,” he added.
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