Nepal's downcast tourism industry is looking forward to a secretarial-level meet between India and Nepal next week, and an eagerly-awaited decision to roll back the passport rule for Indians visiting Nepal. The Nepali travel trade has blamed the rule, instituted after the hijacking of IC814 from Kathmandu in December 1999, as one of the main reasons for the decline in the arrival of Indian tourists to Nepal.

Indians used to make up 30 percent of arrivals, and numbers have plummeted after the rule went into effect. Political instability and the royal massacre, further hurt tourism from India. A decision on 4 February is expected to make it permissible for Indians flying into Nepal to use IDs other than passports. "Making Passports mandatory is one of the reasons why less Indians are visiting the country," says a Nepal Tourism Board NTB official. "We're hoping that other forms of ID, like ration cards, will be recognised."

The NTB is launching a major push for tourists from South India, and hopes that the decision will be timed for the promotional campaign. It hopes to be able to announce the new ruling when the campaign kicks off in Bangalore on 13 February. Visit Nepal drives will be held in five South Indian cities: Kumarakom, Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, Chennai, and Cochin till 13-20 February. NTB is also trying to bring together the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) and Royal Nepal Airlines to offer attractive rates for package tours from India. Royal Nepal has bi-weekly direct flights from Bangalore to Kathmandu.