The Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) warned on October 12 that it could halt the sale, promotion and group travel of new tourist packages from Nepal to Thailand unless Thailand’s visa process is improved immediately. The association said delays and cumbersome requirements have put substantial sums invested by Nepali travellers and tourism entrepreneurs at risk, and that it would suspend Thailand-related package activity if the process is not eased.
NATTA sets out the consequences of continued delays
In its warning, issued on 26 Ashoj, NATTA linked the visa process directly to the viability of travel arrangements and tourism businesses serving people planning trips to Thailand. It said the delays and requirements were creating difficulties for Nepali travellers and operators, while putting money already committed to travel at risk. The association did not describe the amount involved in the information provided, but characterized the threatened exposure as large sums.
NATTA’s proposed response covers three connected activities: selling new Thailand tourist packages, promoting those packages and arranging group travel. The warning indicates that the association would suspend these activities if the visa process is not made easier. Its stated condition is an improvement to the process, rather than an announcement that a suspension has already taken effect.
The scope described is important for travellers and businesses. NATTA’s warning concerns new packages and related promotional and group-travel activity. It does not state that all travel to Thailand has been stopped, nor does it set out a blanket cancellation of trips already booked. The association said it would be forced to halt the specified activities if the difficulties continue without immediate improvement.
Travellers and tourism entrepreneurs face uncertainty
Visa delays can affect the planning behind a package trip, while cumbersome requirements can make it harder for travellers and operators to complete the steps needed before departure. NATTA said the combined difficulties had placed investments by both Nepali travellers and tourism entrepreneurs at risk. Its statement therefore framed the matter not only as a problem for individual applicants, but also as a concern for businesses that promote and organize travel to Thailand.
For travellers, uncertainty over visa processing may complicate decisions about committing money to a planned trip. For tourism entrepreneurs, the association’s warning points to potential exposure when funds and business activity are tied to packages whose passengers face delays or difficult requirements. These are the risks NATTA identified in explaining why it may stop selling and promoting new Thailand packages unless conditions change.
The warning also puts package sales and group travel in the same frame. NATTA said it could halt both the commercial promotion of new trips and group travel arrangements, making clear that its concern extends beyond the visa application itself to the travel activity built around it. The association’s position is that continued difficulty with the process could make it necessary to pause those activities to limit further risk to travellers and tourism businesses.
Suspension remains conditional on a process improvement
NATTA issued its warning on October 12, saying it would be compelled to suspend Thailand package sales and related promotional activities unless the visa process is eased. The association called for immediate improvement, but the information provided does not detail a specific remedy, provide a timetable for any changes or indicate that a response has been made by Thai authorities.
The next step, as described by NATTA, depends on whether the visa process becomes easier for Nepali travellers. Until then, its warning signals possible disruption to the promotion and organization of new Thailand trips, while leaving the proposed suspension conditional. For travellers considering packages and tourism businesses making plans, the association’s message is that visa-related uncertainty has become serious enough for it to consider stopping new activity.
NATTA’s statement underscores the connection between visa processing and the travel services built around international trips. Its immediate demand is for the process to improve; its stated fallback is to halt new package sales, promotion and group travel to Thailand. The association says that course may be necessary to address the risk that delays and burdensome requirements pose to money invested by Nepali travellers and tourism entrepreneurs.
