I would like to draw the attention of Nepal's tourism planners through your paper to the worrying state of Nepal's tourist industry. One of the stumbling blocks to increasing tourism in Nepal are the fees to enter various places like Pashupatinath, and the Darbar Squares of Patan, Kathmandu and Bahktapur. In Europe you do not find such fees in places such as the old town of Berne, Rothenburg, or the old quarters of Paris or London. What is more vexing for tourists is the lack of information on what is being done with the entrance fees that are collected. Saying that they have used for heritage conservation won't do. Examples should be given of how much was used for what. Even so, the fees are too high, it has to be paid too often, and the policemen on duty treat tourists like criminals. At a time when tourism is low, the fees should at least be lowered.

Karin Indermuhle,
Berne