It was amazing to read the reaction of the travel industry that travel advisories and negative publicity hurts tourism in Nepal. So one must ask, what kind of publicity should there be about Nepal? Should it ignore the thousands of Nepalis who have been killed by the RNA, police and Maoists? Should the publicity ignore the armed police and army in the streets of Kathmandu? Should the publicity ignore the bombs? Should the publicity ignore the harassment and 'taxing' of tourist by the Maoists? Ignore the almost daily violent demonstrations, the Amnesty report listing Nepal near the top in disappearances, and extra-judicial misconduct? Ignore the killed, jailed, and beaten journalists? What are western governments supposed to do? Maybe the Hotel Association of Nepal thinks western governments should lie and tell their citizens all is fair throughout the kingdom? Until the king, parties, and the Maoists hold successful peace talks and begin to solve the internal problems of Nepal without the interference of other nations, the tourist industry, like the rest of the economy in Nepal will continue it's slide toward collapse.

D Michael van de Veer,
Hawaii