Probably for the first time, Bhutanese immigration officials deported two Chinese and one Swiss nations to Nepal for arriving in Bhutan with forged visa documents.
Reports say that the trio, who had flown to the Paro Airport from Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) of Nepal on May 23, were deported on the following day.
The immigration officials seized their fake visas when they didn’t find their details in the online visa system, and finally deported back to TIA. However, details of the tourists have not been revealed yet.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Council of Bhutan suspended the license of tour operator Bhutan Village that received the tourists. The Department of Immigration has imposed a fine of Nu 30,000 for illegally bringing in those tourists.
However, the Bhutan Village is learnt to have blamed its Nepali business partner, Himalayan Rock Treks and Expedition, for inviting such a fate, and even accusing it of forging tourist visa documents in Nepal.
Including the suspended Bhutan Village, 307 registered tour operators have been receiving foreign tourists in Bhutan as the government targets to get 10,000 tourists’ arrival for 2012.
