New Products
Under Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP) five new tourism
destinations are developed as a new product
By A CORRESPONDENT
Tired of selling more than five-decades-old tourism destinations like Everest Base Camp, Pokhara, Annapurna Trail, national parks and Valley's culture, Nepal tourism entrepreneurs can now expect to sell five more new tourism destinations around the country.
Developed and identified by the Tourism For Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP), a project launched with technical and financial support from the United Nations Development Program, DFID, SNV-Nepal and Nepal Tourism Board and Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation, the new five
destinations are unique in terms of their cultural and natural placement.
With a goal to contribute to the poverty alleviation objective of the government through review and formulation of policy and strategic planning for sustainable tourism development that are pro-poor, pro-environment, pro-rural communities and pro-women, the new destinations have been identified.
TRPAP has contributed to develop areas like Tamang Heritage Trail in Rasuwa, Chitwan Chepang Hill Trail of central Nepal , Limbu Cultural Trail and Pathibhara Trail in Taplejung of eastern part of Nepal , Dudhkunda Pikey Cultural Trail in Solu of Everest Region, Lumbini Buddhist Circuit and Lumbini Village Walk and Dolpa Experience Circuit in Dolpa.
As the program aimed to contribute to the poverty alleviation, it covers 700 villages and settlements within 48 Village Development Committees at 6 districts with total beneficiaries of 28,347 households and 160,732 people.
The TRPAP and Tourism Products and Resources Development Unit of Nepal Tourism Board recently held an interaction program with the Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) to market Nepal 's new tourism destinations.
"One of our programs is to demonstrate sustainable tourism development models for policy feedback and to develop institutional mechanisms for the sustenance of tourism development in Nepal ," said Rabi Jung Pandey, National program manager of TRPAP. "We have supported to develop many infrastructures in the new tourism areas and now we need support of trekking agents and travel operators to sell the products to foreigners."
Participated by more than 200 trekking agents, the interaction program also discussed important aspects of tourism in alleviation of rural poverty. Trekking agents from various agencies have shown tremendous interest to promote these areas for trekking.
Although Langtang rage has been one of the popular trekking destinations for the tourists, nobody has noticed that the inhabitant of the areas is culturally rich living in absolute poverty. The development of Tamang Trekking trail just in between Langtang Gosaikunda Himalayan range is very much new.
"The new destinations identified by TRPAP are very much in tourism area but ignored by mainstream tourism market. Nepal Tourism Board can do whatever is necessary to sell these new products in the international market," said Tek Bahadur Dangi, executive director of Nepal Tourism Board. "We need public and private partnership to maximize the benefits from tourism."
The government has also shown interest to promote necessary support to the project. "As poverty alleviation is the main target, the ministry will fully cooperate with the private sector to utilize the infrastructure to provide benefit to a large section of population," said Sharada Prasad Trital, joint secretary and National Coordinator of TRPAP.
Along with the support for infrastructure development, TRPAP has also conducted a number of training for human resources development. "We have conducted a number of skills training and orientation programs dealing with aspects like awareness raising, hotel lodge management, food and beverage preparation including menu selection, sanitation, health and hygiene, guiding, porter, HIV/AIDS orientation, tourism health and safety, hospital management. agriculture, horticulture, poultry, bee-keeping, handicraft and gender empowering," said Chet Nath Kanel, training specialist. "We have trained 9201 people under such vocational training."
