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Little Hopes This Season
As the spring season is about to begin, tourism industry wears a grim look, with no end to current political instability
By THAKUR AMGAI
Even as the recently released data from the Department of Immigration shows an increase by 14.6 per cent in the number of tourists entering Nepal via air-route in January compared to the same period last year, the tourism entrepreneurs and workers are not rejoicing.
The entrepreneurs, traders and workers of the industry all are ailing, not only because of low business immediately, but because of the escalating violence, strikes and blockades, disruption in transportation on the eve of the spring season.
The industry had heaved a sigh of relief autumn season last year during the unilateral ceasefire by the Maoists. "We urged the government to reciprocate the ceasefire and the Maoists to prolong it. The Maoists did prolong the ceasefire by one month, but they ended it after the government continued attacks on them," said a senior tourism entrepreneur. "Had the peace been prolonged for at least next few months, the tourist arrival this spring would have increased so much that the existing manpower and infrastructure would not have been adequate to serve them."
However, the industry has relapsed into the crisis, after the short relief. After the Maoists started to attack at various security posts, explode bombs at public places, disrupt transportation and call strikes, and the government started imposing curfew and severing telephone lines without prior notice, bookings started to cancel and tourists who had come with an intention to stay longer started to flee to India and other countries.
Likewise, the countries which had relaxed their travel advisories on Nepal have started cautioning their citizens to visit Nepal only 'if necessary' and take 'special precaution.'
The increase of foreigners through air route in January does not indicate an increased business because the number of tourists from European market and USA , considered to have higher spending capacities, is on the decline. According to a release from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the European Market with its 17 percent overall market share declined by 15.9 percent during the month with a decline of 14.8 percent from UK, 12.6 percent from Germany, 24.5 percent from France and 48.7 percent from Netherlands. The US market also went down by 11 per cent.
The increase in the month of January was supplemented by an increase of 31.8 per cent in Indian visitors. Other markets that showed increments include China (162.5 percent), Singapore (135.4 percent), Japan with its market share of 6 per cent (16.4 percent) and South Korea (27.3 percent).
Book List
Cost of Armed Conflict in Nepal
Ananda P. Shrestha/Hari Uprety-2005 Rs. 250.00
Excesses Unlimited A Study on Impunity In Nepal
Binod Bhattarai/Jogendra Ghimire/Mohan Mainali-2005 Rs. 75.00
Foreign Direct Investment In Nepal
Raghu Bir Bista-2005 Rs. 25.00
Historical Context of Newar Buddhism
Shanker Thapa-2005 Rs. 300.00
Indo-Nepal Economic Cooperation
P.A. Raj/M.Karanjit/C.K. Gyawali-2005 Rs. 100.00
Issue of the World of Work In Nepal
B.Rimal/U. Upadhyaya/P. Khatiwada-2005 Rs. 350.00
Nepal-China Relations
Nishchal N. Pandey-2005 Rs. 450.00
Nepal Celebrate Rotary
Bishwa Keshar Maskay-2005 Rs. 800.00
New Life Within SAARC
Dev Raj Dahal/Nishchal N. Panday-2005 Rs. 400.00
Nepalese Forts and the Royal Nepalese Army in Fort Battles
Prem Singh Basnyat-2005 Rs. 281.00
Newar Buddhism History, Scholarship and Literature
Shanker Thapa-2005 Rs. 300.00
Reproductive Health & Rights
Bina Pradhan/Bishwa Keshar Maskay-2005 Rs. 200.00
Sounds of Road Broadcasting
P. Kharel-2005 Rs. 130.00
Understanding Reforms in Nepal
D.R. Khanal/P.R. Rajkarnikar/K.P. Acharya/D.R. Upreti Rs. 325.00
Under the Shadow of Violence
Kishore Nepal-2005 Rs. 300.00
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