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Kathmandu Tuesday July 11, 2000 Ahsad 27, 2057.
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Municipalities, museums and
tourism
Now that Patan Municipality charges for
entering the city, perhaps tourists will next be asked to pay an entry fee to New Road,
Durbar Marg or Thamel!
Patan copy-catted Bhaktapur by charging an
entrance fee. The Bhaktapur situation is however unique. Entrance to the city is
effectively limited to two points only, tourists driving the 13 kms to go there generally
visit only once, and the core city tourist area is clearly defined.
Patan, on the other hand, is sprawling with
tourist attractions spread throughout and it has many entry points which cannot be
controlled.
Before imposition of the entrance fee,
tourists used to visit Patan not just for formal temple or museum sightseeing but to enjoy
the atmosphere, visit the bahals, attend religious functions, meet friends, see craftsmen
at work, browse the many shops, and purchase from the hawkers' stalls. They would often
visit it a number of times during their stay in Nepal. From the reports I hear - No more!
So it is not just Patan Museum that is
suffering a fall in business but traders, shopkeepers, artisans, and tourist guides also.
And if many tourists do not visit the central core area of the old city, neither will they
be crossing the bridge from Kathmandu. Thus, the many excellent handicraft shops in
Pulchowk, the zoo, Patan Industrial Estate, and the Tibetan refugee area will also suffer
a fall in business.
Certainly at the Summit Hotel during the
recent spring tourist season, we heard many disillusioned tourists complaining of the
system and the harassment they faced from municipality employees whilst trying to enjoy a
visit to Patan - many simply gave up in disgust and left. Tourists pay a hefty visa fee to
enter Nepal, they pay sightseeing charges, and accept that there are additional charges to
visit a museum or an art gallery if they so wish, but strongly object to being charged
over and above to enter a city that is meant to be open to all.
What is quite certain is that the whole
exercise is not only a public relations disaster for tourism to Patan, but is directly
affecting the livelihood of the very people the municipality is meant to represent.
The main thing now is that the sooner the
system of charging for entry to Patan is scrapped, the better for all the concerned.
Robin Marston |
