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Kathmandu Friday November 30, 2001 Marga 15, 2058.
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Inviting northerners
The tourism pact signed between Nepal and
China in Kathmandu a few days ago is likely to bring about dramatic change in the tourism
sector, apart from strengthening cultural ties between the two countries. Finally, both
countries have realized their inherent cultural identities and prospects of developing the
tourism industry, and officially acknowledged it by signing a memorandum of understanding.
The pact is indeed a major breakthrough, especially when the tourism industry is going
through turbulent times. Nepal has become the first country in South Asia to be enlisted
by China as its outbound tourist destination. So far, China has given such status to only
twelve countries. As Nepal is a socio-cultural bridge between India and China, it can be
an attractive destination for the Chinese tourists. This pact will also offset the decline
in the Indian tourist arrival. The arrival of Indian tourists has declined since the
hijacking of Indian airliner and after Delhi suspended its regular flight operation
between the two countries for seven months. But even after the resumption of Indian
Airlines flights, the number of tourists has continued to decline, particularly after the
Royal massacre and the September 11 attack in the US. Given such a bleak scenario, the
tourism pact has indeed raised some hope. Nepal cannot just count on the Indian tourists,
and it is time to look for other promising and growing markets.
The arrival of Chinese tourists will increase,
but it is too early to expect them to make a significant impact on our economy. Chinese
tourists will certainly find Nepal a fascinating and unique destination. In fact China has
contributed a lot to the economic development of this country. The bilateral trade stood
at over 14 billion rupees in 2000. China has been emerging as a major economic power since
the opening-up of the Chinese economy. This means we have a vast and rich market just next
door. But this cannot be taken for granted. Those in this business have to formulate a
comprehensive long-term plan and launch vigorous campaigns to attract a vast number of
Chinese tourists. The signing up of a pact has also provided an opportunity for exploring
various avenues of tourism. Nepal maintained over ten percent of tourism growth for almost
three years, but due to a number of problems both within and outside the country, the
tourism sector has suffered much in recent years. The arrival of foreign tourists
increased after the country observed Visit Nepal Year. Had the hijacking of Indian
Airliner not taken place, the country would have witnessed a sea change in the tourism
sector. The declaration of State of Emergency may adversely affect the tourism industry
again, and hopefully things will be better after the country returns to normalcy. |
