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Kathmandu Friday September 28, 2001 Ashwin 12, 2058.
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Tourism in turmoil
Hard times stalk our tourism industry. The
World Tourism Day has brought to the fore an array of issues and problems just when the
industry is limping. The possibility of a complete collapse cannot be brushed aside.
Already battered by a number of ills, the Nepalese tourism industry, the second largest
foreign exchange earner, is sinking further following the recent terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, and the ensuing tensions in this region. The
threat of possible US retaliatory strikes in Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden, prime
suspect in the horrendous September 11 attacks, is believed to be in hiding, has
apparently discouraged potential dollar-paying tourists from coming to this region. Our
tourism industry is bearing the brunt of international tensions. In the last few weeks
alone, cancellations of flight bookings have hit fifty percent. This is an alarming drop
and could portend free fall.
Over the years, the tourism industry has seen
fewer ups than downs due to a number of factors. Of late, the downturn has been more
pronounced, and hence more painful. Increasing pollution and poor infrastructure are not
the only things that have put off the tourists. Frequent Nepal bandhs, chakka
jams and other demonstrations accompanied by violence have given Nepal a bad name among
potential tourists. It should be noted that there have been more bandhs and demonstrations
in the last few years than in the previous fifty years combined. Given such irresponsible
use of democratic tools of protest, it is all but natural to find the tourists shying away
from our country. However, not all the problems originated here. Politically orchestrated
and malicious publicity by Indian media in the aftermath of the Indian airliner hijack
about two years ago also hurt the industry badly. The latest global turn of events have
only added salt to the injury. And this at a time when the ailing industry was slowly
inching towards recovery, thanks to the bilateral cease-fire with the Maoists.
World Tourism Day has turned out over the
years to be little more than an annual ritual. In the face of difficult times, it should
serve as an occasion for addressing the grievances of tourists, and stamping out the ills
plaguing the industry. Amidst the gloom, the government and the entrepreneurs must hammer
out ways and means to bring tourism back from the brink. Instead of lamenting the
downfall, the government must draft a comprehensive programme to revive the industry, and
provide more incentives to the entrepreneurs. The private sector complains that a two
percent service charge levied on top of a 10 percent VAT has not been utilised properly by
the Nepal Tourism Board. The authorities have remained mute over this. At the local level,
service charges or entry fees are being imposed arbitrarily on tourists. With the help of
experts, new avenues can be explored for developing tourism. And to tell tourists all over
the world that Nepal has something more to offer than tall snow-capped mountains,
rhododendrons, daura suruwal and dhaka topi, and sel roti. This is by no means an easy
task. But with firm commitment and a pragmatic and integrated approach, it will not be
impossible either.
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