Economy News The Rising Nepal (Daily)

Destination Nepal Campaign: Never too late

By Navin Singh Khadka

When the government last week formally accepted programmes for the Destination Nepal Campaign 2002-2003, there were apprehensions from certain quarters about the timing of the promotional tourism extravaganza.

The reservations, from both the officialdom and the private sector, was based on the crisis the country is now reeling under. So much so, majority of the private sector even "boycotted" the meeting for the DNC last Tuesday before the campaign’s programmes were formally announced.

"Who would be interested in these programmes when we ourselves are not sure about the security situations?" asked an official not wanting to be named. "True," supported a senior tourism entrepreneur. "How can we sell the idea now?"

Tourism Minister Bal Bahadur K.C., however, had a rejoinder for them. "We cannot just sit watching the downslide of the tourist arrivals. We think we must act, at least to arrest the declining arrival trend, if not to increase it."

He did admit that the announcement of the DNC programmes had been delayed. "In the present circumstances we needed time to discuss with all the concerned quarters."

Tourist arrivals in the last three months have declined by 50 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. Last year had already recorded a decline of more than 20 per cent in the arrivals of tourist than that of 2000.

No doubt the planned events like the DNC are against all odds for now. But, should the concerned agencies — both in the public and private sector — fold their hands just because the national environment is not conducive? Should they not be pro-active at all?

Veteran tourism entrepreneurs are in favour of self-mobilisation. "Even if the national and international series if event in the last two years have had tremendous negative effects for our country, we should not stop promoting our tourism," says Tek Chandra Pokhrel, one of the pioneer tour operators in the country. "But we must do it in such a way that people do not laugh at us."

To make the promotional bonanza like the DNC not look ridiculous serious planning and equally cautious implementation are necessary, tourism pundits say.

Tentative planning for the DNC, the government seems to have for now. At the heart of the campaign is the golden jubilee celebration of the first human ascent on Mountain Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest). "Under this theme many adventure and entertaining games will be held and all the Everest summiteers and famous foreigners who have contributed to Nepal’s mountain tourism will be honoured at the national level," said the minister.

What’s more a plan is underway to establish a training institution for mountain tourism and mountaineering. Major travel agents, journalists, international airlines’ chiefs and popular personalities who have helped promote the Nepalese travel trade will be invited for familiarisation trips.

Air service agreements with China and other countries will be signed while the arrangement of surface transport for tourists coming from China and India will be simplified.

According to the drafted DNC plan, there will be a special tourism promotional programmes in Chinese cities. Nepal and China signed an agreement last year, allowing Chinese tourists to visit the country. Chinese nationals can visit only those counties which are recognised as outbound destinations by China. The government in line with the Chinese Government’s demand, has already nominated 78 travel agents to handle Chinese tourists.

"The campaign aims to improve policy and infrastructure for sustainable and co-ordinated development," said Minister K.C. while accepting the plan.

Going by the plans like these, the DNC, at the face of it, does appear to have some plans. Even if they may sound a bit vague. Especially, when the campaign does not have a figure target like that of the Visit Nepal Year 1998 that aimed to usher in 500,000 tourists.

But, what remains to be seen is if the campaign would implement the plans and programs – even if they are sketchy for now.

The national tourism industry does not have a good track record when it comes to implementing the plans. Not that the tourism industry lacks the plans and programmes. Ever since George Lebrec, former Director General of Tourism in France prepared the first tourism master plan for Nepal way back in 1956, there have been more than a dozen tourism plans — some of them sectoral — for the country’s travel trade.

So, what did not work? None of the plans were implemented seriously, observers say. And the government once again is mustering up to prepare a tourism master plan. Upon the government’s request, the World Tourism Oraganisation has already deputed a consultant to prepare the document, according to MoCTCA officials.

"Since we already have so many plans now we need to have an action or implementation plan," says Pokhrel.

Toward that end, DNC, that has an allocated budget of 22.5 million Rupees for now, could set a new precedent – by making its actions speak louder than its words. Keep your eyes and ears open.

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