Decline of Indian tourists hits tourism hard

By Dhana Thapa

Kathmandu is no hill station for an average Indian tourist. It is much, much better. Not only is Kathmandu cooler, bigger and a shopper’s paradise, but it also is an enchanting tourist destination of international standard.

That is why thousands of Indian tourists flock to Nepal every year. More so, during the hot Summer days when the mercury touches unbelievable heights in most Indian cities.

Nahi chalna he Kathmandu : Many Indian tourists did not come this time because of the stooping of IA flights.

However this Summer, Kathmandu saw significantly fewer Indian tourists. This decrease could be directly attributed to the stopping of all Indian Airlines flights to Kkathmandu after the hijack of one of its aircraft, which had taken off from the Tribhuvan International Airport. Since then, December 24, 1999, IA stopped the 14 flights it made weekly to Kathmandu from different Indian cities.

Many people also blamed the negative publicity about Nepal in most of the Indian media, specially ZEE News, a TV channel for the reluctance of Indian tourists to come to Nepal.

Travel entrepreneurs here pleaded with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and also the nepalese government to do something to quickly resume the flights, but it took another five months before any firm agreement was reached to do so.

The Nepalese businessmen complained that the country had suffered more than US $ 1.5 million in the first month alone. This is a huge amount of money for a developing country like Nepal.

Perhaps in the present period, the losses amounts to even more. Those involved in the business say that the Indian tourists are one of the biggest spenders. Specially the young honeymoon couples, who thoroughly enjoy the unique beauty of Nepal. This is a far cry from the days when only Americans, Europeans and other white skinned people were called tourists. Now, it is the Indian visitors who are looked at with respect.

Apart from the honeymooners, the shoppers are also great spenders. Similarly, the casino going tourists are also contributing for the upliftment of Nepalese tourism.

It was reported in an Indian Daily, that many Indian hill stations were fully booked this Summer and visitors had to sometimes walk four to five kilometres to reach their hotel because of the traffic jam.

Experts here say, these middle class tourists are the people who would have come to Nepal had the Indian Airlines flights had not been cancelled. “Because we could not counter the negative media publicity and then we could not also provide air seats, all these tourists went to other alternative destinations within India,” a travel agent lamented.

In spite of the announcement of the revival of IA flights from the first week of June, the tourism industry here will have suffered a lot because the favourite season for the Indian tourists will already have passed by then.

With the Indian tourists making up 30 per cent of the total number of tourists coming in to Nepal, both the nepalese government and also the travel entrepreneurs, must make efforts to increase the number of visitors coming from there, in the coming days and also in next Summer.

Salads, Mango Mania at Soaltee

By a staff reporter

Can one be creative with the summer foods? If you believed otherwise chef   Hewitt the Executive chef of Soaltee Crowne Plaza would completely prove you wrong.

Chef Brian Hewitt is daring all salads lovers to come over to Gurkha Grill and Garden Terrace starting from 20 May 2000 to sample the unique compilation of exotic ingredients like olives, chopped anchovy, spring onion, capers, basil, pesto, pepper and chives.

Chief Brain Hewitt claims that he will be using the freshest possible ingredients for the salads to bring about the best possible taste.

Cool dishes : The Soaltee Crowne Plaza has an array of salads at its Salad and Mango Mania beginning May 20.

These salads will reflect the spirit of season and have a “clear day” element in its construction and are given original names.

The elements of these salads have been creatively chosen so that these ingredients compliment each other in terms of taste as well as appearance.

The fruity Monte Carlo salad mixes together diced pineapple, orange and grains of pomegranate mixed with lemon juice and cream, served in the orange shell on crushed ice.

Chef Hewitt is also starting “Tango with Mango” festival in the Alfresco and Garden Terrace restaurant simultaneously to promote the king of fruits.

For this promotion Chief Hewitt has put together a complete three course deluxe meal mango based dishes; and one can actually have a complete deluxe meal and not miss mango in any of the course.

This festival will continue in the Garden Terrace and Alfresco for May 20 until the end of the July, 2000.

PATA honours individuals

By a staff reporter

Two individuals, R. R. Pandey, executive chairman, Everest Express Tours & Travels and the late Tenzing Norgay received the PATA Chairman’s Award and PATA Commendation Award respectively at the recently concluded 49th Pacific Asia Travel Association annual meet held in Hong Kong.

Pandey received his award for providing excellent support to PATA’s outgoing chairman Dan Burrus who described Pandey as “a friend and a mentor.” At the initiation of PATA Nepal Chapter, Tenzing posthumously was honoured with the newly instituted award for an individual who contribute and support tourism but who are not necessarily in the PATA circles.

Nepal Tourism Board also bagged the PATA Gold Award under the category CD-ROM for Mount Everest & More at the PATA meet which this year was attended by about 1500 delegates representing 46 countries.

Qantas opens East Timor route

By a staff reporter

Qantas will inaugurated flights to Dili, East Timor from 2 May 2000. Services operated between Darwin and Dili four days a week, increasing to twice daily from 31 July 2000. Deputy chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dixon, said the services were in response to growing demand from Australian businesses seeking travel to East Timor says a Qantas press release.

“While this is a commercial decision for the airline, Qantas is delighted to be assisting the development of economic and social ties with East Timor, through the provision of regular air transport,” he said.

Dixon said Qantas would provide six return flights a week initially, building to 14 round trips, subject to final government approval.

He said Qantas regional subsidiary Airlink would operate the flights, using 36-seat deHavilland Dash 8 aircraft.

“We know a large number of United Nations peacekeepers in East Timor are also wanting to travel to Australia for short holidays. We except demand on this new route to continue growing into the foreseeable future.”

“Timor Airport Services will train East Timorese in the role of airport services and Qantas trainers will be sent to East Timor to work alongside locally employed staff,” he added.

He said the flying time between Darwin and Dili would be approximately one hour and 50 minutes. Return airfares would start from A$400.