NATIONAL11 [ (Spotlight Weelky)]

Planning For Tourism In Nepal

By Yajna Raj SForumatyal

The role of tourism within the economy has been clearly identified and more refined objectives have been drawn up by Tourism Policy-1995. The Tourism Policy-1995, approved by the government, broadly mentions objectives, policy and action programs for the tourism development in the country for the first time. This policy also envisages development of internal tourism and expands the area of international tourism. It also speaks of priority sector to new tourism destinations specially in the village, religious and adventure tourism.

With an aim to achieve the objectives defined in the Tourism Policy, a program of strategic planning and number of important principles are required. The development of tourism has been questioned frequently. And visible economic benefits are being out-balanced by environmental damages.

Along with bringing foreign exchange vital to international trade, international tourism can strengthen the national wealth of goodwill and understanding. So the growth of tourism is very closely related to growth of other sectors of the economy- particularly export promotion, construction and agriculture.

Tourism has,therefore, been included as a strategic, export-oriented industry for promoting national economic and social development. Due to its multiplier effects, tourism development program has been emphasized in national economic planning since the early five year development plan (1970) up to ninth five year development plan (1998). Unfortunatley concrete steps envisaged in the five year development plans have not been taken seriously and tourism programs have not been considered as strategic for national development. Only emphasizing on plans and not realizing the vital role played by tourism on national development is of no use.

The highest tourism bodies like Tourism Council under the chairmanship of prime minister and Tourism Development Board have already been set up . Passing time will tell how the development of tourism will move ahead as soundly and suitably in the Nepalese context.

In order to make development of international tourism yield fruitful results an approach to strategic planning is of vital necessity. The principles required for the proper approach to strategic planning are as follows:

Different ministries of HMG of Nepal should work together in planning and subsquently implementing a common strategy, rather than adopt wasteful approach of working in isolation for tourism programs. Cooperative planning by different ministries and organisations with different responsibilities and at different levels of the government can be seen at the beginning which cause difficulties in arriving at a successful implementation. But a worthwhile basis for ongoing cooperation must be established. In order to have coordinated work, it requires careful design, substantial ongoing effort and tact. The resources of time and money invested by the national agencies (both by public and private) have to be made substantial.

The central as well as the regional authorities should prepare strategies in collaboration with the relevant regional or district authorities. Allocating responsibility for planning to the regional level is to be looked seriously and coordination to be arrived, the quality of the product be assured. Consideration to be given for adequate extent type of staff and specialist experiences as all regions have not been able to function due to lack of these expertise.

Despite the Tourism Policy to a regional development, the Tourism Council and Tourism Board have continually to emphasize the need for strategies to evaluate opportunity to exploit market and ensure potential to achieve economic and social benefits

Tourism consumption and its measurement have to be made scientifically to achieve the desired objectives. Tourism as all know is the sub-business body of services for travellers. Tourism consists of tourist market, tourist resources and transportation facilities. The tourist movement is always towards the object of the tourist market. The tourist market means the areas of interests or the objects of interests. The tourist movement is divided by three elements (1) Transportation-- airlines, buses and cars (2) Accomodation-- hotels, lodges, youth hostels etc. and Procurement travel by itself-- Publicity.

The object of tourist interest is the places of interest. Places of interest have its own nature. There must be exploitation in touristic resources. The value of tourism is to be measured in terms of the receipts from and expenditures on international tourism.

Planning for the recreation of tourists and of residents should be part of the same exercise. Here there is necessity of joint planning between the different organisations both HMG's corporates as well as private sector with responsibility for functions in these fields.

There should be compatibility of planning approach in each tourist areas to enable them to be brought together and related to each other within a national framework andto ensure economics of scale in data collection and analysis.

The tourist heritage (of a country, a region or a tourist area) is the combination of elements likely to attract the attention of tourists and provoke a visit by them. This combination denotes the supply of tourist market. It may be source in a snowy mountain, a monument, a religious pagoda or stupa, a famous hotel or even a restaurant. Tourism derives its existence not only from the gifts given by nature but also from elements created by the activity of man. Historical monuments, the important places of history and civilisation, popular arts and crafts, traditional events and festivals, hot springs, pilgrimage sights. These heritages must be protected.

Nepal has the quiet cultural centre that is a world apart. Conservation of ancient heritage, rarest natural resources can only be revitalised with the active cooperation of the people and giving a fair chance of their active participation. A strategy of tourism planning with the preservation of ancient monuments and traditional environments for enjoyment by tourists need to be more vigorously pursued by creating integrated ways with the people near to them. Efforts should be devoted to building up local awareness in preservation and conservation of natural cultural heritage. This implies the creation or encouragement and strengthening of local or community by means of effective education and financial assistance. Due to lack of such endeavour, Nepal's rarest tourism resources have failed to attract quality international visitors thereby causing more harm to the country's Shangri-La image. So a system of planning and control will have to be developed without destroying the natural or cultural heritage by distributing the material benefits of tourism throughout the community and to the nation at large.

Transport often represents the principle element of tourist movement. In a mountainous country like Nepal, air transport is a decisive instrument for travel and tourism development. So an energetic and viable air transport planning should be made so as not to lead to cross competition among private operators.

As tourism is now in the era of planning in Nepal, the government has already approved a set of arrangements expressing a tourism policy. But now it is important to see the measures adopted basically to guarantee a balance in the development of tourism in the national economy. Planned as it is, tourism policy has to be implemented for the economic and social development thus enriching the macro level the country as a whole.

(Satyal headed the now dissolved Department of Tourism for eight years)