OPINION (Spotlight Weekly)

TOURISM MARKETING FOR NEPAL

- YAJNA RAJ SATYAL

Nepal has a very viable tourism product as yet not exploited fully. She has a cultural heritage centered in the Kathmandu Valley. She is the cultural museum where art treasures and monuments of historical interest are preserved. The arts and crafts of Nepal, enriched by Hindu and Buddhist culture are of an astonishing opulence, especially in the Valley of Kathmandu. Kathmandu with Patan and Bhaktapur, second and third cities in prominent forms of exceptional embodiments of architecture of great originality and quality. Innumerable temples in both stupas and pagoda style and many other interesting monuments and even private houses with carved doors, windows, balconies are within easy reach of the oval Kathmandu Valley. Some of these places such as Hanuman Dhoka- the old palace square of Kathmandu, palace squares of Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist Stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are well known and other places of interests like ancient townships Sankhu, Changhunaraen, Pharping, Kirtipur and Thimi deserve attention. The combination of religious shrines, the artistic creations of man and nature in the form of Himalayan snowy peaks in the distant horizon invest on Kathmandu a charm and individuality, which is unique in the world. Kathmandu Valley's ancient cities and townships, temples and arts in stone, wood, brass and bronze, standing as they have been for thousands of years, are invaluable legacies of centuries past. These are the spiritual and cultural treasures impossible to come across anywhere else.

Nepal has much to offer to the visitors from its rich cultural treasures to great and starting unparalleled natural beauties of the Himalayas, which line across northern Nepal topped by Mount Everest (8,848m), the highest peak in the world together with peaks some eight peaks over 8579m and about two hundred more than 4877m. high. The Himalayan Region lies at an altitude 4877m to 8,848m above the sea level with the snow line running at 4,877m.

The topography of the country is a continuity of assemblages going along the east-west axis. The Himalayan ranges like the Kumbhakurna, the Jugal and the Annapurna fan out from the east to west. In this region, the world's famous peaks of Mount Everest (8,848 m) Kanchanjaugha (8,586m) Makalu (8,463), Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and Annapurna (8,091m) are located. From the Terai, the southern part of the country, bordering India, the land ascends steeply to the Mahabharat Lekh mountain range with peaks of up to 3050m. This is followed by the wide bank of the central hills, rows of mountain area which makes up the snow covered Great Nepal Himalayan Range whose summits build the northern boundary of Nepal. Towards the west, Nepal extends beyond the Himalayan Range to the Trans-Himalayan area which is part of the barren Tibetan plateau. This dramatic infusion or mix and varied topography forms the bases of the second tourism product of Nepal. The mighty Himalayan peaks tower over Nepal form end to end, seen from many favorite view-points of sight seeing places.

The marketing products after the culture and the Great Nepal Himalayas, the appeal is based on Wildlife in a jungle setting. Terai Region of Nepal is situated at an altitude of maximum 305m, occupies 17 percent of the total area of the country. It is a fertile plain stretching from east to west in the southern part of the country. The length of the Terai is about 880 Kms. This region is densely populated and is the food basin of the country. This region has rich and varied species of flora and fauna. The vegetation is covered by sal (sorea Robusta), Sissau, Aculia and tall grasses and bamboo. It is long tropical zone, richest area for Nepal's wildlife with gaurs, wild buffaloes, four species of deer, Royal Bengal tigers, leopards, one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, two kinds of crocodiles and the Giangetic dolphin inhabiting the rives. This region is also full of bird life like black partridge, peacock, pigeon, vulture, kites, snipe duck and parrots. Adventure in the heart of the Terai jungle in Royal Chitwan National Park is getting popular among the international visitors at present with rustic comfort in isolated tree top lodge and simple tented camp, canoe trips, nature walks, jungle treks, landsover traps, elephant back jungle excursion viewing rhino, sloth bear, deer, leopard, tiger and birds.

Nepal has established eight National Parks extending from tropical zone in the Terai to Sub-Himalayan region. These parks and wildlife areas are greatly influenced by the topography of the country and the flora and fauna with the difference in the climatic conditions and the ranges of altitudes. So Nepal can be called zoologically and botanically one of Asia's richest areas. These areas where the visitors may see all kind of wildlife in the dense forests of the Terai and glacial valleys grizzly bear, mountain blue sheep, red panda wild Yak, snow leopard and many kinds of birds galore. There are lots of opportunities to experience wildlife adventure or relax in the jungle settings of Nepal's National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. Royal Chitwan National Park and Sagarmatha National Park are now included in World Heritage Sites (natural) by World Heritage Committee UNESCO as Universal Heritage for mankind.

Not only wildlife, Nepal is also a land of varied attractions for adventure andexotic pleasure by trekking on both well-established routes and in more remote areas. Trekking through magnificent hills, valleys and lakes gives the grandeur of landscape, enjoying the breath taking views of snowy Himalayan massifs and the calm and quiet sleeping hamlets and green valleys. The world's steepest country present the ultimate in soft adventure as well as difficult trek of the world's most challenging trails. Trekking is really the visitor's pastime that Nepal is most well-known for owing to the country's vast and generally safe landscape, from the valleys to the majestic peaks of the Himalayan ranges. Trekking offers variety and beauty of many sites and scenery and the opportunities of coming near to so many of the different ethnic groups inhabiting the different trekking areas of Nepal. Trekking offers vacation paradise providing new delights and thrills.

Nepal has major religious sites for pilgrimages in different parts of the country. Nepal is the only Hindu Kingdom in the world and has a tradition of religious tolerance. Hinduism and Buddhism are the two religions of Nepal which co-exist in a most friendly and harmonious atmosphere with a civilization stretching back to thousands of years — a culture richly endowed by the synthesis of Hinduism and Buddhism. Nepal is revered as the land of Shiva by all the Hindus. Buddhism has its origin in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who was born in the terai of Nepal at Lumbini in about 563 B.C. Nepal possesses many sacred and revered places of religious tourism which attract the visitors from all over the world. So Nepal has a great potentiality for the growth of pilgrimage tourism also.

The vast potentials of tourism described above are attracting tourists even at present and they will surely become great attractions for the future. In order to secure, the objective of enhancing future tourism markets are to be created by giving considerable thoughts to watchful expansion of tourism marketing for Nepal and improving Nepal's tourism product. The tourist arrivals from international markets must be increased in order to raise foreign exchange earnings in the future. In order to meet the target of tourists arrivals that would add charm and profit, the price of tourist products must be increased by extending their duration of visits. International Union of Official travel organization, WOTO or the World Tourism Organization, WTO, has defined tourism marketing as: — a management philosophy which in the light of tourist demand makes it possible through research, forecasting and selection to place tourism products on the market most in line with the orgamsation's purpose, for the greatest benefit."

The above definition clearly justifies that marketing is a modern method of creature management function which assists trade and employment by promoting consumer needs and embarking on research and development to meet them. Tourism is a service industry and selling of products in tourism is becoming more complex due to intangible nature of the goods for sale. So the 'input' and 'sales output' is more difficult in tourism industry. The technique of marketing is constantly changing in accordance with other characteristics of modern age. Similarly the mix of marketing activities varies from market to market and from product to product. So the Marketing Research is regarded as the foundation of any effective marketing plan. Research insures substantiality with the best possible results and the maximum return of time and money spent to market any product or service. Improved management technique with an imaginative use of research can lead to more effective tourist arrivals and to more assistance and contribution to national tourism to the national economy.

Major Market Areas of Nepal - Europe, Japan, North America and India, country wise are the biggest tourist generating markets for Nepal. The annual growth of tourist arrival from overseas country averaged about 8 percent over the last 20 years. The length of tourist stay in Nepal ranges from 10-13 days. But the tourist movement is still limited to certain geographical areas of the country which are in need of expansion. There are many potential sites in the nooks and corners of the country that need to be searched, developed and opened for international visitors. The aim should be for an increasing number of visitors to come from Japan and other Asian markets and for a greater proportion of visitors to stay in quality hotels. In order to attract even more visitors from neighboring India, more promotional activities must be done in India putting more force in pilgrimage as well as sight seeing tourism. In order to achieve considerable targets of tourist arrivals from Europe and Northern America, more investment in marketing and product development is called for.

The international markets show keen interest in marketing profile from Nepal. Nepal despite a viable tourism product has been under-sold in the overseas market. His Majesty's Government of Nepal should take a leading role in this field through her Nepal Tourism Board in order to optimizing the importance of tourism as an economic and social activity in terms of net value added. The Nepal Tourism Board can not perform in isolation. All the travel trade (private sectors) are equally important and the Nepal Tourism Board has to take them in stride for tourism to become a profitable industry. HMG of Nepal has to play a coordinater's role and in close consultation with all tourism sectors devise way and means that will impart solid basis to this important foreign exchange earning resource. Much precious time has already been lost. We cannot afford to lose any more.

Satyal writes on Tourism.