NATIONAL7Spotlight Weekly)]

Risky Ritualism

Nepal observes World Tourism Day by organizing ritual programs. Isn’t anybody concerned about the impact of the terrorist attacks in the United States on our tourism industry?

By A CORRESPONDENT

Misery, as they say, does not come alone. Nepal’s tourism sector has faced a series of miseries in the aftermath of the mysterious hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 from Kathmandu in December 1999. The decline in tourist arrivals began after Indian Airlines abruptly suspended its flights for several months.

The tourism industry was yet to recover from that battering when a series of other incidents virtually devastated the sector. In the beginning of 2001, the tourism industry was on the road to recovery following the plunge in the number of arrivals the previous year. However, an upsurge in political disturbances, the growth and ferocity of the Maoist insurgency and the June 1 massacre in the royal palace brought more bad news.

June and July witnessed the lowest tourist arrivals in recent times, with August seeing some improvements. After the second week of August, when Nepalese hoteliers checked bookings for September, October and November, they heaved a collective sigh of relief.

That was premature. After the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington DC, Nepal’s tourism industry is again on the precipice of disaster. More than 20 percent of US travelers have canceled their trips to Nepal. Tour operators expect more cancellations in the days ahead. According to Tourism Ministry figures, more than 45,000 tourists visited Nepal last year. At a time when the sector desperately needs to see that figure go up, the prognosis is gloomy.

The fall in the number of American tourists in the coming season will drastically affect the recovery of the industry. As the number of US tourists coming though the Pacific region has been going down, the tension in the Afghanistan and military build-up in the Persian Gulf region against the Taliban in the aftermath of the terror attacks will reduce arrivals coming through the European sector. At a time when the national flag carrier’s withdrawal from the European sector has already created a chaotic situation, any action in Afghanistan may deal a decisive blow to the flow of tourists into Nepal.

"Everyone realizes how important a role the national flag carrier can play during times of crisis. We have made a blunder by suspending flights on the European sector," said Rabindra Man Singh, president of Nepal Freight Forwarders Association and managing director of Everest De Cargo.

Amid this grim scenario, what initiatives will policy makers take to increase the number of tourists from other parts of the world, including India. If Nepal steps up special programs to attract Indian tourists and signs a formal agreement with China on payment modalities for Chinese tourists, Nepal's situation could improve and the sector could expect to recover soon.

Nepal Tourism Board has launched special programs to attract Indian tourists and has organized local festivals to mobilize domestic tourism. These may have some positive impact. Despite the cancellation of flights on the European sector, Royal Nepal Airlines has increased the frequency of its services to India and other Asian cities.

Industry watchers believe more needs to be done. "The government needs to announce many packages to encourage foreign tourists, including the granting of free visas for visitors and open sky for airlines," says Prasiddha Bahadur Pandey, managing director of Shangri-La Hotel.

Nepal has been celebrating World Tourism Day for the last many years as a ritual. A business-as-usual approach cannot help the country come up with concrete plans and programs to shore up such a vital sector.