National 12 (Spotlight Weekly)

'Joint Efforts Needed To Promote Tourism'

— HARINDER SINGH

Ms. HARINDER SINGH joined as manager of Hyatt Regency Kathmandu in June. She has been associated with the Hyatt hotels for over 18 years. Singh, a university topper in the masters program with a stint in strategic marketing at Cornell University, is also the recipient of the IMM award of excellence as Outstanding Entrepreneur and Executive in 1999. Prior to her appointment in Nepal, Singh was with Hyatt Regency Delhi. Singh spoke to SPOTLIGHT on Friday at her office. Singh, an Indian national, is proficient in English, Hindi, and Punjabi languages with working knowledge of French. Excerpts:

Having spent such a long time in the tourism sector under an internationally renowned hotel chain, how do you see the future of tourism in Nepal?

I think Nepal is a tourist's paradise. It's not because of the allure of Kathmandu alone but of the whole of the kingdom. From mountaineering and trekking to white water rafting, the range of attractions is vast. You can drive out of Kathmandu to many attractions and come back the same day. So, anything between a two-to-three-night stay and a 15-day trekking package can be promoted. I see a lot of potential. What I am saying is nothing new. This is known to the whole world. Nepal is considered one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

How is Hyatt Regency marketing Nepal?

We are promoting it through various offices. We combine hotel accommodation with facilities and attractions the city and country offer. We propose golf, trekking and mountain flights, among other things, as part of the package. We also promote city tours and excursions to nearby areas. This is how we package our promotional tours.

Nepal has seen many unprecedented events in recent years. How do you see tourist arrivals in the last year?

It is the perception that counts. Similar things have happened in Sri Lanka. The airport in Colombo was bombed several months ago and three or four planes were destroyed. Despite that incident, and the feeling of insecurity it created, people are still visiting Sri Lanka. All things will be determined by how you promote things. These sorts of events happen everywhere in the world, whether you talk of the United States, Europe or Asia. For instance, everyone was talking about how Nepal and India were ravaged by flood. Look at Europe now. Half of Prague is under water these days. The situation is similar in Germany. The question is, how do we play on it? How have television and newspapers covered it. In many countries, these things may not be shown negatively.

Western countries are projecting South Asia as a whole as unsafe for travelers and issue periodic advisories. What impact will this have on tourism in the region?

Every country has its safe and unsafe aspects. Despite tight security arrangements, terrorists struck against America. It can happen anywhere. Safety is a relative question. There is a bomb blast every other day in Israel. Western European countries, too, have so many problems. Do people stop going there?

Nepal's tourism sector is dependent on Indian visitors. After the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane in 1999, Indian tourist arrivals have plummeted because the image of Nepal was tarnished. Do you see any possibility to bringing them back?

I don't think the image of Nepal has been tarnished. Since I came to Nepal, we have floated a new package in India. I have had more than 1,500 Indian tourists visit our hotel in the last two and half months. If you give an attractive package, people think that it is worth to visit, and they will come. I find so many of my friends coming to Nepal. It is how do you convince people. Indian Airlines, RNAC, Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepalese government should make every possible effort to sell Nepal as a tourist destination. I don't think we can run empty hotels at this stage.

As you say, Nepal has great potential to lure tourists. How can we market the country?

We can sell cultural heritage, religious sites, mountaineering, holiday and golfing as a package, but the government has to come to the forefront in this endeavor. If the government and airlines back you, you can sell your products.

You are leading one of the most modern hotels in Kathmandu. How do you feel about it?

It is distinctive as you can see it is one of the most modern hotels in the city. We have the advantage of this whereas other hotels have been here for so long. The disadvantage is that other hotels have perceptional values. Many clients know the hotel. State of the art modernity and facilities wise, our hotel is perfect.

It is said that Hyatt Hotel is far away from the airport and the road is congested?

Before coming to Nepal, I didn't know where the hotel was located. Most other hotels, too, are far away from the city. The roads and lanes near some of the other hotels are narrower and more congested than ours. It is, again, a question of perceptions.