National 6 (Spotlight Weekly)

Sombre Spirits

Entrepreneurs and officials are celebrating World Tourism Day this year amid the pall of gloom that has thickened over the industry

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

With the tourism industry experiencing a free fall thanks to the series of sustained violence gripping the country, entrepreneurs and authorities are bracing for a tough season ahead. At a time when entrepreneurs put the decline in tourism at a whopping 70 percent, World Tourism Day (September 27) has brought a special significance this year.

"No longer can we feel content by celebrating this day merely as an annual ritual," says Hari Man Lama, chief executive of Incentive Tours and Sansui Treks. "Welcoming tourists arriving this day and providing them with free stay is not going to be enough. The situation is very bad and demands an innovative and calculated approach."

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According to Lama, it is high time the government recognized tourism as the major industry of the country. "This is the only industry that can provide jobs to people from all sectors. This industry is equally beneficial to white-collar and blue-collar job-holders."

In fact, tourism supports not only the top hotel and tour executives but also small-time vegetable vendors, tea-stall owners, trekking guides and cooks. Next to agriculture, it is the only sector where the poor and underprivileged people, too, can hope to lay their dreams on.

Although terrorism and political violence in the country have kept tourists away, entrepreneurs believe the government can overcome that by re-orienting its focus. "There is no place on earth that is totally safe," says an entrepreneur. "Besides, we do not have any single incident where tourists have been gravely threatened by terrorist activities here. So, we must vigorously start to woo them back."

Agree officials of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). "Indeed, we have to focus our competitive edge and minimize our handicaps when enticing tourists," said an official at the board.

Meanwhile, the government has finally passed the programs and budget for the Destination Nepal Campaign (DNC) 2002-2003. After the Visit Nepal Year 1998, this is the first time the government has announced a major nation-wide campaign to promote tourism.

"On the eve of World Tourism Day, the government has sent a positive signal by passing the program and budget for the DNC, which was already delayed unnecessarily," said Lama.

The DNC 2002-2003 aims not only to salvage the tourism sector but also to give it a new thrust. "The DNC targets to put Nepal as a primary tourist destination in the world," said Bal Bahadur KC, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, during the meeting that passed the DNC program.

The government has agreed to allocate Rs.28 million to organize the DNC. Although entrepreneurs feel the amount is not adequate, they say that a focused approach might bring some results.

"As the DNC aims everything from creating awareness to organizing international publicity and from developing infrastructure to promoting rural tourism, there is a fear that the budget will be scattered and none of the objectives will be realized," said a member of NTB and a well-known senior tourism entrepreneur. "It would be more prudent if the budget is used with more focused approach."

Currently, the world is observing the international year of the mountains and the international year of eco-tourism. Besides, Nepal is also observing the golden jubilee of the first ascent of Mt. Everest. The DNC also aims to link its programs with these celebrations. DNC programs include organizing familiarization trips to foreign tour operators and media, setting up regional sales missions and information centers, among other things.

Various promotional events like rafting, rock climbing, Everest marathon will be held and successful Everest climbers will be invited for felicitations. Besides, the government and the NTB want to expand tourism facilities to places like Ilam, Baraha Chhetra, Halesi Mahadev and Gosain Kunda to promote their potentials as new destinations.