National 5 (Spotlight Weekly)

Recovery Route?

The lessening of the SARS scare could give another fillip to the ailing sector

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

After the thumping success of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Everest ascent, there is another good news for the Nepalese tourism sector.

The decision by the Chinese authorities to re-open the entry points between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region has evoked cheers from the Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs. "Though we have not heard of the official decision to that effect, we have been hearing that such a decision is very likely soon. And this has come as a very good news for us," said Nima Nuru Sherpa, chief of the Cho Oyu Treks and vice president of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN).

Thamel city : Waiting to welcome more tourists

Reports have come that the Chinese authorities have directed Lhasa-based tour and travel agents to start bookings of third-country tourists. The decision is expected to come into effect beginning July 1.

As China slid into a major public health crisis following the sudden outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), it took desperate measures to curtail the disease. Amid travel advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO) and panic among international travelers, the Chinese government made the extreme decision to close all the entry points to Tibet from the first week of May. This decision effectively erased the travelers' flow between Nepal and China - triggering further apprehension among already battered Nepalese travel-trade entrepreneurs.

Along with the global tourism, Nepal, too, was hurt by this new development. "The SARS-triggered closure of the Nepal-Tibet border and restriction in the movement of tourists hurt Nepalese tourism in this summer season. Hundreds of foreigners used to fly to Tibet during this season," said Sherpa.

Apart from foreign tourists, hundreds of Nepalese and Indian also travel through Nepalese border to make the pilgrimage tour to Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar, which was also due to SARS epidemic.

Besides, the dip in SARS scare could also provide opportunity to further Nepalese initiatives to lure tourists from China. Although it is a close neighbor, only two percent of tourists coming to Nepal are from China. In the year 2002, only 3490 (2 percent of the total tourists) visited Nepal from China (by air) compared to 65,629 from India, the other giant neighbor.

The sheer size of Chinese tourist market is enough to make anybody drool. The number of Chinese visiting foreign countries has reached 10.41 million in 2000 and the number is growing rapidly every year. According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), China will be the topmost destination and fourth largest tourist generating market by 2020.

China officially enlisted Nepal as an out-bound destination for its citizens more than one and a half years ago. The Nepalese government has recognized 78 travel agencies for the purpose of handling Chinese tourists. Likewise, the Chinese government has recognized 67 Chinese travel agencies for the similar purpose.

Nepal had been granted 'Approved Destination Status' by the Chinese government. About two dozen countries have received such status worldwide and Nepal is the first country to enjoy the privilege in South Asian region.

Besides, the tourism authorities of the two countries have reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for mutual co-operation to develop tourism in the both countries opening myriad of avenues for the Nepalese tourism industry.

However, the situation is far from encouraging. Experts have begun to raise doubts regarding the efficacy of Nepalese government and the Nepalese tourism entrepreneurs for their apparent failure to tap the Chinese market in the last one and a half years.