National 3 (Spotlight Weekly)

SARS Surprise

The latest data by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) indicate that the global scare may not have affected Nepal too much

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

The scare triggered by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has cast a pall of gloom on the global tourism market. Though not a single SARS case has been confirmed in Nepal, the scare alone has been enough to cause jitters among tourism entrepreneurs.

But the latest data by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has come as a sweet surprise. Despite the SARS scare and threats of political agitation, the number of tourists visiting Nepal in the month of April 2003 went up by 15 percent as compared to the same period last year. A total of 20,799 tourists traveled to Nepal (by air only) last month.

The number of tourists from third countries went up by 12 percent, while those from India increased by 25 percent in the review period, according to the NTB.

Tourists : Welcome rise in arrivals

"The end of May signifies the end of spring season for tourists visiting Nepal. Till now, we have not suffered much due to SARS. In fact, many tourists came after knowing about the peace process in the country. But definitely due to media reports, tourists may not come in desirable numbers in the next season beginning September," said Nima Nuru Sherpa, vice president of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal and executive director of the Cho Oyu Treks.

Sherpa, however, added that the most visible impact of the SARS scare has been the total disruption of Tibet tours. "This season used to mark the time when many tourists came to Nepal to visit Tibet. But due to SARS, all entry points to Tibet remain closed at present," he said.

"But we remain hopeful that this is only a temporary phenomenon and that it will pass off quickly and the tourism sector comes back to normalcy," Sherpa said.

Even the national flag carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) has suspended its flights to the Chinese city of Shanghai for at least three weeks due to the spread of SARS. The RNAC used to fly to Shanghai twice a week in its Kathmandu-Shanghai-Osaka route. Now, these flights will fly directly to the Japanese city until further instructions. The RNAC has already halted its flights to Singapore for the same reason.

Likewise, the RNAC has also decided to suspend its flights to Hong Kong. Though considered as one of the most profitable sectors for the RNAC, the flights to Hong Kong had to be disrupted as scare of SARS was growing. Hong Kong is one of the hot spots of the disease that is causing global alarm. According to Gautam Das Shrestha, chief of the corporate department of RNAC, the airlines decided to suspend its flights to Hong Kong in view of concern about public health.

Back home, the politicians have announced mass stir programs that could also affect the tourism sector. The hopes of tourism recovery are fast fading amid the domestic as well as international chain of events.

"The tourism sector is not feeling well. The bandh and agitation have sent a wrong signal to the world tourism markets," said Narendra Bajracharya, president of the Hotel Association Nepal. "Political parties have to stop calling programs like Nepal bandhs."

With the announcement of people's movement by major political parties, tourism entrepreneurs fear that once again the country could be treading down the path of street agitation and bandhs that could severely affect them.

Though the recent figures released by the NTB suggest that there is nothing to worry about, tourism entrepreneurs are keeping their fingers crossed and waiting with bated breath to see how the domestic events take shape in the days to come.