If peace and security situation is restored in Nepal, things will automatically fall in places

-Joy Dewan, MD Zenith Travels & GSA: Qatar Airways

Frankly speaking, my arrival into the travel and trade business is relatively a new one. It was just a beginning from the scratch. Fortunately enough, it began developing at a faster rate, thanks the energetic and effectual support that I received from the team, which was with me.

The year 1987 was a turning point in my line of business. It was in this year I began with what is today’s expanded Zenith Travels. As the providence would have it, the Dragon Air, Hong Kong, honored me with its General Sales Agent for this Himalayan Kingdom. Thus started my deep association in the travel business sector which by the grace of the Almighty, is still continuing. I was not awarded the GSA ship for any thing other than on merit basis. It was around this time, the Zenith Travels was already one a half-year baby.

Another heavy liability I had to pleasingly accept: the GSA of Sri Lankan Air. This followed the awarding of the GSA of the internationally applauded and comparatively a new airliner, The Qatar Airways, which is in its full operation.

God has been kind to me. The Sahara Airlines, India, too honored me with its GSA for Nepal. Let me pronounce today that Sahara Airlines is all set to begin its operation in the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi sector by the second week of May, next month.

The Air Sahara will be a 168 Seat accommodating Boeing-737-800 which will land in Kathmandu practically all the days of the week.

I consider the landing of Sahara in Kathmandu on a daily basis will come as a blessing to the sagging travel and trade business and also to the descending economy of this country. Air Sahara’s arrival to Nepal will have its positive impact on the overall performance of our economy. It would boost the hotel occupancy rates and also contribute to the national exchequer in a variety of ways. As we all know that the Indian market is comparatively a bigger one and hence it would only be natural that we too try to exploit this opportunity, as others in the region have been doing, in order to boost our economy and it is here the Sahara airlines which will come as a flood-gate for us all.

In sum, Sahara’s landing in Kathmandu bodes well for Nepal in many respects.

Add to this, I have the reports now that Sri Lankan Air will also soon land in Kathmandu via Delhi. The Nepal government has already assured us that it will grant the landing rights.

If this is so then what could be said safely that Nepal will soon be flooded with Buddhist pilgrims from friendly country- Sri Lanka. As far as I know, the Buddhist population of Sri Lanka wish to touch the land where Lord Buddha was born and we as a country should feel honored that the Lord was born in Lumbini, Nepal. Just imagine in what ways such inflow of tourists from Sri Lanka, both Buddhists and non-Buddhists, will have its impact on our travel/trade industry and finally on our downhill economy. All that we have to do now is to prepare ourselves on how to provide adequate facilities to the incoming vacationers be they from India or for that matter Sri Lanka.

Air Sahara and Sri Lankan air both will massively contribute to arrest the sliding trend seen in the country’s economy of late. Let’s exploit this golden prospect to the extent that is well within our approach and ability.

Now let me tell you some thing about myself too.

I was born in a far-flung mountainous village called BANGA in Chainpur, Sankhuwa Sabha district. This village is our ancestral place of the Dewans. However, as the fortune would guide my destiny, I was sent to Darjeeling, India, for studies. I secured Bachelor in Commerce from North Bengal University’s St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling in the year 1979. Later I obtained Diploma in Tourism Management from Belair Education Center, London, United Kingdom in the year 1984. This followed receiving of a Diploma in Hotel Management from yet again Belair Education center, London.

When I judge my own performances over these years in the sector wherein I am involved in, what I wrap up is that I am still at the bottom. What I should I have done in these years is simply not up to the mark. My modest feeling is that I still have to go a long way. Sky is the limit. I am just on the way. I have to do more. I have yet to learn from my seniors.

However, it is not that I am completely dissatisfied with what ever I have accomplished as yet. I think every time on how to promote the business. My greatest concern is on how to contribute in my own modest way for the betterment of the country and its people. My wish is on how to lay concrete on better and efficient ways for the generations-to-come that will have to take on these responsibilities.

As of affairs of state, let me say that we the men in these businesses have a preference to stay out of politics. However, as an accountable and sensible citizen of this country, me too think that country’s politics should invent priorities and the priorities must put the common people’s betterment in the first place. First it should be the natives and the country and then only an individual and the political organizations. No interest should exceed the country’s interests.

As regards the Monarch, in my opinion he is the ultimate authority in the country. When politics did not deliver, the King has had to intervene, I suppose. We in the travel/trade sector expect so many things from the monarch. Undoubtedly, our priority, like others have, is the restoration of peace which has already become a rare commodity. If peace prevails, Nepal could be made a piece of gold provided all the forces act in tandem for the opulence of the nation. If peace and security prevailed as usual, things will automatically fall in places.

King’s role is also very significant in this regard. Nepali King is some thing more than a King only. We the Hindus and others alike own a special corner for the reigning monarch. As a symbol of harmony and unity, let’s hope that he will act like a balancing factor between all the prevailing contending forces and steer the country enjoying the love and respect of the common men and of the political parties as well.

I wish not to sharply react to the performances of the Nepali leaders over these democratic years. They could have done remarkable acts which they did not or could not for varied reasons and explanations. It was their non-deliverance that proved in more ways than one that they remained incapable in steering the affairs of the State and hence the King, as a fatherly figure, has had to get involved.

I, more often than not, prefer to engage myself in some sort of social activities. Myself as an individual and at times on behalf of the Zenith Travels have been of some modest support to the causes of the disabled ones by supplying them with Wheel-Chairs and have supported the erections of some schools and temples. In my opinion, such activities must be done in the name of the oppressed, rejected, and the neglected ones. In so doing, one feels that he or she was close to the all-powerful-the Almighty.

To conclude, I am at the moment MD and Proprietor of he Zenith Travels, Zenith Trekking and Rafting private limited and the GSA’s for Qatar airways, Sahara Airlines and the Sri Lankan airlines. Add to this the MD of the Ideal Automobile Nepal.

I am the past NATA President; GS of the Board of Airlines Rep. In Nepal since 1990 till today; member of TIA Security committee and Tourism committee of the FNCCI. Apart from these, I am also member of a number of social organizations from International Director of Rotary-Kantipur to US, UK, Finland, Sri Lanka friendship societies or their chambers of commerce and industries.

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