Precursor to NTY 2011 Precursor to NTY 2011
Appeared in The Week, The Republica on January 1, 2011
Precursor to NTY 2011
SARAD PRADHAN
Tourism is an unpredictable but resilient industry. A small disturbance, either national or international, is enough to drive entire past efforts to ground zero. As Nepal is celebrating Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) in 2011, all efforts and resources will now be synthesized to conclude it successfully.
To put it succinctly, Nepal’s tourism industry will face real challenges in 2010, rather than in 2011, because the success of this event depends on the homework that the tourism sector does in 2010.
As a prelude to 2011, a mega event is being organized on February 5, 2010 as part of its launch in Kathmandu by Nepal Tourism Year secretariat inviting people from of all walks of life to express their solidarity to convert NTY into a national campaign. The major challenges that Nepali tourism industry will face in 2010, apart from political uncertainty and regular Nepal bandas and chakkajam, are accessibility, accommodation and infrastructure.
The brighter side is that there are 23 airlines flying to Nepal. But the grimmer side is more appalling because they carry fewer tourists, and more Nepalis. In 1999, tourist arrivals by air were 421,243 but there were hardly 12 international airlines flying to Nepal. In contrast, there were 21 airlines in 2008, and the tourists they carried were 374,661. Similarly, Nepal Airlines brought 123,458 tourists in 1999 but it reduced to 21,000 in 2008.
The hope that we have had on Nepal Airlines for the revival of tourism arrivals as before with new planes has been crashed due to the tug of war between Nepal Airlines and the government. So the real need is to have more airlines that carry tourists to Nepal rather than the ones that occupy the slots in the crowded and crammed Tribhuvan International Airport. If the government allows ATR aircraft to fly abroad, there are high chances, for instance, to have more tourists from India directly to Pokhara.
Many hotels have been closed over the years and there is no sign of building new hotels in 2010. So there could be more problems of accommodation in 2010, especially during the high seasons, if tourist arrivals increase substantially. However, if the travel industry makes use of the new apartments that have been mushrooming in the Kathmandu Valley for accommodation, it may mitigate the shortage of rooms to some extent.
In 2010, it is also equally important to give a facelift to Tribhuvan International Airport in general, including the airport taxi, immigration, and restrooms. Before we bring tourists, we have to keep our house in order to welcome them.
There is also a need to improve the snail-pace traffic in the Valley.
To put it in a nutshell, Nepal will have a great opportunity in the name of NTY to spruce up the beauty of its cities and villages in course of celebrating 2010 with more events and programs than before. At least, these activities will help eclipse the darker side of the country amongst the potential visitors to Nepal.
Precursor to NTY 2011
SARAD PRADHAN
Tourism is an unpredictable but resilient industry. A small disturbance, either national or international, is enough to drive entire past efforts to ground zero. As Nepal is celebrating Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) in 2011, all efforts and resources will now be synthesized to conclude it successfully.
To put it succinctly, Nepal’s tourism industry will face real challenges in 2010, rather than in 2011, because the success of this event depends on the homework that the tourism sector does in 2010.
As a prelude to 2011, a mega event is being organized on February 5, 2010 as part of its launch in Kathmandu by Nepal Tourism Year secretariat inviting people from of all walks of life to express their solidarity to convert NTY into a national campaign. The major challenges that Nepali tourism industry will face in 2010, apart from political uncertainty and regular Nepal bandas and chakkajam, are accessibility, accommodation and infrastructure.
The brighter side is that there are 23 airlines flying to Nepal. But the grimmer side is more appalling because they carry fewer tourists, and more Nepalis. In 1999, tourist arrivals by air were 421,243 but there were hardly 12 international airlines flying to Nepal. In contrast, there were 21 airlines in 2008, and the tourists they carried were 374,661. Similarly, Nepal Airlines brought 123,458 tourists in 1999 but it reduced to 21,000 in 2008.
The hope that we have had on Nepal Airlines for the revival of tourism arrivals as before with new planes has been crashed due to the tug of war between Nepal Airlines and the government. So the real need is to have more airlines that carry tourists to Nepal rather than the ones that occupy the slots in the crowded and crammed Tribhuvan International Airport. If the government allows ATR aircraft to fly abroad, there are high chances, for instance, to have more tourists from India directly to Pokhara.
Many hotels have been closed over the years and there is no sign of building new hotels in 2010. So there could be more problems of accommodation in 2010, especially during the high seasons, if tourist arrivals increase substantially. However, if the travel industry makes use of the new apartments that have been mushrooming in the Kathmandu Valley for accommodation, it may mitigate the shortage of rooms to some extent.
In 2010, it is also equally important to give a facelift to Tribhuvan International Airport in general, including the airport taxi, immigration, and restrooms. Before we bring tourists, we have to keep our house in order to welcome them.
There is also a need to improve the snail-pace traffic in the Valley.
To put it in a nutshell, Nepal will have a great opportunity in the name of NTY to spruce up the beauty of its cities and villages in course of celebrating 2010 with more events and programs than before. At least, these activities will help eclipse the darker side of the country amongst the potential visitors to Nepal.
posted by Sarad @ 5:59 AM
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