Tourism to guarantee million jobs

The travel and tourism industry of the country, in the next decade, is expected to generate more than one million jobs which will account for 8.3 per cent of the total number of jobs available in 2022.

“The tourism sector has a great opportunity in contributing to economic development through employment generation and with a significant

contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP),” said chief executive officer at Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents Hari Sharmah.

In 2011, the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to employment including indirect jobs supported

by the sector, stood at 7.7 per cent of the total employment

of 952,500 jobs, according to

a draft report which also emphasises on the need to include

the tourism sector as a priority industry.

According to a report of the World Travel and Tourism Council, it has expected a rise of 3.8 per cent of the total employment of 988,000 jobs and an increase by 3.1 per cent per annum to 1,341,000 jobs in 2022 which translates to 8.3 per cent of the total jobs.

In 2011, the travel and tourism sector directly supported 412,500 jobs, which is 3.3 per cent of the total employment. It is expected to rise by 3.7 per cent in 2012 and by 2.8 per cent per annum to 562,000 jobs which is 3.5 per cent of the total employment in 2022, the report said, adding that the total contribution of the sector to the national GDP was Rs 119.1 billion which was 8.8 per cent in 2011 and is expected to rise by 4.8 per cent in 2012. “It will see a rise by 4.1 per cent per annum to Rs 185.5 billion in 2022,” states the report.

“Though the industry holds huge prospects, the government has failed to facilitate the industry with proper infrastructure that is required to promote tourism,” said Sharmah, adding that as compared to other sectors, the tourism industry has more comparative and competitive outcomes.

“To help the sector achieve its potential, it needs to be identified as a national priority industry,” he said. The World Tourism Competitive Index 2011 stated that among 139 countries Nepal ranked 122 but tourism experts have claimed that with proper planning from the government, the sector can get a better global ranking.

“The tourism industry is the only sector which can be revived promptly and that fact can be verified through the visitor arrival figures after the 2006 agreement between the different political parties,” he said. During 2007, the country observed an increment of 37 per cent in total tourist arrivals.

Meanwhile, tourist arrivals broke the record with an arrival of 735,932 tourists in 2011, which was celebrated as Nepal Tourism Year. During 2010, total tourist arrivals was 602,867.

source: The Himalayan Times,29 March 2012