Bringing the tourists back

Government preparing action plan for tourism recovery
'Naturally Nepal, Once is Not Enough!' has remained slogan of Nepali tourism since 2006. Though the slogan is catchy and carries Nepali tourism's USP -- nature -- really well, tourism entrepreneurs say there is a need to rebrand Nepali tourism in the changed context.

"Tourist arrivals grew by an average of 21 percent for almost three years after a new slogan 'Together for Tourism' was promoted in 2010 for Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011 campaign," recalled Yogendra Shakya, a noted tourism entrepreneur who was also the coordinator of NTY 2011 campaign.

According to Shakya, the campaign helped to bring 300,000 more tourists to Nepal at a time when the tourism industry was gradually recovering with the end of Maoist insurgency.

Entrepreneurs suggest Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) to find a right brand identity with emotional appeal to cash on sympathy that people from all over the world have for Nepal.

"We should be able to tell the world that situation in Nepal is not as worse as depicted by international media," Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Kripashur Sherpa recently told a meeting of parliamentary Development Committee. "We need to tell them that Nepal is ready to welcome tourists."

According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), only 11 out of 75 districts, three out of 35 trekking routes, and three out of 19 National Parks and conservation areas have been affected by the earthquake. Similarly, only one of eight UNESCO World Heritage sites (cultural) is closed, and that there has been no damage in road network, highways and airports. Likewise, more than 90 percent of the hotels are safe and are in operation.

TOURISM RECOVERY
The government formed Tourism Recovery Committee (TRC) in June to minimize negative impacts of the earthquake on tourism and revive the industry. It formed a 36-member National Tourism Promotion Committee under the leadership of Minister Sherpa on Sunday to coordinate recovery and reconstruction activities, develop concrete plan of action for tourism recovery, and promote Nepal.

However, a high-ranking official of tourism ministry said formation of a jumbo committee alone won't help. "The committee should have a proper Terms of Reference. Only the people, who can really give their time and expertise, should be included in the committee," the official said.

IS EVERYTHING WELL?
Many tourists were evacuated from different parts of the country and sent to their homeland right after the earthquake. Similarly, tourists, who were planning to come to Nepal, cancelled their trips. To bring tourists back, some companies have already started disseminating message that all is well here. But the question is, will tourists believe what these companies are saying just a few months after such a massive devastation?

Raj Gyawali, a tourism entrepreneur, said dissemination of messages in a haphazard manner could backfire. "If we promote unconvincing things, it will create another disaster. We need to promote our destination based on facts. Unless tourists feel they will be safe and secure in Nepal, they won't come here," he added.

DO DISCOUNTS REALLY HELP?
Tourism experts are against reducing price of tourism products and services. "What encourages people to travel is safety and value for money. No matter how much discount we provide, there are not coming here unless they feel safe and secured," Shakya said, adding, "Price cuts won't work because it's the quality that attracts."

Tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara and Chitwan have slashed rates by as much as 50 percent. However, it doesn't seem to be working.

Suman Ghimire, first vice chairman of Regional Hotel Association Sauraha, said discount offer hasn't helped them at all. "We announced discount offers feeling that we would be able to meet at least the operating cost. But it seems that tourists won't visit Nepal unless they feel they will be safe here," Ghimire added.

Tika Ram Sapkota, media coordinator of Pokhara Tourism Recover Committee, said some Nepalis as well as Chinese and Indian tourists have come to Pokhara. "We feel that our discount offer hasn't created much impact on arrivals," he added.

Talking to Republica, Andrew Jones, vice chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association who is working as an expert for TRC, had recently said discount offers won't help. "If the discounts are to be continued, these should be for a specific period and for specific markets only," he added. He suggests providing value addition like offering a free dinner or a bottle of wine or a spa treatment for the guests in the hotel and enhancing the quality of service instead.

After earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Japan offered free return flights to 10,000 foreign visitors based on PATA's suggestions. Tourists, however, had to pay for accommodation and other expenses.

WHAT NEXT?
Tulsi Gautam, director general of Department of Tourism (DoT), said there is a need to relay positive message to the world, work for revising travel advisories, re-route damaged trekking trials, and build confidence on travelers.

It is estimated that number of tourist visiting the country will decrease by around 40 percent this year and continue for at least next two years. "Arrivals will return to the pre-quake level within few years even if we do nothing. But this is not what we want," Pramod Nepal, under secretary of MoCTCA, said. "We want more tourists and we want to see recovery of tourism industry as soon as possible."

He said Nepal must add new tourism products, build artificial tourism products, develop tourism pocket areas, and strengthen and mobilize Nepali embassies and missions abroad for tourism promotion.

TRC is planning to invite different celebrities and organize fam trips for international journalists to promote Nepal.

"What we can do is invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Nepal. Once they visit and media covers the event and say that Nepal is now safe to visit, we don't have to do much," said Shakya.

Entrepreneurs say we can invite tourists by saying that reconstruction works have started and that things are getting back to normalcy. Many people want to see how people survived and how Nepal rebuilds, they said.

Ramesh Adhikari, administrative chief of NTB, said they were preparing immediate action plan based on the suggestions of experts. "The immediate action plan will be made targeting the autumn season," he added. "Our promotional plans will focus on India and China as these are our major markets."

According to Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) report, tourism sector has faced loss of around Rs 81.24 billion. Tourism sector needs Rs 41.33 billion for reconstruction activities and another Rs 20.56 billion for reconstruction of cultural monuments.

"In the second phase, we will focus on reconstruction of heritage sites and tourism infrastructures and tourists can come and see how we are rebuilding our country," said Adhikari.

source: kriti bhuju,republica, 18 june 2015