Email:
sales@iciclesadventuretreks.com
Cell/WhatsApp:
+977-9851254035 (Indira)

Assuring Travelers that Nepal is Safe for Travel

Assuring-Travelers-that-Nepal-is-Safe-for-Travel

Government’s Action Plan for Recovering Tourism Sector from Disaster

To minimize further negative impacts on tourism sector of Nepal, the government of Nepal formed TRC or Tourism Recovery Committee in June. The National Tourism Promotion Committee consisted total of 36 members taken leadership by Tourism Minister Kripashur Sherpa. The committee works for recovery and reconstruction activities along with planning and execution of tourism development activities.

In the same concern, top level officials of tourism industry gave their views that forming a large committee only wouldn’t help. To work and carry on recovery process in effective manner, the committee should have ‘terms of reference’ and members in a committee should be experts who can dedicate full time and expertise. Only then it is possible to achieve a goal.

The PDNA (Post Disaster Needs Assessment) report prepared by National Planning Commission (NPC) urged Nepal government to announce 2017 and 2018 as Visit Nepal Year to assure travelers that reconstruction and rehabilitation will be completed by then. Further NPC said that initially there is a need to rebrand and rebuild the image of tourism, and it is not an easy task, there must be good coordination among key stakeholders to ensure travelers that Nepal is safe to travel.

All is Well in Nepal?

Soon after an earthquake struck, many tourists were evacuated to their home country and thousands more cancelled their future Nepal trips. In assuring the tourists, some companies are disseminating the message Nepal is safe to travel, but the big question is will tourists believe? Tourism entrepreneurs said that spreading unconvincing message could backfire. The message should be based on factual information and until tourists won’t believe that all is well here, they are not going to visit Nepal.

Offering Discount is the Way to Bring Back Tourists?

The main thing tourists are concerned about safety and value for their money. Its not about discount. Tourism experts are against reducing price of tourism products and services as discount is not the factor that encourages people to visit Nepal. They believe that it’s the quality that attracts.

In present context, many tourism professionals from Pokhara and Chitwan are offering upto 50% flat discounts but still it doesn’t seem to be working. 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.

In the matter of fact we also have to see the history and learn from others. In 2011 when tsumani struck Japan, Japanese Government offered free return flights to 10,000 foreigners as suggested by PATA. Why can’t Nepalese Government do something similar in order to bring back tourists? First we should bring few, few will return and assure another few. In this way, the combination of few will turn in huge number of tourists visiting beautiful country Nepal.

What Can Be Done Next?

The main thing that should be done is to relay a positive message to world, work for revising travel advisories, find alternate routes in damaged trekking trails and assure all the travelers with factual information that Nepal is safe to visit.

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 fan trips for international journalists to promote Nepal.

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."

Adhikari added, "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.”

Source: Republica

Associated and certified

Government of nepal

Registered with: Company Registration Office, Government of Nepal

Government of nepal

Licensed by: Nepal Tourism Board & Department of Tourism

TAAN

Proud Member of Trekking Agency's Association of Nepal

NMA

General Member of Nepal Mountaineering Association