Nepal's Toursim after Post Earthquake

‪#‎NepalToursim‬ and ‪#‎CulturalHeritage‬ indeed has prospects in Nepal, After the devastating earthquake there is more prospect of finding better solution to Nepal's Tourism than prolonging the issue where the relevant departments and ministry seems to be silent in doing any effort. Reality is Nepal's Tourism  Leadership saw a shift which should have been an eye opener to work towards better future but still after the new appoint things do look the same.

Its the same old system and same old people they lack leadership and vision about what to do?
when to do and how to do it ?

Nobody has to tell us about what we need to do at this time of crisis but the thing is are we doing it ?

Tourism is a service industry that works with better coordination of public private sectors, its the only sector that has less investment and high revenue generation capacity increasing the optimization of resources.
After earthquake there has not been any progress in terms of strengthening the tourism  industry in any ways. For your update a project Name NepalNow was being launched by a private initiation where NTB is still trying to engage with it. Most of the content in the project focuses more about promoting Nepal after the earthquake.  we need more projects like these where NTB has to take a lead, its not that we do not have resources but there seems to be a huge gap of WHAT...

Hello!
It was for earthquake and it is over now let's think about re-branding the tourism industry with better marketing strategy, social media strategy and product positioning. Nobody seems to be interested, i guess its the way how it works here  

Everyone is pointing the other way trying to look for solution within others, it seems nobody wants to work for the industry or do their jobs properly.
but in absence of proper infrastructure and ‪#‎management‬ , things are in a ‪#‎denial‬. At this times of ‪#‎crisis‬ , I think we ought to do a reality check, for what is happening and what we need...
So what does it takes to improve the industry?        

1. Who is going to take care of the Airport TIA in terms of customer support, cleanlyness, services available, transporatation, security etc
2. Similarly, what about the restaurant and hotels, the prices are very high these days ?
3. Tourist Security is indeed yet another problem. There has been rise in minor cases of fraud and other iregualrities after the ‪#‎nepalquake
4. Regarding ‪#‎trekking‬ TIMS needs to be upgraded with better tracking technology. ‪#‎Transperancy‬ and clarity highly recommended 
5. Visibility of ‪#‎volunteers‬ and their operations need to be segregated. There is a very high number of volunteers who visit Nepal just for ‪#‎volunteering‬ . They need to be acknowledge & verified
6. Proper system of information desk required at major tourist arrival spots 
7. Location mapping and signs at major tourist spots needed
8. Promotional and information materials availability is lacked 
9. Development of Informational system that guides and helps a tourist is needed 
10. Easy communication channels need to be set up for tourists (FM/Radio/TV/social media)
11. Promotion of International and adventure sport with high efficiency and effectiveness

I think it's high time we ought to think about preparing for future and start working for tomorrow.
We cannot sell and beg with earthquake always
We have to start from somewhere, it's better we start today

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Sadly Nepal turning into a bad tourism destination

" Nepalis are cheaters" this is the reality which we all Nepalis have to face, we were sitting in a restaurant and having food when suddenly in the middle a Portugal couple requested our help. She was trying to communicate with the waiter in English about ordering the food but the waiter was having troubles in explaining her the menu . We were at Momo Hut restaurant located in the middle of the Thamel and I was pretty surprised when she approached us and said all Nepalese are cheaters and thugs, at first we were like what? then after few minutes of reconciliation and hearing her version things seemed quite justifiable.

She was very furious and she had only one version of saying Money money is what they want, so I tried to understand her situation.  Apart from  that when you are a foreign tourist in a foreign land and people constantly trying to loot your money then what will you do? you will probably retaliate that's human nature.

Perhaps, her interpretation was right as if you were asked to pay NRS 20,000 for a car reservation for a whole day (30KM)  wasn't that too much and paid Nrs 400 for 4 bananas I think I would be blown off.

She explained the situation and further initiated a talk and requested us to help and  we tried our best in giving them best solution about what to shop and where to go. I was amazed how easy it was to change people's mentality but why are tourism entrepreneurs of Nepal not understanding the fact that these individual tourist matter hugely in promoting our name and destination.

One review in a travel blog and you will have thousands of people adding their comments. Today its a global world where internet connects us in every possibility of making things visible. Its not just a scenario of what happened here in a restaurant but its a case of a county's image, pride and prestige.  

But there is a confusion in all the tourists that come here in Nepal, as with the recent commercialization of blogging and travel websites, people get overloaded with more negative attitude and when in reality things happen it seems out of proportion. For some who come prepared its just something that they new and for some who don't its like a living hell.

Reality is in case of any issue there is no direction or follow up about what to do or when they  face problems,  they have no one to reach out for help ?

Nepal has been world renowned for its hospitality and culture and in this long run of commercialization and globalization I think we have lost the essence of the real culture and tradition of Nepal's upbringing. Reality bites as Nepal is evolving as one of the top holiday destination but with such facts of Hawkers and lack of management of prostitution in the name of culture and tradition things are slowly degrading. Our destination is getting expensive in the name of  13 % VAT and 10% service charge where in most cases the service we use hardly has any service. so what should we expect ?

 My question is, IS NEPAL A SAFE DESTINATION FOR TOURIST?  Are we doing enough from all sides to promote it?

 Now is the right time to think

 

   

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Money taken as Tourists fee should be used to increase benefits for tourist

The Nepal Government has doubled the tourism service fee for foreigners exiting Nepal via Tribhuvan International Airport enacting from March 1, 2014. The decision to revise the fee was taken by the executive committee of NTB. It was later approved by the Ministry of Finance.

The statement specifically highlights that the income generated from the fee will be used by #Nepal_Tourism_Board to promote Nepal in the international arena and for development of domestic tourism.

I think the money collected from the tourists should be invested in the airport and other facilities rather than the personal holiday trip of the NTB staff. When they go abroad we all know how the promotion takes place. One thing we all have to understand that Nepal lacks marketing tools for Nepal’s promotion. We have embassies in most parts of the world why aren’t we using that network. Working as a tourism journalist I have personally participated in many programs conducted by such embassies that save money and time and most importantly it helps the embassy to increase their credibility at a national level.

Apart from that we lack promotional quality materials like videos and photos which need to be worked on.

The NTB should hire few intellectual marketing consultants who can work on creating a buzz campaign rather than spending millions and billions of rupees in the so called foreign trip in the name of promotional expenses.
I am sorry to say this but taking Nrs 1000 from one tourist might not matter but when it comes to a year’s round figure that money amounts to 6 or 7 digit in a year and you are planning to use it for promotional activities what a joke....
The money taken from the tourists should be returned to them in the name of service, my question is why isn’t NTB ready to finance thamel as a Vehicle Regulated Zone or help Basantapur give better services. Why is it just ready to go for promotional activities aboard only?

Why is my question? Its high time when the leadership and the Nepal Government start thinking about the long terms solution for Nepal’s tourism and its pros and cons rather than wasting time and money in the name of promotional activities.  

Nepal is getting popular as tourism destination whereas talking about the cost its increasing and when we talk about services and quality then its decreasing. Then what are the tourists getting out of it #Baba_jee_ka_Thullu
Use that money to improve the #Tribhuvan_International_Airport at least the tourists would get some benefit out of it ...............    

last time I was there at the International Arrival section I was ashamed of the message displayed at the corridor and services available there. Leadership needs to check this

I know and understand the importance of foreign promotion but at this stage our tourism is just growing. It’s our choice to whether make the base strong or whether we want to make it more vulnerable and expensive.

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Everest Region and Human waste a problem

Climate change has been a global issue of talks especially in big conferences and seminars but when it comes to ground reality it always lacks its practicability in different areas of application. Climate change is an issue of development and growth which is hard to overcome. Like said that climate change issues have not only evolved as a big problem but it also threatens its victim with the by-products that are more alerting.

On contrary it also highlights as a powerful sector of investment and opportunities with dues of limited accessibility and contradiction. Reality is it has been a constant issue of talks for what must be done on the controversial side where nobody talks about it’s by products and its hard affects which is more or less important. To be specific especially for a country like Nepal with limited Green house gas emission rate of 0.11 per person per country which is anything and still the effects of climate change is clearly visible in Nepal. Blaming climate change as the main cause of problems if you look at Nepal’s situation it is very vivid to its practices of how, and what is happening here.

From the melting of the Glacier due to temperature rise in the Himalayan region to the farming externalities of pest, climate change has been an issue of attracting donor money with no end results. Sorting the techniques climate change not only initiates cons but it also has its pros with profitable applications which to some extent shadows in. Sidelining these issues these days a new issue has evolved in the Himalayan region. The current problem other than temperature rise in the Himalayan region is taking shape of immediate attention highlighting the lack of proper waste management. Though the government with its stipulated rules and regulation has created provision of liaison officer and checking waste management but more or less to its practicality the lack of moderation certainly is piling up the Everest region with waste that are visible and waste that not visible(human waste) .

Under the Mountaineering Rules and Regulation 2059, under section 15 sub head of Functions and Duties of a Mountain Guide, it is clearly stated To bring back the garbage that came out above the base camp while using any commodity to the base camp compulsorily similarly under .

Section 27 titled Classification and Management of Garbage defines following points:

(1)The garbage shall be classified for the purpose of garbage management used by the mountaineering expedition team as follows:

(a) Garbage which can be destroyed

(b) Garbage which can be recycled

(c) Garbage which his to be re imported

(2)The materials to be considered the garbage pursuant to sub rule (1) shall be as prescribed in Schedule –10.

Schedule 10

(Relating to sub rule (2) of Rule 27)

The materials to be considered as garbage

The following materials shall come under the following garbage:-

(a) Garbage which can be destroyed: Toilet paper, paper, cardboard, things made from bamboo, jute and cotton bag, decomposed food or dead body.

(b) Garbage which can be recycled: Tin, bottle, jar, plastic can, plastic shit, reusable gas cylinder, and plastic bag or gas container.

(c)Garbage which has to be re-imported: Used oxygen bottle, used battery, equipment to be used for climbing or personnel goods etc.

Surfacing the fact of the application and visibility few attempts have been made in bring back the visible waste but what about the bio hazardous ( Human Waste). Can you imagine your waste being frozen there for ages and still have the potentiality of being harmful for the environment? It’s like time stops where everything else is frozen. The effects of lack of waste management are visible.

During the summer season when the snow melts dead crops of mountaineers can be seen in unreachable areas lying abandon. Likewise with the threat of melting down of the glacier the lack of management of waste in the Everest region has significantly triggered the utmost need of managing the human waste there. Though limited efforts have been done with collecting human waste through the waste bags in the lower region of the Everest but a condition to rethink about the upper region certainly hinder to consider about the waste management process.

In a report of United Nation Environment Program, states “ Concentrated visitor activity in mountain areas generates significant amounts of both solid waste and wastewater, which can pollute water and soil through improper storage and disposal. Solid waste can build up from food and beverage consumption and the disposal of used packaging, supplies and equipment. Certain types of waste, including pharmaceuticals, personal products and cleaning products may contain dangerous chemicals that can harm local ecosystems, wildlife or people. Accidental or poorly managed discharges of oils and fuels from vehicles, vessels or equipment can be a significant source of water or soil pollution. Wastewater and sewage from facilities, water craft and animals, such as sled dogs and horses, can also easily pollute freshwater resources, particularly since human and other wastes and chemicals break down more slowly in alpine areas.”

Till date it is estimated that more than 1million people have reached the Everest region from the time of its first scale and their waste lies as a ticking time bomb frozen and waiting for the right time to be released with all its fury. It certainly can ruin the mountain environment and its surrounding ecosystem. Huge efforts are made to stop garbage and littering in Everest region but a less ignored area is the human waste which is certainly more threatening and being ignored. More specific policies are needed with better mechanisms to curb this problem or else Everest region will be yet another environmental disaster.

Shreedeep Rayamajhi

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