Nepal Tourism Mart 2020 in September

House of Rajkarnicar is organising Nepal Travellers Mart 2020 on September 17-19 at Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu as a way to keep the spirit of Visit Nepal Year 2020 (VNY2020) alive and also as way to offer a strategic solution to the devastation of inbound tourism of Nepal caused by the Covid-19 pandemic through-out the entire world.
It is time the Nepal travel industry recognise the potential of Nepali travellers and begin to cultivate the domestic travel market through targeted marketing and product development, it said in a press note issued here today. “Nepali tourists and travellers offer a better potential to Nepal’s tourism industry than it is ready to acknowledge or act upon lately,” the press note reads, adding that Nepali travellers estimated to be 4 to 5 times more than foreign travellers …. growing faster than foreign travelers. “Nepali travellers contribute to 54 per cent of Nepal’s international air traffic …… make up 65 per cent of yearly tourism revenue, if the statistics cannot be trusted, one can feel the overwhelming presence of domestic tourists anywhere one goes in Nepal ………….airports and airplanes, bus terminals and coaches, hotels and lodges, bars and restaurants, Lumbini Peace Garden, bungy jump line, trekking, rafting, para-gliding, mountain biking and motor-biking.”
Likewise, one can spot Nepalis travelling to every part of the world ….from the temples of India, beaches of Bali, shopping in Thailand to American theme parks, it adds.
Nepal as a tourism market has been neglected or forgotten for a very long time. Tourism infrastructure like airports, aircrafts, roads and other facilities have always been planned and developed keeping the foreign tourists and travellers in mind. “It is time the Nepal’s tourism industry stop taking Nepalis for granted and start offering holidays and hospitality tailored to Nepalis preferences,” the press note reads, adding that it is time to knock on the doors of Nepali homes and businesses expand Nepali tourism sector. “Nepal Travellers Mart 2020 will be a good starting point to market and cater to no-longer obscure Nepali traveler.”
The NTM 2020 expects to usher in about 50,000 Nepalis and expatriates, which would include Nepali holiday-makers and travellers, tour operators, travel agents, corporate and institutional travel managers, event managers, school tour mangers, tour guides and trekking guides. The Mart will attempt to draw in consumers, who are actively looking for destinations, holidays, leisure activities, hotels and air, coach tickets for the coming Dashain and winter holidays. “Dashain holidays and the school winter break during December-January is the peak season for the Nepali holiday-makers,” it reads, adding that while the event is primarily a consumer event, travel buyers from Nepal and regional travel agents including India, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore are also expected to visit the show in significant numbers.
The NTM 2020 is expected to host about 200 exhibitors, with 7 Pradhesh Pavilions and a one-of-a-kind Tourism Poster Show, which will house  travel destinations, pradhesh tourism authorities, hotels, resorts, tea-houses, home-stays, spa and wellness centers, restaurants and bars, cafes and pubs, pilgrimage sites, heritage sites, national parks, theme  parks, travel agents, tour operators, trekking agencies, rafting agencies, jungle safari and expedition operators, overland motor-cycles mountain biking operators, extreme sports operators, paragliding operators, zip-wire operators, coach and car hire, outdoor adventure gear and sports, mountain bikes, overland vehicles.
The Mart is also expected to feature eight interactive live events including Outdoor Cuisine Show, Travel Film Festival, Rock-climbing Trials, Children Zip-wire Trials, Travel Instagram Challenge, Travel Selfie Contest, Adventure Sports Workshops and Travel Guff Hour. The Mart shall also organise cultural attractions to engage and entertain Nepali travel enthusiasts and business buyers.
The NTM 2020 clearly defines and demonstrates the power of live marketing.

Government temporarily suspends on-arrival visa for five countries

 Taking precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus from travelers, the government has decided to halt issuing on-arrival visas to foreign nationals from five countries that have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, the Department of Immigration informed.

A Cabinet meeting yesterday decided that visas for citizens of China – including its Special Administrative Regions – Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran will not be issued on arrival effective from March 10, the department confirmed. “If they wish to travel to Nepal, they will need to obtain a visa at the Nepali embassy in the respective countries,” the department said, adding that the government is monitoring the spread of Covid-19 and has temporarily stopped the on-arrival visa for only five countries. “Taking into account the global recommendations and measure of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the government has decided to temporarily suspend visa-on-arrival for the nationals of these countries effective from 10 March 2020 until further notice.

The applicants in these countries are required to submit a recently issued health certificate with the visa application to get the visa, a press note from the department reads. The government has also issued travel advisory for Nepalis in which it requests them to  avoid traveling to these countries until and unless it is really necessary.

Currently, only citizens from 12 countries – including Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq and Palestine – are required to acquire a visa prior to their arrival in Nepal, rest of the countries in the world get on-arrival visa in Nepal. 

Government postpones Visit Nepal 2020 promotions abroad

 The government has finally postponed the promotional campaign of Visit Nepal 2020 (VNY2020) due to aggressive spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) across the globe.

Speaking at the Buddhist Chamunda Heritage Walk event today, minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai informed that the government was focused on promoting domestic tourism by postponing the tourism promotional activities overseas until the situation comes under control. “The government took the decision after the coronavirus outbreak that started in China spread to Europe, America, Gulf nations and the East Asian countries,” Bhattarai said, adding that the promotion of the mega tourism campaign has been postponed for a short span of time and will be resumed soon.

“Once the coronavirus epidemic is brought under control, the government will ramp up its tourism campaign promotional activities,” he promised.

The government had – on January 1 – launched the mega tourism campaign Visit Nepal 2020 aiming at hosting 2 million foreign tourists into the country. The government has also allocated Rs 100 million – in current fiscal year 2019-20 – for the campaign, though the coronavirus threat started in January in China. The coronavirus has not posed any threat to Nepal as of now as a 32-year-old Wuhan-returnee – who tested positive over a month ago – recovered from the disease after receiving treatment in quarantine.

The ministry also accepted that the target of bringing in 2 million tourists in the country will be difficult to meet because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Business opportunities between Nepal and Romania discussed

Nepali and Romanian business people today discussed in searching the business possibilities and also to develop bilateral relationship between business persons from the two countries.
A total 11 business persons including the president of Chamber of Commerce IASI Romania, which is the second largest city of Romania, and different business organisation’s representatives with youth, entrepreneurs and business persons from Nepal also took part in the ‘Bilateral Business Opportunities between Nepal and Romania’ organised here today.
The programme – chaired and moderated by chairman of organising company Technovation Future Care Pvt Ltd Prakash Ghimire – also witnessed consulate general of Romania Narayan Bajaj, vice president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) Naresh Shrestha, senior manager of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) Sunil Sharma, entrepreneur and JCI Nepal past president Senetor Raju KC, entrepreneur and coordinator of Romanian delegate Marius Alexa, president of Chamber of Commerce IASI Paul Butnariu.
On the occasion, 5 entrepreneurs and business persons from Romania presented their business presentations.
Likewise, consulate general of Romania Narayan Bajaj, on the occasion, said that he had just started his role as honorary general consulate since the month of May. He has also committed to enhance the relationship between two countries. “We will also prioritise in promoting Visit Nepal 2020 (VNY2020) and request to promote visit Nepal 2020 in Romania,” he said, emphasising that Nepal has good time for economic growth and to become a developing countries because now Nepal has political stability with the two-third majority government.
Nepal Chambers of Commerce (NCC) vice president Naresh Shrestha, on the occasion, said that Nepal is not a poor country. “Nepalis have high purchasing capacity,” he said, inviting the Romanian entrepreneurs to invest in Nepal.
On the occasion, the past National president of Nepal Jaycees Raju KC presented his presentation on ‘Foreign Investment in Nepal’. “Investment in Nepal can be highly profitable and two largest populated countries India and China also will be the possible sales market from Nepal,” he added.
Presenting economic profile of IASI city, the president of IASI chamber of commerce, Paul Butnariu said that they have so many business opportunities as well as investment plan in Nepal. “We want to take skilled and non skilled manpower in the field of hospitality management, construction, information technology, food production and services and students for higher education in so many universities and colleges,” he said, adding that they are ready to promote Nepali tourism in Romania and invite Nepali delegates to visit Romania very soon.
During the programme, Romanian entrepreneurs and business persons presented their products and services from HR consultancy, management and education consultancy, food industry and services, IT, modern printing solution, travel/tourism management, healthcare and beauty products.
The Romanian delegates are now in Nepal from September 22 to October 1. Apart from Kathmandu, they will also visit Bhaktapur, Gorkha, Pokhara, Lumbini and Chiwan.
The Technovation Future Care Pvt Ltd of Nepal and SC Arhipelago Interactive SLR of Romania have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote bilateral visits and to develop business relationship.
In the near future, Nepali delegates will also be visiting Romania.

Nepal is one of the cheapest destinations to visit

Nepal is one of the cheapest destinations to visit in the world, according to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) last week.
The report placed Nepal in 15th position – among 140 countries – in terms of price competitiveness, behind countries like Iran, Egypt, Kazakhstan and India. Nepal trails behind India (34th) and Sri Lanka (77th) in terms of travel and tourism competitiveness in South Asia.
Nepal has also been ranked 91st in terms of safety and security, according to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index that has stated that Nepal lagged behind when it comes to air quality and ground infrastructure. “Nepal ranked 134th in terms of environmental sustainability, 131st on ground and port infrastructure, and 126th on tourism service infrastructure.”
The WEF report also revealed that South Asia ranks low on infrastructure, with underdeveloped tourist service infrastructure representing its greatest relative disadvantage, apart from low information and communications technology readiness, international openness, safety and security, and health and hygiene.
The report – published by the Switzerland-based WEF every two years – has ranked the 140 economies in four sub-indexes: enabling environment, travel and tourism policy and enabling conditions, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources. “Together, these four sub-indexes include a total of 14 pillars, which are used to score a country's overall travel and tourism competitiveness,” it reads, adding that the top five performers in the world are Spain, France, Germany, Japan and the US.
Price competitiveness – the only category in which Nepal performed better – is measured by comparing costs relating to airfare ticket taxes and airport charges, which can make flight tickets much more expensive; the relative cost of hotel accommodation; the cost of living, proxied by purchasing power parity; and fuel price costs, which directly influence the cost of travel.
Though, there has been a debate on either to make Nepal a cheaper destination or not, the country is observing Visit Nepal Year 2020 aiming at welcoming 2 million tourists in a year. Last year Nepal received some 1.17 million foreign visitors, though their spending plummeted to a seven-year low as Nepal has been increasingly sold as a budget destination also due to the influence of platforms like Aand Oyo, online marketplaces for arranging lodging services that match budget-minded travelers.
According to the Tourism Ministry, the average spending per tourist per day has dropped to $44 last year, the lowest in seven years. “The average spending stood at $54 per day in 2017,” the data revealed, adding that in 2003 – even during the height of the Maoist insurgency – per day spending of tourists was at a record $79.1.
However, the travel tourism entrepreneurs claim that the increasing online payment system in Nepal’s hospitality industry made it difficult for the government to find out the real revenue earned.

Nepali team departs to China for revision of ASA

Nepal and China is scheduled to hold discussions – on Thursday and Friday – on revising the air services agreement (ASA).
A Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) team – led by joint secretary Suresh Acharya – left for China today to hold discussions on revising the ASA, according to the ministry that has prepared to ask the northern neighbour to allow Nepali airliners to fly to Chinese cities.
Currently, Chinese airlines have direct flights to Nepal, whereas not a single Nepali airline flies to China directly, though the number of Chinese flights coming to Nepal has reached 70 per week. Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has started the process to operate flights to China, whereas Himalaya Airlines also unveiled its plan to fly to China. Howvere, they have not got any slots to fly to China against the ASA between the two neighbours.
Earlier, the two countries had signed bilateral ASA in 2014, under which both countries were allowed to operate 56 flights a week in any airport of the respective countries. Due to the agreement, Chinese airline companies including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Sichuan Airlines and Tibet Airlines are operating direct flights to Nepal from China, but Nepali Airlines have been ‘barred’ technically to fly to China.
The national flag carrier – a month ago – had submitted all the required documents to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to operate direct flights to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China. But the Chinese authorities had mentioned that they will first need to conduct a safety audit before permitting NAC to operate flights to the northern neighbour.
The NAC is ready for safety audit as a Chinese team is coming to Kathmandu in October for the safety audit.
Though, China is a very significant market for the Nepali tourism industry, failure of the Nepali Airlines to fly to China has hit the number of Chinese tourists – who are the second largest travellers to Nepal – also in the wake of Visit Nepal 2020.

Average tourist spending drops

Average tourist spending has dropped against the government’s plan to bring in quality foreign tourists with high-spending capacity.
“The average spending of foreigners dropped by 22.73 per cent in 2018,” according to the Nepal Tourism Statistics-2018 that revealed that the average per day spending of a foreign tourist in Nepal was $54 in 2017 but it came down by  $10 to $44 per day in 2018.
Nepal Tourism Statistics 2018 – prepared by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) – revealed that not only the number of high-spending tourists in Nepal is declining in recent years against the government’s plan to increase the inflow of such travelers but also the average length of the tourists has been decreasing. “The average length of stay of foreign tourists in Nepal also dropped to 12.4 days in 2018 from 12.6 days in 2017,” the statistics revealed.
The government’s three-year development plan (2016-2018) that aimed at increasing the length of stay of foreigners to 14 days by 2018 – which ranged from eight to 13.5 days in the past – has failed despite the increasing number of the tourists.
Nepal can offer products suitable for both backpackers and high-end tourists, according to president of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter Sunil Shakya. “The historical, cultural, natural and spiritual products on offer could cater to a variety of guests as per their need,” he said, adding that most of the trekkers and travellers are backpackers, who spend money on our roadside shops and local markets that could actually uplift the livelihood of people living in rural areas.
Currently, almost 65 per cent tourists travelling to Nepal are backpackers, he added. “Backpackers may be good for growth of numbers, but in terms of revenue, we have to develop good strategies to bring in high-end tourists.”
“Nepal needs to develop ample tourism packages beyond major cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara to increase the length of stay of tourists and their spending,” according to the vice chair of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) Binayak Shah.

First food tourism conference launched

The World Food Travel Association – along with partners in Nepal – today announced the launch of the country’s first food tourism conference under the name FoodTreX Kathmandu. The FoodTreX brand was created by the World Food Travel Association (WFTA), as the umbrella brand name for the Association’s food and beverage travel trade events.
“Despite having an extensive food and drink culture, Nepal has not been able to tap the immense potential in gastronomic tourism,” the conference organiser and certified World Food Travel Association ambassador Suraj Pradhan said, adding, “With facts and figures to back them up, we strongly believe that food is the way to a tourist’s heart.”
FoodTreX Kathmandu Regional Food Travel Summit will take place on May 24-26 at the Park Village Hotel by KGH Group at Budhanilkantha in Kathmandu. Delegates will enjoy a three-day event full of food-loving activities, face-to-face networking opportunities and inspiration from some of the industry’s leaders, said the organisers, who have included Two Tables, the U-Turn Events and Social Tours.
“FoodTreX Kathmandu represents first formal step into Asia,” the WFTA’s founder and executive director Erik Wolf said, adding that the organiser is pleased to be working with Nepal ambassador Suraj Pradhan and his team to deliver an outstanding first food tourism event for Nepal.

VNY 2020 soft launch on Nepali New Year in Pokhara

The government is planning to soft-launch the Visit Nepal Year (VNY) 2020 campaign on the occasion of Nepali New Year’s day, on April 14, in Pokhara.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has announced the campaign last year with a target to bring in two million tourists by 2020. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the private sector have been joining hands as the government has appointed Suraj Vaidya as the coordinator of the ambitious campaign.
The government has allocated Rs 100 million in fiscal year 2018-19 for the campaign.
According to Vaidya, the committee has prepared a few programmes – like promoting new tourist destinations and digital marketing – in association with the private sector, which will be implemented in the current fiscal that ends in mid-July.
"The VNY 2020 campaign has fixed ‘Lifetime Experience’ as its slogan," Vaidya said, adding that the committee will concentrate on providing new activities and new experiences to travellers during the campaign period. "Some 20 new tourist destinations among the 100 tourist destinations unveiled by the tourism ministry will be promoted under the campaign."
The committee will organise sales missions in China and India – the largest touris markets for Nepal – as well as European countries, apart from branding the country’s sole international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), as a boutique airport, he added. "The committee is also planning to launch 'Kathmandu Valley by Night' in coordination of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Bhaktapur Municipality." They will promote the three cities in the Valley in peaceful environment of night with decorated lights at the three Durbar Squares in the Valley with local street food and several cultural programmes, Vaidya informed.

Kathmandu is Lonely Planet’s new 5th top city

Kathmandu is one of the top 5 travel destinations, according to Travel Guidebook Lonely Planet.
The Travel Guidebook listed Kathmandu as the 5th top travel destination among the ‘ten cities primed to capture travelers’ imaginations' in 2019. The Lonely Planet has revealed its ten picks for the best travel destinations and experiences for the next year.
Capital of Denmark Copenhagen is the top destination, followed by Shenzhèn of China, Novi Sad of Serbia and Miami of Florida tops the list. Kathmandu is the fifth top travel destination, according to the Lonely Planet that lists Mexico City of Mexico, Dakar of Senegal, Seattle of Washington, Zadar of Croatia and Meknès of Morocco are also in the top 10. Seville, the capital of Spain’s southern Andalucía region, was the global travel guidebook’s top destination for 2018.
"In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake, news reports from Kathmandu showed a city broken and in mourning, but today the narrative is all about reconstruction and rejuvenation," Lonely Planet describes, adding, "Sure, there’s work to do restoring the magnificent monuments that crumbled during the disaster, but historic sites are being returned to their former glory, and moves to calm the city’s infamous traffic, smog and noise have made Kathmandu more liveable than it has been in decades."
There’s even reliable electricity and wi-fi as bonus creature comforts in the atmospheric and maze-like alleyways of the old city, the description further reads.
According to Lonely Planet, Sri Lanka, Germany and Zimbabwe are the top 10 countries to visit in 2019, whereas Egypt’s Southern Nile Valley is the best value destination.

Nepal features on British travel agents’ best holiday destination list

Nepal is featured on British travel agents’ best holiday destination list for 2018.
The Association of British Travel Agents' has published a list of 12 best holiday destinations for 2018. "The destinations picked from around the world are expected to be in high demand among Britishers next year," according to the report.
Those named best destinations on the list besides Nepal are Argentina, Arizona, British Columbia, Germany, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Rwanda, St Lucia, Sweden and Turkey.
“The locations were picked for several key reasons including unique travel experience, something special is happening in 2018," it reads, adding that there is easy accessibility for British tourists or the destination is s a well-known with hidden gems.
Meanwhile, the report predicts that vacations will remain a spending priority from British citizens in the new year despite the weakening pound and wider economic issues over the past year.

National Geographic lists Pokhara as Best Spring Trips 2017

Pokhara has made it to the list of the destinations not to be missed in the spring of 2017.
The National Geographic travel magazine has recommended 12 destinations around the world to visit in this spring and Lake City Pokhara of Nepal finds its place on its list of Best Spring Trips 2017.
The UK-based popular travel publication with a theme ‘Hit a travel high in the beauty of this Himalayan city’ has described Pokhara as a hidden gem for adventurous travellers.
“Soaring over the Pokhara City delivers adrenaline-junkie Himalaya views without the hiking,” it writes, adding that Pokhara – a gateway to Nepal’s Annapurna region – is considered one of the world’s top spots for paragliding due, in part, to jaw-dropping views of glaciers, lakes, and snow-covered peaks. "No experience is required to ride on a sunrise paragliding tandem flight."
Options include the relatively tame Cloud Buster (20- to 30-minute) scenic flight, a longer (45- to 60-minute) Cross-Country tour, and the spinning-and-spiraling Acrobatic Flight, it further writes. "Before launching from Sarangkot (2,000 feet above the Pokhara Valley), snap a picture of Pokhara's majestic mountain triple crown-26,795-foot Dhaulagiri, 26,040-foot Annapurna II, and 26,781-foot Manaslu," it adds.
The other destinations that are made it to the list include Cape Town of South Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Park, Olympic National Park, Philadelphia of USA, Suzhou of China, Great Barrier Reef of Australia, Balloon Rally of Washington, USA, Los Glaciers National park of Argentina, Aogashima of Japan and Bubble Lodges of France.