More Tourists Yet Little Money-Industry’s Tragedy!

Nowadays, everywhere in and around the city and valley, you can see large number of tourist walking on their way. Sight like this was rare just before some couples of months. Of course, tourism industry has seen its revival from larger number of tourist’s arrival in recent time, after the peace pact between government and Maoist.

Nepalese tourism industry, then, sighed the huge relief. Since then it has seen ever swelling status of visitors’ arrival. Fragile however, confidence is back now in the tourism sector. But have we really benefited as we much as we could have from this tremendous increase in the number of tourist in recent time? Sadly answer is very much disappointing with ‘No’

There are so many reasons behind it.

Major portion of the tourists are coming from air and among them almost all tourists are from foreign airliners. The result is that most of the money they spend for visiting Nepal doesn’t come to Nepal since they pay more money for airfare than they spend during their stay in Nepal. So it isn’t so hard to conclude that the arrival of tourist has not contributed as much as it should have. Money is flying back to its origins.

The very first and biggest reason is of course, nothing else but lethargic, lackluster and lukewarm performance of nation’s flag carrier Nepal Airlines and other private airliners like Air Nepal and Cosmic Air or in the past Necon Air also aren’t less responsible in this regard.

Landed in same year, opposite to its counter part Nepal Airlines, Thai has become younger and younger each year, and has become one of the world’s largest and most prestigious airliners but on the other hand NA is desperately seeking its revival of lost relic or waiting for its pathetic tragic end!

NA is now serving as a very good example to prove that When there isn’t strong presence of our own airlines in international sector whether it is private or flag carrier, national economy has very little to do with tourist in terms of income and revenue it generates, thus very little chance to be benefited from tourism sector. It is very important to note, particularly in the case of Nepalese tourism sector where an average tourist’s airfare is costlier/ higher than total cost of their rest of the activities. Thus, as said earlier, money is flying back to its origins.

To boost our tourism sector, as lauded by many experts in the past and recent time, undisputedly, we need our own strong and dependable airliner(s). There may be pretty good number of tourist arrival but contribution of tourism sector to the national economy will be nominal without our own airlines. This is the same situation we are going through right now.

To fortify this say we can exemplify Thailand and now Malaysia’s tourism sector. They are being able to sell and provide every kind of service- luxurious to cheap one yet satisfactory package for every kind of visitors regardless of their economic status–high or medium class. It is because there is very good tie up, co-ordination among, hotels and tour operators to each others. More, they have their own wide reached, world class, and reliable airlines with solid reputation as well as committed and professional team and its head. Fraction of money doesn’t go outside when there is strong presence of own airlines. And they have it all. Only then it has become possible for them to provide affordable package even for middle class Indian and Nepali. As a result, tourists are hurling in with them. They are making huge profit in such a cheap tour operation, too with clever management and solid foundation though profit margin is very low.

Problem of nation’s reliable and trustworthy airlines isn’t single and sole reason for hurdle of our tourism industry. There are numerous other factors that are cutting our access thus snatching money from us which could have easily been in our account. Anyway money hasn’t been in our pocket. It has either flown back or hasn’t come yet. Amidst it, one thing is sure if we really cannot be benefited financially from growing number of tourist there is no worth of it nation as well as for us.

-Tejendra Baruwal@Adventure.Life.Uni

Ps: My name herein looks like an email address but don’t be confused it is no longer but my name chosen for.