Nepal Tourism Board to use Experimental Tourism to Promote its Tourism post COVID – 19 says Dr Dhananjay Regmi, CEO – NEPAL TOURISM BOARD in an Interview with Travel Mail on Future Initiative to Promote Tourism.
1. What is your advice about safety and health measures of all tourists travelling to NEPAL?
Ans. Every tourist is a responsible tourist as he or she is more aware of health and hygiene. Post Covid-19 tourist and destination countries are definitely going to take precautionary measures that are helpful to both guests and hosts. We are formulating new Health, Hygiene and Sanitation Protocol for the Nepalese travel trade. This protocol clearly outlines the measures to be followed by both host and guest. In addition, there should be some innovative precautionary and curative measures in place in the travel trade industry.
2. What are the necessary steps/ actions taken by the Tourism Board post COVID-19?
Ans.2. Currently we have been working on survival and revival strategies. The worldwide trend has shown
contraction in trade, impacting upon travel and trade in particular. According to the ILO (International Labour Organization), four out of five (81 per cent) people in the global workforce of 3.3 billion are currently affected by full or partial workplace closures. We need to boost confidence in the tourism sector and hence are working hand-in-hand with both the government and Central Bank for stimulus or incentive packages. However, a stimulus package will only be effective once lockdown is eased and when consumer and business confidence returns to normality. NTB is taking all possible coordination roles between government entities and the private sector.
Survival of the industry is the main focus of NTB at present. It will focus mainly on the development and promotion of domestic tourism for survival and in the Post COVID 19 scenario, on the promotion in the neighboring markets for revival. We will promote Nature, Adventure, Pilgrimage and unique niche products with special focus on spacing, social distancing, cleanliness and hygiene as per the newer taste and attitude to be cultivated in the travellers in the new scenario.
3. What actions are being taken to ensure that the Tourism Board is ready to get leisure & business travellers back after COVID-19 pandemic is over?
Ans.3 Revival of leisure and business travelers does not seem to happen soon. However, we have to strive to get them back earlier than later with all our promotional and marketing strategies. At present, we are in the survival phase. Loss in the tourism sector is being calculated and stimulus packages are being worked out in coordination with the government and the Central Bank of Nepal so that the tourism economy is afloat even during the most trying times.
NTB will be planning to make its prominent presence in the international markets with renewed
brand image after this pandemic. Nepal’s unique and unparalleled products and destinations, and
hospitable people will be the first choice of prospective visitors.
4. What are the lucrative offers that the Tourism Board plans to offer to the travel and hospitality industry post-COVID-19?
Ans.4. As a national tourism organization, NTB will effectively coordinate with Government and private
sector so as to revive the economy in the tourism industry. Since this is the survival phase, our focus is on employment retention and mobility of the economy. In the post-COVID phase, our focus will be on full buoyancy of the tourism activities be that on the development of the product or promotion and marketing strategies. We will prioritize in training human resource as per new demands in the market. We will work out new ways to attract our visitors and lengthen their length of stay as well as increase per capita expenditure of tourists. Travel and hospitality industry will obviously be the beneficiary of new initiatives.
5. Impact of COVID-19 on particular Tourism Board travel and tourism revenue in 2019 and forecast for 2020?
Ans5. The negative impact of COVID 19 on the economy is obvious. Grounded flights, closure of hotels and restaurants, cancellation of trips have made and will continue to make travel and tourism industry be on knees. We have yet to figure out the overall impact on the sector and forecast the loss. We hope to see some signs of revival towards the turn of this year.
6. What precautions do you advise to the travellers after coronavirus pandemic is over?
Ans.6. Travellers should put health and hygiene at topmost priority. Nepal’s success in containing the COVID-19 with no deaths reported so far could give big confidence to the travellers in our health and safety measures. Travelers in post-COVID-19 situation will be more cautious than ever. We advise tourists to pursue travel plans to the destinations that are safer and that offer more Nature-based and cleanly environment. We also advise that one must not compromise on health and safety in any destination.
7. What are the future plans to organise roadshows/ exhibition to tap the outbound and inbound market?
So much depends on how long the crisis lasts. As of now, we are focused on domestic tourism. We have proposed the government to allow Leave Travel Concession to civil servants that will help economic mobility. There is a large segment of Nepalese outbound tourists whom we aim to retain inside the nation. Regarding international arrivals, neighbouring markets will be our priority. We hope to see the neighbouring source markets come out of the present crisis soon so that we can organize our regular and customized international programs like roadshows, exhibitions and others.
8. What are the key points to be highlighted by the Tourism Board as regards advertisement in print, electronic and social media?
Ans.8. We will focus on what we have been doing earlier. Experiential tourism or in other words, “immersive tourism”. We will promote through all possible means of publicity including print, electronic and social media. Now it is right time to rejuvenate and reinvigorate your mind, body and soul. Pristine Nature, colorful culture, and human care will be the greatest offer to the tourists.
9. How do you see the footfall of international travelers post COVID-19?
Ans.9. With the travel restriction around the globe, the Economist has forecast that the global tourism industry will suffer a loss of around US$80bn in 2020. The latest research from WTTC estimates over 100 million job losses in the travel and tourism sector. This figure is rising every week. With all this in the background, Nepal’s tourism is expected to be hit hard. However, nothing is stagnant for a long time. Tourism will also pick up slowly and will get momentum within a few months after the pandemic is totally contained.
10. What were 2019 tourist arrivals and what you are expecting in 2020-21?
Ans.10. The total tourist arrival figure in 2019 was 1,197,191 and the first quarter of 2020 witnessed 215,111international tourists in Nepal. The expectation depends on the resumption of flights and tours. At the moment, we might expect at least 40-50 percent drop in tourist arrivals. However, regarding the arrival figure in the year 2020, we cannot exactly say how long this crisis continues and when the travel movement resumes.
11. What are the future attractions for the visitors in fair and festival organized by the Tourism Board?
Ans.11. It may be a haste to determine for sure. However, the tendency of tourist attractions will not be so different no matter what the present circumstances are. Of course, people will be more particular on safety and hygiene and they will require more human elements in service. Nature and adventure will obviously be of choice. Few new special interests like pilgrimage, meditation, yoga and spirituality will receive more importance. They will be showcased for the visitors tomorrow depending upon the markets.
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