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Unrest slows Nepal tourism

Thursday - 10th March 2005


Travel agents and operators insist the violence is restricted and Lumbini and most other destinations remain safe

YVONNE BOHWONGPRASERT

The temple at Lumbini, the site of the Buddha's birth, stands at the rear of the holy pond where Queen Maya Devi bathed before giving birth to the future Buddha.
Soaked in culture and history, Nepal's tribal dances are captivating.
Having a bite to eat near the bottom of one of the many mountains in Nepal is a treat.
Nepal's political unrest is restricted to certain parts of the country, while popular tourist destinations like Pokhara and Lumbini are safe to visit, say local Thai tour operators and officials from Nepal's Tourism Board.

More than a month after Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked the government and imposed emergency rule, daily blockades, protests and fresh bursts of violence have caused a number of cancellations by group tours from Thailand.

Sutham Sachaphimukh, managing director of Oriole Travels and Tours of the SS Group, said business was hard hit, with up to 50 percent of Thais canceling their trips to Nepal because of the political upheaval.

A 30-year-old company specialising in outbound tours, the SS Group has been involved in Nepal for half of that time. Around 30 percent of their outbound market to Nepal is Thai, with other smaller markets coming from Japan, Taiwan and Europe. Most Thais go to Nepal to visit Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha, but they often stay for a few days of adventure and ecotourism.

Mr Sutham said that the majority of people who cancelled their trips said they were concerned for their safety. "Actually, I think there isn't as much political unrest in Kathmandu city as the media wants us to believe," explained Mr Sutham.He said media coverage had made people believe that violence was widespread.

"Contrary to newspaper and television coverage, tourists are still travelling to Kathmandu, both on business and for leisure. However, they aren't going in groups, but more as individuals and couples. Thai International [Airways still] has daily flights.

"My assessment of this situation, after getting feedback from people who have visited Nepal, is that it is still safe for tourists to visit, but they should remain in tourist-designated areas. I am confident that the political situation in Nepal will get better soon."

Until then, Mr Sutham says he will arrange a trip for tour operators and journalists, to help boost tourist confidence.

Tanya Siriwit, operations manager for Global Holiday Travel, said that 50 percent of outbound tour cancellations to Nepal were made after violence broke out in the kingdom last month, but things were picking up.

The Thai market is also big for Global Holiday, said Ms Tanya, while cultural and historical sites are most popular among the Thais.

Ms Tanya said that contrary to media reports, which show that the majority of Nepalese are against the king's decision to take absolute power, she had spoken to a number of Nepalese who were happy the monarch had done something active to tackle the longstanding Maoist problem.

"People who have been to Nepal say it is safe to travel to major tourist attractions. I feel the media is one-sided in their reporting on this issue," said Ms Tanya in a telephone interview. "Tourism is the biggest revenue earner, so it is important that the right information is disseminated to the world. What I am trying to explain is that there is unrest in Nepal, but it is restricted to certain areas. It is similar to the problems we are having in the South of Thailand. But I presume, when people read news coverage about the separatist problems in Thailand, they might wrongly think the violence is widespread."

Ms Tidarat, one of a handful of tourists who visited Nepal recently _ and returned safely _ asked to keep her surname anonymous, said:

"Apart from one isolated incident where we narrowly missed a protest on one of the main squares in town, we felt pretty safe. We didn't see any mobs or shooting, maybe because we were in the areas that are tourist spots. We stayed in Nepal for five nights and six days, and enjoyed the nature and rice culture. But I have to admit that after watching the television coverage, things don't look very safe. However, if the Nepal Tourism Board is guaranteeing the safety of tourists, then I believe it should be okay. Nevertheless, people have to stick to where it is safe for tourists."

Nandini Lahe-Thapa, director for marketing and promotion at the Nepal Tourism Board, said the king was concerned about the negative influence the political situation has had on Nepal's tourism, and was doing everything in his power to restore normalcy as soon as possible.

"Tourists need not be afraid, as the unrest is limited to areas controlled by Maoist insurgents, who have gone on record to say that they will not harm tourists. In fact, if you see in retrospect, during the past seven or eight years we have been experiencing political unrest, not one tourist has been hurt,"she told a recent press conference in Bangkok.

Ms Nandini said tourists should not cancel their trips to Nepal, as the current measures taken by the king were temporary. She also added that police escort services, among a host of other measures, will be offered to assure tourists of their safety.

"March and April are the best months to visit Nepal," said Ms Nandini. "We also have a number of new products to showcase to the tourist in the form of new [mountain] peaks, and rivers recently opened for rafting. Fifty percent of our visitors are ecotourists, but there is something for every type of traveller."


Source NTB