Tek Bahadur Dangi, Nepal Tourism Board’s new CEO has embarked on his new assignment with a challenging outlook and a rush of zealous strategies, reports Jyoti Koul

What are your priorities, now that you have assumed the portfolio of the CEO of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB)?
My top most priority is to establish and enhance the image of Nepal as a major international destination. Our efforts are to promote tourism very aggressively and thoughtfully. However, our marketing and promotional campaigns will essentially have a regional focus in the current year.

Over the years, there has been a steady growth but the second quarter of this year has been especially fruitful. We have registered a 31 per cent growth from India compared to last year. From January to May, it has been a good beginning and we hope to do even better in the remaining part of the year. We are also promoting Nepal as one of the safest and an important Eco-tourism destinations.

Since India is your biggest regional source market, what is your marketing strategy to tap its potential?
We are launching a summer promotion campaign in India with some very specially priced packages for the Indian market. We have a budget of about half a crore rupees for our promotions in India, which is the highest in the regional market simply because India is our biggest source market.

• To lure the tourists we are emphasising on our unique selling points which are the cultural similarities between India and Nepal that helps bring in the oneness within the regions.
• Secondly, Indians are saved from the visa hassle, as the passport or voter’s card is enough to get you entry into the country.
• Thirdly, the currency exchange is very easy; Forex is easily obtainable from local ‘paan bidi’ shop in Nepal and one also gets the value appreciation of the rupee.

Other than these, we cater to the needs of every tourist and offer a range of products like, adventure, nature, Eco tourism, shopping, pilgrimage, culture and casinos. We have something distinct for each age group. Hence, we are a composite destination.

Other than marketing products likes casinos, temples, and Pokhara. What are the new offerings for the Indian market?
Pokhara is an important destination as far as Indian tourists are concerned. However, to upgrade and cater to the interest of the people we have offered new destinations too from time to time. We are introducing Palpa, which is pristine scenic beauty and Dolpo a new monsoon destination this year.

How about your SAARC promotions?
The Nepal government and NTB jointly take up SAARC promotions. However, I would not like to comment on the issue till things are finalised. However, on a larger perspective, we are taking our promotions to China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand as far as developing countries are concerned. Beginning this year, we will be focusing on the Middle East because it has lot of expatriate population. For the international tourists Nepal is an unique example of a sustainable eco-friendly tourism option.

Nepal also receives a substantial number of back packers who have been considered a threat to eco-tourism standards. What is your defence strategy?
We have a very different and positive viewpoint when it comes to tackling the back packer issue. We must realise that it is the back packers who use a 10-dollar lodge and buy local items from the small shops in villages. They become a source of income for a poor villager who sells his home grown vegetables. Therefore, we are looking at encouraging this segment. Although we insist that they follow the guidelines set for every tourist in order to maintain the natural habitat. We have studied the areas where the concentration of this travel segment is more, and accordingly try to cater to their needs so that the Eco balance is not disturbed.

Why are you planning to promote village/rural tourism so aggressively?
We will be focussing on the development of village tourism mainly to eliminate poverty in Nepal. Therefore, we are concentrating on the development of rural and village tourism. We have launched a project called tourism for rural poverty elevation project (TRPAP). TRPAP is supported by many international organisations. The government of Nepal and the Asian Development Bank are jointly supporting this cause.