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Google team: Nepal back on its feet

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Google team: Nepal back on its feet

“Do you think Nepal needs more aid? Or do you think the world needs to know that Nepal is rising?”

Stacie Chan, a Google employee visiting Nepal, posed this central question at the conclusion of an event organised by Startup Weekend Kathmandu in SAP Falcha at Babarmahal on Saturday. Chan was a participant, along with 34 other people from Google, in a three-day interaction conducted by SW Kathmandu along with Nepal Rises.

Google_logo-7

More than 70 participants from Google, California-based Salesforce and Nepal pitched business ideas ranging from developing a platform for sharing disaster-related information between NGOs, locals and the government to re-establishing the reach for the Nepali media outlets so that international audiences are constantly updated on the post-earthquake developments. The winning business idea involved developing an online platform for effective disaster-response management.

“We have to de-mythicise this earthquake,” Chan said. She was the leader of one of the teams that proposed an initiative that would ensure that the news of the Nepali resilience and the reconstruction efforts being undertaken is communicated to the world. She said she had been keeping close tabs on Nepal since the Great Quake struck on April 25. She was devastated when she watched a documentary titled Nepal Rises and, when presented with the opportunity to experience first-hand what was happening in Nepal, she could not give up on it.

However, Chan also discussed how some of her preconceived notions of the earthquake changed when she got here. “There were so many images of disaster, destruction and horror wherever I looked on the Internet. When I got to Nepal, I kept asking myself, ‘Where are all the damaged buildings?’ I couldn’t find any,” Chan said. “Of course, I cannot forget the thousands of people who have lost their lives and thousands who are still suffering. Nepal is a beautiful place; there is so much more to it than just this earthquake. Why aren’t there images of shops opening in Kathmandu , or children walking to school? Why aren’t there images of Nepal rising?” Chan asked.

“I was pleasantly surprised as I travelled around Kathmandu ,” Chan said. “People around the globe were scared, initially—and not without reason. But now, we need to make sure that people around the world know Nepal for what it is. They need to know the brilliantly resilient Nepali people. They need to know that Nepal is rising.”

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Source: Ekantipur

Kathmandu calls on foreign tourists to visit the country

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Kathmandu calls on foreign tourists to visit the country

Nepali government officials at the 39th session UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee call for the country to be removed from the danger list for travellers. In 2014, some 800,000 tourists visited the Himalayan nation. This year, this is expected to decline by 40 per cent. Just for summer and fall, bookings should drop by 70 per cent. For Nepal, tourism is a major source of revenue.  Nepal’s government is pulling every diplomatic string to get foreign embassies to change their travel advisories so that the Himalayan nation can be considered “a safe place to visit,” this according to Kripasur Sherpa, Nepal’s Culture and Tourism minister.

ATTENTION EDITORS -- THIS IMAGE IS 20 OF 29 TO ACCOMPANY NEPAL-GOD/CULTURE, A PICTURE PACKAGE ON NEPALI BOY SAMBEG SHAKYA. SEARCH KEYWORD "GANESH" TO SEE ALL IMAGES PXP01-29 Sambeg Shakya, 6, observes the Indra Jatra Festival from a window of a house of the Living Goddess Kumari in Kathmandu September 16, 2011. Sambeg Shakya was hailed last year by Buddhist priests as Ganesh, or the god of good fortune, since when he has led several processions of Nepal's better-known 'living goddesses', also known as Kumari. The centuries-old ritual, once used by now-toppled kings who thought it would make them stronger, was the climax of the annual Hindu festival of Dasain, which lasts for two weeks and has become a major tourist attraction in Nepal. Sambeg will continue in his supporting role until he is big enough to fit in a chariot pulled by men, after which he must return to real life. Picture taken September 16, 2011. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar (NEPAL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY POLITICS)

Almost two months after the terrible earthquake that struck the country on 25 April killing more than 8,700 people, the authorities want to jumpstart the tourist sector, a key component of the country’s economy.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Mr Sherpa said, “the earthquake affected only a small portion of the territory and now visitors are no longer at risk. Almost 80 per cent of the country and many tourist destinations were not touched by the powerful earthquake”.

In view of this, “when foreign countries change their travel advisories and remove Nepal from their danger lists, we can restart the tourism industry thanks to visitors from the United States, Europe and Asia.”

Nepal welcomed 800,000 visitors last year, but the government anticipates a 40 per cent drop this year due to the earthquake. For summer and fall, bookings are expected to plunge by 70 per cent.

For this reason, the country’s representatives attended the 39th Session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Bonn in late June. On that occasion, Nepal asked foreign governments to lift the travel ban to Nepal.

Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director general of the Department of Archaeology (DoA), attended the meeting and confirmed that the organisation had accepted Nepali demands, urging other governments to take action to that effect.

According to the DoA, the earthquake damaged some 745 historical, cultural and religious monuments in 20 districts. Of these, 133 were destroyed whilst remaining 612 were partially damaged.

“We are trying to convince foreign nations that Nepal is safe, and we want to encourage them to visit our country,” said Foreign Minister Mahendra Pandey.

“Nepal is one of the most popular tourist destinations,” he explained. “Visitors can explore the mountains, the Himalayas, cultural sites and many other destinations in complete security.”

Following the appeal by UNESCO, the United States, Switzerland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Great Britain have lifted their travel advisory. Mr Sherpa noted that he met the ambassadors of India and China to ask them to encourage their citizens to visit. Together, Indian and Chinese visitors represent 30 per cent of all tourists.

“We want to tell the truth and improve our image,” said the minister. “Nepal is a safe place to visit.”

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Source: asianews.it

Pata to hold travel mart, bloggers meet

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Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) Nepal Chapter on Wednesday announced two major international conferences, namely Himalayan Travel Mart 2016 and Bloggers Conference 2015, to be held in Kathmandu in a bid to revive the tourism industry through marketing and promotional activities.

The long-planned travel mart had been in limbo as the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) was engulfed in an extended controversy. The first Himalayan International Travel Mart was organized by the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA) in 2005, attracting the participation of more than 200 tour operators from South and Southeast Asian countries.

Himalayan-Travel-Mart-2016

The second executive committee meeting of Pata Nepal decided to organize the Himalayan Travel Mart, a business-to-business event where buyers with an interest in Nepal and the Himalayan region come from all over the world. Sellers will comprise agents selling the Himalaya Saarc region and similar destinations anywhere in the world.

Suman Pandey, president of Pata Nepal, said that the mega tourism event that targets to bring in foreign buyers and a number of tourism professionals from various tourist generating countries will be held on May 29, 2016 to mark International Everest Day.

May 29 is the day when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa reached the 8,848-metre summit of Everest in 1953, becoming the first persons to stand atop the world’s highest mountain.

The event will be held with the coordination of the Tourism Ministry, NTB, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and the private sector.

The April 25 earthquake has hit the tourism industry hard. It is one of Nepal’s major foreign exchange earners, and the country is expected to lose at least 40 percent of the potential arrivals as a result of the disaster.

Luring tourists back may be an uphill battle. Despite the overall estimated damage and losses, the tourism industry remains resilient and optimistic about executing a turnaround in the medium to the long term with concerted efforts from all the stakeholders and support from the government, Pata Nepal said.

“Although, there is plenty of time to host the conference, we decided to take it as a campaign from now to grab visitors’ attention that Nepal is ready to welcome tourists anytime,” Pandey said.

Meanwhile, Pata has also decided to hold a first ever Bloggers Conference by the end of September this year. The move aims to bring at least 50 top bloggers from around the world to Nepal and give them a first hand instant update on the country’s various locations and experiences. The objective of the campaign is to promote the tourism recovery campaign in Nepal through the digital media platform.

Pata will also organize a familiarization trip for tour operators from various source markets this year. The tour operators are among the agents who send a large number of tourists to Nepal.

On the human capital development front, Pata has finalized conducting workshops with Prof Kaye Chon, Dean, Hotel and Tourism Management of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Damian Cook, CEO of E-Tourism Frontiers.

Pata Nepal’s executive committees include representatives from the Tourism Ministry, NTB and NAC.

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Source: Ekantipur

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Nepal in Lonely Planet’s best travel destinations

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Nepal has been included in the top list of the best places to travel this October by the world’s leading travel guide Lonely Planet.

“Everyone has seen the news reports from the April 25 earthquake in Nepal, but most reports neglected to mention that most of Nepal was untouched by the disaster, including the most popular trekking areas,” the travel guide said. “With the clearing of the monsoon rains, October is once again peak season for trekking, and the Annapurna region is a great, nay epic, place to start.”

Annapurna-region

From the gateway town of Pokhara, which saw little damage from the tremor, classic trekking routes such as the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary Trek offers the kind of views normally reserved for mountaineers, it said.

Pokhara is easy to reach from Kathmandu, also fully open for business, and it’s easy to make arrangements for a trek on arrival. “In the process, you’ll be performing a valuable social service, helping Nepal to rebuild after the disaster by investing directly in the local economy.”

The Annapurna Circuit is the most popular trekking route in Nepal . It includes the high pass of Thorong-La. The trek reaches an altitude of 5,416 metres at Thorong-La, touching the edge of the fabled Tibetan plateau. The magnificent mountain scenery seen at close quarters includes Annapurna 8,091 metres, Dhaulagiri 8,167 metres and Machhapuchchhre 6,993 metres. Every year, more than 100,000 trekkers visit the Annapurna area, 50 percent of whom visit the circuit.

Other places recommended by the travel guide are Jordan’s Petra, Mexico, Britain, Italy and New Mexico for the world-renowned Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

With most of the countries lifting their negative travel advisories on Nepal, travel traders are optimistic that the country’s tourism will bounce back by autumn this year.

Recently, the US, UK and New Zealand lifted restrictions on their citizens travel ling to Nepal except to the districts hardest hit by the April 25 earthquake and aftershocks. A few countries have toned down their travel advisories.

The government, in a bid to revive the tourism industry, has been persuading countries to consider Nepal in regard to the travel alerts they have imposed after the earthquake.

The government has projected losing 40 percent of the tourists this year due to the mass departure of the visitors after the earthquake. Trip cancellations for the upcoming seasons are estimated to be more than 70 percent.

The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment report has pointed out that Nepal will significantly lose high-end tourists, but the low-end segment and backpackers will stick to their travel plans to visit the country.

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Source:Ekantipur

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Pokhara entrepreneurs assess Annapurna trails, declare them safe

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Pokhara entrepreneurs assess Annapurna trails, declare them safe

Tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara have assessed trekking trails in the Annapurna Region and declared them safe to visit.

pokhara-team

Dipesh Shrestha/Republica Members of the ‘Solidarity Walk to Annapurna for Tourism Revival’ team, tourists and locals join hands at the top of Poon Hill (3,210 m).

Around 40 tourism entrepreneurs from Pokhara completed the popular Ghandruk-Ghorepani Trek this week as part of ‘Solidarity Walk to Annapurna for Tourism Revival’.
Ram Chandra Sharma, president of Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal Western Regional Association (TAAN-WRA), said the solidarity walk was organized to access the condition of trails after the devastating earthquake.

From the top of Poon Hill (3,210 meters), TAAN-WRA declared that trekking trails in Annapurna Region, all highways and airports, business complexes, and hotels, guest house and restaurants are safe. “We are prepared to welcome tourists to Nepal,” added Sharma.

Binaya Acharya, secretary of TAAN-WRA, said all teahouses, hotels and lodges in Annapurna Region have resumed operation.

Tourism entrepreneurs say they trekked in the Annapurna Region because they cannot assure safety of tourists by staying in their offices. “We organized this walk despite the monsoon, because we cannot assure trekkers that they are safe here without making assessment of the route. Foreigners trust us only we provide them factual information,” he said.

Annapurna Region

Though hotels in Ghandruk-Ghorepani area are almost empty, local hoteliers are hopeful of welcoming trekkers in autumn. Kisam Gurung, president of Tourism Management Committee, Ghandruk said that the visit and assessment of the area by tourism entrepreneurs is a strong proof that the area is safe. “Now, we can confidently say that the area is safe,” he added.

Similarly, Tika Ram Sapkota, media coordinator of PTRC, said the solidarity walk and the dissemination of message that the area is safe will definitely help to bring tourists in the area in autumn. We hope tourists will not cancel their bookings,” he added.

Beatrice Hearne from Indiana (US), who has booked a seven-day Nayapul-Ghorepani-Phedi trek for herself and her husband for autumn, said she was concerned because of lack of factual information. “Now that the area has been declared safe, we are really excited about the trip,” she told Republica in a Facebook chat.

Som Thapa, president of Pokhara Tourism Council, as all trails, bridges, tea houses, hotels and lodges are safe, tourism entrepreneurs can now invite their guests without worrying about anything. “Now we can assure tourists confidently that the area is safe,” he added.

The walk was organized jointly by TAAN-WRA in coordination with PTRC.

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Source: My Republica

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Everest Base Camp Trek among National Geographic’s World’s Best Hikes: 20 Dream Trails

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Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal

Mt-Everest Base Camp

Hiker: Jim Whittaker, mountaineer

In His Words

I would recommend the trek to Everest Base Camp to anybody. The people are incredible, the scenery can’t be beat, and you get to take a look at Everest or Chomolungma, meaning the “Goddess Mother of the World.” It’s spectacular just to see the highest point on planet Earth. In 1963, it was a 185-mile trip. These days you can start by flying into to Lukla, a village at 9,000 feet with a slanted airstrip that makes for a hell of a takeoff and landing. In May, the rhododendrons are in bloom with orchids growing in them. There are guest houses on the way up. You can get a beer. There are waste baskets on the trail. They have done a nice job of cleaning it up. I made the trek to Everest Base Camp last year but had to turn back near the camp due to intestinal difficulties. I went ten years ago for the 40th anniversary of the climb with Gombu [Nawang Gombu Sherpa who summited with Whittaker in 1963] and our families. That is when my son Leif decided he wanted to climb it. Who knows, I might wander up there again. —Jim Whittaker

Length: About 40 miles

The Details: The two-week trek to Everest Base Camp and back has become increasingly popular—REI even runs a trip—but no less spectacular, if you don’t mind how much the route and the now-bottlenecked climb to the summit have changed since 1963. And why not? It’s a bucket list trip available to people who don’t have the ability (or money, a guided trip to the top of the world runs around $50,000) to actually climb Everest. Simply viewing the peak is a must. And while so many books and films have focused on the trip from Base Camp to the summit, the journey to Base Camp is no less miraculous.

Beyond the chance to come face to face with the mountain from the spot where climbers begin their ascent, the route passes through the heart of the Khumbu region and wanders into its bustling, little capital, Namche Bazaar. Perched at 11,286 feet, this is where most trekkers spend a few days getting acclimatized and immersing themselves in the local culture—as well as returning to their own by checking email at an Internet cafe. From here, the trek heads up past smaller villages, like at 13,074-foot Pangboche, with its famed Buddhist monastery, before topping out at 17,650 feet at base camp, with the summit towering over 11,000 feet above.

Don’t feel bad if climbers who are acclimatizing at Everest Base Camp seem to keep at a distance from you—they don’t want to be exposed to germs from trekkers before making an attempt at the highest spot on planet Earth. And while many trekkers are quite content just looking at that summit, some others, like Leif Whittaker, feel the urge to return.

When to Go: Spring from March until the monsoons move in in May is best but September–November after the monsoon season can be beautiful as well, and a bit less crowded.

 About Whittaker: Jim Whittaker became the first American to stand on the summit of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963, for which he and the members of his team were awarded National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal and invited to the White House by President John F. Kennedy. Before he climbed to the top of the world, Whittaker was already a proficient mountaineer in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and like many climbing bums he worked in outdoor retail—he was the first full-time employee at Seattle’s Recreation Equipment, Inc. (REI), and later its CEO. He also led the first successful American summit of 18,151-foot K2—the world’s second highest mountain and a more difficult climb than Everest—in 1978 and the 1990 Everest Peace Climb, which included American, Soviet, and Chinese mountaineers and helped remove two tons of trash from the mountain. His son Leif followed in his father’s footsteps, reaching the top of the world in 2010 and again in 2012 when Jim set out on the Base Camp trek with him.

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Source: National Geographic

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