Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Issues
Kapil Dev Subedi
Head DOM
Saptagandaki Multiple Campus
Chitwan, Nepal
Introduction
The government of Nepal has announced the year 2011 as Nepal tourism
year and targeted to reach the number of tourists visiting Nepal to be
doubled i.e. one million in the year 2011. The recent statistics of visit to
Nepal shows that the numbers of tourists are not exceeding more than
half million, as the number were 526,705 in 2007 and 500,277 in 2008.
Despite strong potential, tourism growth declined in last decade in Nepal,
significantly mainly because of conflict and insecurity. However the
current statistics shows that the industry has started rebounding in the
country, but we need to investigate why this sector is under performing
and how Nepal can increase market share in an increasingly competitive
world tourism market.
‘Nepal Tourism Year 2011’ is a grand fete throughout the year which is going
to celebrate in Nepal in 2011. The concept of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 was
emerged to manage and develop the tourism industry of Nepal by cashing
the expertise view, experiences and commitment of government with public
private venture. For that Nepal tourism board is continuing in the
promotional activity with public private venture internally and externally. The
campaign will continue to promote Nepal in international arena through its
line agencies such as Nepalese diplomatic missions abroad, I/NGOs, airlines,
and national and international media, NRN community and Nepal’s friends
and well-wishers.
Himalayan landscape and natural beauty highly suitable for trekking and
mountaineering and important religious and cultural sites including the
birthplace of Buddha provide Nepal, natural advantages. Some of the major
tourism products, which have made Nepal famous includes: The Himalayan
landscape including the highest peak Mount Everest, Natural beauty and
Hills and Mountains for adventure based activities like mountaineering,
trekking, rafting, jungle safari, mountain flight etc.,Religious and spiritual
sites like the famous Birth Place of Buddha –Lumbini and Pashupati Temple,
a major Hindu shrine., and rich culture, costumes, traditions and festivals
Destination Chitwan
In this context, Chitwan has its own unique image in the world tourism
market as a destination of nature and adventure along with exceptional
culture. Before 1950s Chitwan, then known itself as death valley, was
covered by very dense forests containing more than 1000 square miles of
virgin forests, swamps and grasslands, which was inhabited by various wild
animals such as wild elephant, rhinoceros, swamp deer, water buffalo and
birds. This area was then a famous area for game hunting. Previously,
Chitwan suffered from Malaria, which was eradicated in 1954. After the
eradication of Malaria, the area had attracted the hilly people vigorously.
People started residing in the richer and fertile duns, valleys and plains. Then
the development process started in Chitwan from the level of people,
community and government. In 1957, the Chitwan forest was declared as
Rhino Sanctuary and in 1962; Safari Tourism was introduced in Chitwan
National Park for the first time. Similarly, in 1973: Royal Chitwan National
Park was established as the first national park of Nepal. All these efforts
oriented Chitwan as a tourist destination of Nepal. Now Chitwan has been
developed itself as the third destination of Nepalese tourism due to its
unique natural beauty, exclusive biodiversity, co-existence of differing
languages, cultures, caste and ethnicity. The two indigenous ethnic groups,
Tharus in southern plain land and Chepangs in northern hilly area (at
Mahabharat Hill range) are the bonafide inhabitants of Chitwan
,unrelentingly residing in their land since last thousands of year without any
movement and Chitwan has initiated to adjoining these two differing culture
and caste into the mainstream besides the wildlife tourism.
The study of visitor’s purpose indicates that the majority of tourists arriving
from the third countries come to chitwan for visiting nature and wildlife in
national park. If Chitwan only concentrates its tourism in nature and wildlife,
it cannot achieve the further benefits of culture and adventure tourism.
Therefore the diversification of tourism in culture, eco-tourism, education,
medical and other areas is the matter of immense importance for the
development and growth of tourism in Chitwan. It has been so late to
formulate and implement the Unified tourism development action plan in
Chitwan therefore effort should be taken as soon as possible from the private
and government level.
Attempts have been made to buildup the infrastructure of tourism industry in
Chitwan both from government and private level. The district has developed
the destnation network of Ring Road and Chitwan Chepang Hill Trail in the
northern Mahabharat mountain range linking hilly area (habitat of indigenous
Chepangs) to the low land of Terai (habitat of indigenous Tharus) national
park. A number of hotels, resorts, and lodges have also been managed
outside and inside the national park. There were 62 hotels and lodges in
national park and buffer zone area having 758 rooms and 1559 beds in 2007
A.D. A study indicates that 1832 personnel (skilled and unskilled), 137
elephants, 104 motor vehicles, 71 carts, 10 boats, 2 camels and some horse
carts are in operation for the delivery of better services to tourist.
Targeting the upcoming Nepal Tourism Year 2011 (NTY 2011) national
campaign, over a half-dozen tourist standard hotels are launching in
Sauraha. Satanchuli Wildlife View Resort and Alka Resort Camp have started
operation while Jungle World Resort, Monalisa Jungle Resort, Nature Heritage
Resort and Jungle Safari Lodge are under construction. With the coming of
new hotels, the old ones have started upgrading their capacity and
standards to meet the required standards and facilities of tourists. An
attempt has been made to deliver the services to the tourists through the
hotels under construction within two years.
Almost all the new hotels have been designed like indigenous Tharu
community houses. With the mounting competition, about 30 percent of the
hotels have added new rooms. There are 67 hotels in Sauraha and about 7
new hotels are coming with a huge investment including the five star one
-the hotel Radisson. This year, hotels have increased their accommodation
capacity to 1,700 beds from 1,400 previously. And the target number of beds
is two thousands for the year 2011.
Chitwan has unparalleled natural beauty, couple with extremely varied and
diverse attractions. However the tourism industry in Chitwan has been facing
a number of challenges which needs to be addressed as soon as possible for
the success of tourism year 2011. The major issues are:
Conclusion