By Rup Narayan Dhakal—Biplab Paudel is the Executive Director of Barahi Group of Hotels. He is also a central committee member of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) as well as the advisor of Western Regional Hotel Association Pokhara. He has just back to Pokhara from United States of America, participating in Nepal-US Travel/Media Summit 2016. We have caught him for a short chitchat over the US sales mission. Excerpts:
Could you please tell us about US sales mission?
The US sales mission was about marketing and promotion of Nepal in international market especially in five different US cities called- Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The campaign was organized by Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation/Nepal Tourism Board from July 20 to 27.
What was the motto of the summit?
Thousands of American tourists visit Nepal annually but the number of their arrival has gone down following the devastating earthquake of April 12 last year, the embargo imposed by India in the Nepal’s southern border and the Tarai unrest. In this scenario, the mission was launched to spread the positive messages among the US citizens about Nepal to reinstate the Nepalese tourism as before.
Who were the participants of that sales mission?
The executives and representatives from one and half a dozen of tourism companies from Nepal took part in the sales mission coordinated by eTurboNews (eTN). The sales campaign was visited by hundred of tourism professional and media representatives. Actually the mission was concluded with a huge success. We hope the effect of that campaign will be positive that scores of US tourists will visit Nepal in the days to come.
What kinds of tourism products were included in the sales mission?
The campaign contained the products related to adventure, trekking, hiking, paragliding and rafting. Similarly, in religious part- monasteries, spiritual retreats, temple and shrines were included. Luxurious and honeymoon products as well as exotic destination were the parts of sales mission’s products. Wildlife and safaris as well as world class tourism products were also marketed in the campaign that messaged- we are ready to welcome Americans in Nepal.
Is there any further plan of promotion of Nepalese tourism in US?
Yes, we entrepreneurs and the travel companies from Nepal in association with Nepal Tourism Board is thinking of launching another such kind of sales mission again in east coast of US since the recent mission was organized in west coast of US. We are very much hopeful of positive impact of such mission as NTB launched such huge scale of mission for the first time in US.
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