Arriving at Kathmandu airport, travelers are greeted by a row of computer terminals which have to be used to record their personal information for visa applications. With print-outs in hand, they must then join a line of people waiting to pay $25 for a 15-day visa at a worn-out wooden counter more fitting to the expectations of visiting one of the poorest countries in the world. Starting in 2016, Chinese arrivals no longer have to pay this fee. Although it’s not a great expense for Chinese tourists able to afford an international holiday, $25, or 175 renminbi, no more than the cost of a nice dinner, being for once treated better than German, U.S. or even British citizens, however, represents a good start of feeling truly welcome in Nepal.
Nepal, landlocked and forever in the shadow of its two big neighbors India and China, has experienced a annus horibilis in 2015. In April, an earthquake killed or injured 25,000 people and damaged many historic buildings, including a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Since September, no petrol or kerosene has been able to reach Nepal because of an unofficial blockade by India in support of protests by the ethnic Madhesis community in the lowlands of Nepal. The protesters see themselves short-changed by the rights granted to them in the new constitution.
As a result, the positive development of tourism arrival numbers since 2010 has arrested, and arrivals in 2015 almost halved compared to the previous year. Chinese arrivals had doubled to 124,000 in 2014 from 62,000 in 2011, boosted by the yearning of Chinese urbanites for pure nature and authentic lifestyles.
The Chinese movie Up in the Wind, shot in Pokhara, has been a hit among youth since it was released in 2013, driving the popularity of the lake city among young Chinese who wanted to enjoy the scenery and adventure that the city offers just like the characters did in the movie. Topping even the effect for Chiangmai in Thailand after the movie Lost in Thailand was released in 2012, Pokhara saw more Chinese visitors than Kathmandu and some Chinese tourist guidebooks include Pokhara now as one of the “Top Ten places in the world to see before you die.”
Without kerosene available at the airport, Chinese airlines have stopped their direct flights into Nepal and the planned opening of Pokhara and other airports for international arrivals have been put on hold. Finding a solution to this crisis, however, will not be enough to develop the tourism from China to Nepal further. As became apparent during a recent workshop and training I presented on behalf of the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), tourism from China mostly takes the form of run-of-the-mill sightseeing package tours to the main destinations in the Kathmandu valley: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Pokhara and Chitwan. The huge interest of younger Chinese to experience the spirituality and authenticity of the area, to visit, in their point of view, a version of Tibet without the political problems and with a welcoming local population, is not currently offered. The numerous niche markets, from luxury helicopter rides to a “champagne breakfast on Mt. Everest” to homestays within a rural community, from nature photography trips to learning Thangka painting, are not systematically developed and marketed. As a result, competition is centered on price, leading ultimately to the same race to the bottom witnessed in many other destinations.
For Nepal, China is not just any odd source market, it represents the most important potential for growth, both in the number of visitors as in the development of services and products adopted to the different needs of different relevant Chinese market segments. In China, Nepal enjoys a positive image, which can be seen in various online portals with comments like, The locals are very nice and friendly to Chinese; My favorite recollection of Nepal after travelling there is the simplicity and morals of the local people. Nepal is only a few hours flight away from China and communication is relatively easy as Nepal is an English-speaking country. Prices are low and hospitality an important element of the local culture.
Article by Wolfgang Georg Arlt
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