HOLDING more promotional activities and getting celebrities to endorse Nepal’s rebuilding were some of the ideas that came out of PATA-initiated sessions in Nepal in the last week, as the association met with local trade players to draw up a tourism recovery plan.
PATA vice chairman Andrew Jones and crisis management expert Bert van Walbeek travelled to Kathmandu last week to engage some 60 members of the public and private sector to exchange ideas and share experiences on how Nepal can recover from the devastating April 25 earthquake.
A brainstorming session with van Walbeek was held on May 22, followed by a meeting on May 24.
During the meeting, Jones assured the Nepalese trade that PATA would mobilise its network of members to help Nepal get back on its feet and said he would propose an action-oriented plan to the Nepal government, PATA Nepal Chapter and PATA.
He also suggested professionals can create more promotional activities and engage celebrities.
On the other hand, van Walbeek advised Nepali tourism stakeholders not to drop prices but rather provide additional value to tourists.
Inputs from both the brainstorming session, which churned out more than 250 ideas, and the meeting will be channelled into the making of a recovery plan that will be ready by mid-June 2015.
The plan will come with clear steps and guidelines and will be a joint initiative between PATA and Nepal’s Tourism Recovery Committee.
