KATHMANDU, JUNE 1
The USAID Trade and Competitiveness, in partnership with Steller, through a grant award has launched a two-phased international tourism campaign to be carried out in 2023 and 2024 to attract high value tourists to Nepal from around the globe, in coordination with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
The anticipated outcomes are increase in tourist arrivals, increase in their daily spending and length of stay, increased tourist arrivals during low season, and videos and photos will reach 10 million views around the globe.
During the campaign, Steller will use its technology, mobile applications, software platforms, and mobilisation of influencers to create a unique promotional campaign for Nepal in two phases. In phase I and phase II, Steller will liaise with Nepal Tourism Board and identify various places of Nepal to feature in Steller campaign. Steller will hire 10 influencers who will travel to Nepal, develop storytelling videos and pictures to promote tourism, capacitate local stakeholders, and produce short bytes on investment opportunities in Nepal.
The objective is to develop a promotional campaign to attract high-value visitors to Nepal from around the globe especially targeting the United States and other countries using social media and influencers that have proven effective in other USAID countries and where the impact in terms of additional visitors and spending can be measured.
It will include awareness promotion of Nepal's people, its rich history, its unique cultural experiences, stunning nature, and diverse adventures and stimulate trade investment opportunities in USAID Trade and Competitiveness priority sectors - agriculture, digital services, and tourism.
At the launch event of the campaign, Karen Welsh from the USAID, said that Nepal has the potential to be a one-stop tourism destination considering the country's tourism aspects. "We cannot forget the wellness, cultural, religious, among other aspects the country has to offer in terms of tourism," she said.
Dhanjaya Regmi, CEO of NTB, expressed his well wishes to the influencers in assisting to promote the country's tourism aspects beyond its mountains. "We want to promote our country beyond its mountains and we have been lobbying to do just that. With the assistance from USAID and Stellar and the creative travel influencers, we are hopeful that more tourists will choose Nepal as their next destination not just on seasonal periods and for trekking but as a one-stop destination for all types of tourism activities irrespective of their age," he said.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 2, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
