Entrepreneurship plays a key role in the economic prosperity of the society, and it can be achieved only if we start to think outside the box, leaving conventional tools and adapting an innovative approach
For tourism to return to its former shape and for future growth, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO, has identified investment as the most responsible factor. Departure from the conventional approach of investment and exploring new ways can make tourism a game changer in economic development. Thus, the theme for this year's World Tourism Day is "Tourism and green investment", which stresses investment for the planet (by investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation), people (by investing in education and skills, and prosperity (by investing in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship).
The Everest region, a major tourist destination, is expected to see a spurt in the number of tourists in the coming season. This increase will also increase the consumption of LPG and kerosene at Base Camp. Experts estimate that 50 cylinders are used every day at Base Camp, which serves Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse, and is visited by around 30,000-40,000 people during the mountaineeringseason.
The 2019 National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition concludes that Everest's highest glacier has lost 2,000 years of ice in 30 years. The minimum temperature of Base Camp was -27°C in 2013 whereas it was -23°C in 2022. This is indeed alarming for the most saleable mountain in terms of climbers and income.
The requirement at this hour clearly indicates the need for developing infrastructure at Base Camp to prevent unnatural climate change.
Using renewable energy like wind power or solar power can displace the increasing use of fossil fuel without compromising the need of energy for expeditions at Base Camp. This might be the only solution to the environment crisis, which we are nearing quickly because of the high consumption of non-renewable energy. The successful execution of this technology will help install green energy technology in other popular mountains like Manaslu and Dhaulagiri.
Tourism is our fourth important economic sector in terms of employment generation.
The 2021 report of the Central Bureau of Statistics mentions that tourism provided employment to 371,140 people across the country, which is 30.6 per cent of the total employment.
The World Bank report of 2022 mentions that tourism contributed 6.7 per cent to our GDP. To attract a million tourists annually would require more qualified and well trained staff in the tourism sector.Preventing the current generation from leaving the country in search of a better future is only possible with the creation of employment opportunities at home. Our geographical location makes it an uphill task to seek a future in trade and industry, making tourism the only sector with the capacity to help develop.
The role of the government is essential in producing well-trained human resources and allowing the youth to upgrade their skillsand modify themselves as per the changed environment.
In March 2023, 99,426 foreign tourists visited Nepal, which makes the country attractive for international chain hotels to establish themselves in Nepal.
But for them to continue coming here, they need to have skilled human resources in the hospitality sector. Another vital factorto which we need to be attentive is foreigners occupying senior-most positions in the hotels. Operating training and academic programmes as per our requirement to produce sufficient number of skilled manpower within a fixed time frame can be supportive in displacing them. It can also prevent the outflow of foreign currency in the form of salary, bonuses and other facilities provided to them.
Entrepreneurship plays akey role in the economic prosperity of the society, and it can be achieved only if we start to think outside the box, leaving conventional tools and adapting an innovative approach. Increasing investment in exploring innovative technology can have a compound positive effect on our economy.
The development of entrepreneurship depends upon technological innovation as it promotes entrepreneurs who can create new products and services, so necessary for businesses to stay competitive. For example, sending rate, services through fax, telex of the tourism package was a normal practice in the 1970s and 1980s, which changed with the advent of the internet and email in 1990. Afterwards, the development of social media has made it much easier to promote packages covering a greater number of clients.
The maximum use of digital marketing in the form of travel websites, social media allows tourists and entrepreneurs in selecting a travel package as per their convenience and budget. Tourism entrepreneurs, who assimilated the changes in technology and innovation, modified their business to survive in the tourism sector while those who failed to adapt disappeared from this sector.
Hence, for countries like ours, the government can provide support in the exploration and implementation of innovative ideas to develop entrepreneurship.
UNWTO identifies the need of investment in prosperity through financial subsidy, execution of the innovative startup tourism proposal and continuous orientation programmes for the tourism entrepreneur to explore new marketing strategies.
The tourism sector to remain as a major economic force and world's leading employer, investment that works for the planet, people and prosperity must be sustainable. Investment in natural resources to avoid a scarcity of these resources for our future generation will help to attain the sustainable development goal.
Investment in human resources to train and make them capable to work in the changed environment will develop their entrepreneurship to explore innovative thoughts to bring prosperity in the society.
Sindurakar is Chief Administrative Officer, Nepal Mountaineering Association
A version of this article appears in the print on September 27, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
