Kathmandu, 30 Sep: During the Gen Z movement, photos and videos circulated on social media projected an image of Nepal as an ‘unrestful’ country across the world, leading many nations to issue travel advisories against visiting Nepal. This news, spreading during Nepal’s peak tourist season, suddenly plunged the tourism industry into crisis. In response, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has initiated creative steps to recover from this setback.
According to Sudhan Suvedi, Assistant Spokesperson for the Nepal Tourism Board, the Board realized that simply stating ‘Nepal is Safe’ from its own platform might not be sufficiently convincing. Instead, they found that a more impactful message was to have conversations with tourists already travelling in key destinations and let their experiences be broadcast live. “In our first campaign, we did live streams from eight destinations,” he said. “During that time, we conversed with tourists and had them describe the current situation in Nepal. This seems to be the most effective method.”
The campaign has now moved into its second phase, focusing on live coverage of festivals. Suvedi informed that on Monday, the Board live-streamed the entire ‘Fulpati’ (flower and leaf offering) tradition from Basantapur. On Tuesday, they covered the occasion of the induction of the new Kumari in Basantapur as part of their live coverage. He further shared that the Board plans to incorporate upcoming occasions like Maha Puja and Bhai Tika into their live broadcasts.
Leveraging Platforms and Destinations to Rebuild Tourist Confidence
The Board is currently conducting these live sessions simultaneously across three social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Suvedi explained that while Facebook Lives quickly garner a high number of views, the content is not preserved long-term. Therefore, they also stream on YouTube to securely archive the videos for future viewers.
The coverage is strategically focused on main tourist spots. Live broadcasts have been conducted from key areas within the Kathmandu Valley, including Basantapur, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square, carrying the message that Nepal is safe. Furthermore, the Board has already disseminated this message from locations like Bouddha, Swayambhu, and Thamel. Beyond the valley, live streams have also originated from Pokhara and Chitwan. “Destinations and festivals are both key pillars for promoting Nepal,” Suvedi stated. “This was done to convey the message that these areas are safe.”
The Post-Movement Tourism Market: A Mix of Uncertainty and Psychological Impact
According to businesspeople, the tourism market has been marked by a sense of uncertainty following the Gen Z movement. While outright cancellations are fewer, a significant number of bookings are currently on hold. The analysis is that if the situation does not deteriorate further, the tourism market may not suffer a massive impact.
However, the attacks and arson targeting international chain hotels have undoubtedly created a sense of fear within the tourism market. The Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) estimates that the hotel industry alone has suffered losses of approximately 25 billion Nepalese Rupees. The Assistant Spokesperson Suvedi notes that in tourism, the psychological impact is often more significant than the physical one. It is precisely this psychological impact that the Board is now striving to mend through its proactive live-streaming campaign.
