A suggestion...

Now that the ten-year old insurgency has formally come to and end in Nepal, now that the bloodshed and atrocities have ended and now that peace has finally prevailed, what do we as citizens look forward to? I keep wondering what the prime priorities of the government should be and what the general public can expect from the new developments? Not that I have a definitive answer but I do have a suggestion in this regard and particularly to the tourism industry.

I do not believe that tourism will be among the top priorities among the politicians in Nepal. I also do not think that they will have another formally declared “Visit Nepal Year”. In such a case where our number one income generating industry is more than likely to be ignored by the government, I think it is time for the private sector to take over and make the most out of the concord. I have personally met quite a few people who have said to me that they would go to Nepal if not for the insurgency. Now is then, the time for the tourism industry in Nepal to speak to the world, invite them to witness the majesty of the tiny nation. Now then is the time to lure tourists to attempt to climb the highest mountain in the world, to mount in a paraglide to see the FishtailMountain and to trek along the foothills of Annapurna.

I hope that our veterans in the industry will make the most of this time and help our economy revive. If the industry revives, small tea-shop owners along the foothills of Annapurna can now go back and start their family business, the Durbar Square tour guide can now think about sending his daughter to a better school and the porter in Solukhumbu will have less to worry about for his family. I really hope that the tourism industry revitalizes as time goes on and that our economy recovers. This will create more jobs in the nation while upping the country in the list of top destinations in the world.

Amen