'Tourism '- As a foreign currency earner industry.

Tourism constitutes travel abroad from country to country. All the goods and services which are concerned with and facilitate travel relates to tourism industry. Tourist lodge, motel, hotel, restaurants, resort, travel agency, skying, gliding, white water rafting, bunzy jumping, canopying cable car, pony trecking, hot air ballooning, treaking, golf course, polo, handicrafts, etc are the tourism related professions of Nepal. The importance of tourism as a foreign exchange earner industry has been recognised first five year plan. Its importance is increasing day by day as a basis of economic development. Nepal earn over 36.3% of their total export earning of foreign currency from tourism. (Economic survey 2065/066, page 123). For Nepal, it is important not only as foreign currency earner industry but also as employment generation sector.

Tourism is a correct or unfavorable balance of payment position. Foreign exchange from tourism has proved helpful in reducing unfavourable balance of trade. Tourists are interested in buying handicrafts goods. Handicraft industries develop rapidly solving unemployment problem. As tourist come more, people get more opportunity for tourism related job. Government receives more income from tourism in the form of taxes, royalties; fees etc. Tourism industry facilitates cultural exchange. Tourists are known as cultural ambassador. Tourism promotes business because most of the tourists visit abroad for business purposes. Remote areas become accessible and develop because of the increasing transportation facilities. It also facilities to train and develop human resources. From these pictures, it is clear that tourism industry as an asset of Nepal.

Prospects of tourism

Prospects of tourism industry in Nepal are inmense because of its heart touching natural beauty. Biodiversity, snow capped mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lake etc. Nepal is also known as county of temples. It is the birth place of Gautam Buddha, the light of world. Nepal has special cultural heritage. Climate of Nepal is suitable for different type of tourists. Neither too hot not too cold. Nepalese people are very simple and hospitable. The cost of living and travel cost are very low as compared to other countries. One thing is clear, the potential of tourism in Nepal is underutilizes because of transportation difficulties, lack of recreational facilities, good quality hotels and tourist goods, tourism centers, pollution, insecurity etc. The main root cause of all these problems is poverty. 'Nepal tourism year 2011' is an attempt to change the direction of exiting trends of tourist industry. The willingness to complete successfully 'Nepal tourism year 2011' is a great effort to bear the responsibility for seeing tourists as potential source of foreign currency and employment opportunities are realized. 'Nepal tourism year 2011' aims to reach the number of tourist up to 10 lakh within this year

Government and private sector

Government and private sector play important role for tourism development. This sector is an easy resource for economic development and ready made solution to balance of payments difficulties. Growth of modern life style expands the prospects of tourisms industry. The features of modern life style like paid vacation, week-end, holiday, charter flight etc well tend to promote tourism industry.

Countries can be classified into four groups on the basics of tourism prospects. They are as follows:-

The country where tourism is highly advanced and for them the challenge is how to make continue to sustain that advancement.
The country where tourism already exists and proper management and handling is necessary.
The country where tourism is only limited possibility of advance.
The country where tourism is limited because of the reason of nature like geographically remote, unpleasant climate, lack of basic facilities which tourist requires.

Nepal lies on the group of the country where tourism already exists and proper management and handling is necessary. Government must play direct as well as indirect role for its advancement. Such role can activate private sector to come into function for the promotion of tourism. Such role of government and private sectors generates employment opportunities to the Nepalese youths and also help to correct the unfavourable balance of payment position of the country. This role may substitute the export of young generation as man power to abroad.

Market research programme

Successful implement and completion of 'Nepal Tourism year 2011', basic market research is necessary. Which seems to be still far from programme? Each and every village, town, they are making home stay facilities for them. The risk may arise how to overcome their investment. Their estimates of demand and receipts by this sector are either based on basic market research or not, are matters of great question. Without this framework, if different tourist programme is prepared, there will only be waste of resources, time and effort and only results frustrations.

The government, welfare seeker and non profit oriented must do well on the basis of market study of demand to give priority to those areas where tourists' attractions are more and where infrastructure already exists. Latter on, private sector will prepare and use various tourist programmes. One year programme is too short to build up infrastructure. Infrastructure, facilities must be building up soon as far as possible to new tourism prospects area. Tourism infrastructure build up requires heavy investment. Responsibility of build up of such facilities lies on government because of the low level of income of remote area's people of Nepal. Another aspect of responsibility of government is infrastructures build up do not earn profit immediately. Private sector spends only on those areas, where profit can be immediately earned.

Demand and supply solution

By assessing the demand and supply of its actual and potential of attraction and facilities, it can manage becoming less of a problem. Needs also close co-operation between tourist exporting countries and importing countries (Nepal). The gap between the demand and supply can be cover by negotiation on group arrangement between these two sides.

Tourism assets

Preserve and protect and archeological sectors, preserve and protect natural resources, preserve and protect sports, arts, culture, festivals etc are the tourism assets. Since, tourism protects and preserves above mention areas, development of tourism will become an assets of the country. To earn income form these assets, it is appropriate to make world wide publicity to promote tourism industry of Nepal. Tourism industry as an assets of the country not only generate revenue but also creates employment opportunity, corrects balance of payment position and preserves and protect historical, archeological, natural, cultural resources. These all aspects strengthen the economy of the country. Nepal have so many tourism assets so tourism industry is the assets of Nepalese economy.

Impact in promoting tourism

Airlines, travel agencies, hotel, resorts, real estate companies, advertising for traditional products, handicraft industries have much greater impact in promoting tourism. Government requires a contribution of good will by levies and subsidies eg. Tax free coupons, on historical and archaeological site. They do feel they are not being exploited. Clearly, there is positive correlation between the government good will and tourism development.

The foreign relation aspect of tourism grows as the growth of tourism industry. It increases investment in and promotion of tourist facilities with joint venture. Joint venture investment is more suitable for Nepal because of its twin advantages: one is inflow of foreign capital and technical know how and technology, another is human resource development.