'I am in Nepal now' campaign picks up in social media

A social media campaign where tourists in the country are encouraged to hold a placard stating they are in Nepal is picking up momentum in social media. 'I am in Nepal now' campaign picks up in social media

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Ekantipur Report

Published at : July 7, 2015

Kathmandu

As Nepal picks up the pieces and rebuilds, Nepalis are calling tourists to come visit the country.

A social media campaign where tourists in the country are encouraged to hold a placard stating they are in Nepal is picking up momentum in social media. An album with pictures of tourist smiling, has over 1500 shares .

According to Raj Gyawali of Social Tours which started the campaign, they were inspired after seeing a campaign of such sort in Tunisia and hoped it would encourage tourists to come into Nepal. There is also another album “I am going to Nepal”

The government has projected losing 40 percent of tourists this year due to the mass departure of the visitors after the earthquake and cancellation of Nepal’s trip booking for the upcoming seasons that is estimated to be more than 70 percent.

The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment report has pointed out that Nepal will significantly lose high-end tourists, but low-end segment and backpackers will continue their trips to Nepal.

Three countries—the US, the UK and New Zealand—have lifted restrictions on their citizens travelling to Nepal, except for districts hit hard by the April 25 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Almost all countries had issued travel advisory, advising their citizens not to visit Nepal in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.

The US government had issued the travel advisory against Nepal on May 1, stating not to travel to Nepal unless it is an emergency. However, after two months, the US government on Thursday updated its travel advisory. The notice was issued stating the restrictions have been lifted. Nepal is now safe to travel though there are a few aftershocks yet.

The government, in a bid to revive the tourism industry, has been persuading countries to consider Nepal in regard to travel alerts they have imposed post earthquake. “The softening of the travel warnings is a welcome sign for the Nepal’s tourism industry, which has already been experiencing a downturn,” said Ashok Pokhrel, president of the Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) in an interview with the Kathmandu Post earlier. “It will also ease the travel insurance process for many people planning a vacation in Nepal.”