By Dhruba Rai
The global trend of travels has gradually been changing. The practice of selling “hectic 10 day 10 city tour packages” or traditional "Sun, Sand and Sea" and the likes are slowly fading away. Tourists, now, really have become holiday makers in a way. They prefer “moving less and seeing more”. They enjoy the focused and meaningful holiday trips at their own pace. They want to visit remote parts of destinations enjoying the flaunting natural beauties and landscapes, interacting with locals, learning their cultures and the way of living. A western tour operator was quoted saying, "Tourists want to say, I didn't just go to Amsterdam for the weekend but I went whale watching in Iceland or wine tasting in South Africa." This shows how the tastes have been changing of tourists over time. Today, holiday makers also consider travel as a form of self-expression. They want to return their countries with full of stories and experiences in their bags as souvenirs from their trips.
Tourists want to explore new areas, and are ready to pay extra for the newness. They don’t only look into the prices and regional destinations as their choices, but also look into their ulterior motives and aspect of travel itself. They want to make the journey to the destinations as much enjoyable as the destination's offers by selecting the proper mode of transports and indulging activities they like. Especially, trains are the first choice for long haul travels instead of jets in Europe. They call it "slow travel". If you travel at a slow pace, you enjoy traveling, and also get enough time to observe things and surroundings while passing through. Environment issues are coming up strongly. Eco-levels are everywhere, which promote eco-products. Such trend is reducing air travels insidiously though the air travel is increasing steadily at the rate of 5 percent a year.
Increasingly, the tour operators around the world are applying niche strategies to tap such markets. A niche market is characterized by small but profitable size, growth potentiality, relatively less competition and need of skilled human resources. In other words, the niche market is a specialized segment within segment. Thus, the tour operators apply niche strategies out of sheer compulsion i.e. competitions and not by a choice. Otherwise, their first choice would be only to indulge in a lucrative segment. Again, no one would follow a niche if they don't make money. But, some also use multiple niche strategies, means they handle more than a single niche at a time. The tourism niche markets are sizable, but it has no boundaries, thus making it worldwide. Demographics, sexes, regions or whatsoever really don’t affect the market at all. The common interests, enthusiasm among them are the binding thread to lead a special segment.
Nepal offers many niche segments ranging from smooth observations to hair raising adventures. We can name hundreds of them viz. fossil hunting, honey hunting, butterfly observations, fishing, mountain biking, paragliding, ultra-light flights, bungy jumping, trekking etc. Non urban tourism like home-stay, in Nepal, is definitely a unique niche product. The home-stay experience is uniquely assimilated the Nepalese taste of cultures, traditions, customs and the touch of peoples' bonhomie. The tourists can learn and enjoy the cultures and traditions, customs by themselves as their own. They enjoy authentic and first hand experiences which are invaluable for them. They enjoy their stay more interestingly involving and enjoying small activities like hiking, photography, village tours etc. Our home-stay infrastructures are quite good. Bridim in Rasuwa, Sirubari, Ghalegaon, Antu in Ilam are some of the home-stay products which are in operation for quite some time. Sooner or later, these products will be popular among holiday makers from home and abroad.
Nepal provides an ample environment for over 869 species of birds, 92 specialty species including 27 endangered birds. In fact, Nepal is really a paradise of bird watchers. Some of the bird watching areas are Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Chitwan National Prak, Annapurna Conservation Area, Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area, Langtang National Park, Bardiya National Park, Godawari, Phulchowki, Shivapuri etc. Some companies are doing well handling such market. We can still do better because there is future growth. Even, Mr. Jimmy Carter the ex-president of the U.S.A. at that age and haste shared some of his precious time to watch birds while he was in Nepal some days ago.
Similarly, the orchid lovers enjoy more than 400 species and varieties of wild orchids throughout the mid hill regions. It may sound ridiculous to us, but the wild plant lovers relentlessly seek the opportunities to find them, click them and write them. Such committed lovers are also the committed visitors. Yet, little has been done to promote such golden plants.
Rivers originated from the high Himalayan region with its course down to plains provide rendezvous with nature's gifts. White water rafting in roaring and serpentine rivers with waves deadly enough to resurrect one's oblivious spirit on board is a thrilling experience. Rivers are from 1 to 5+ grades available to test one's physicality. There is a strong attraction for adventure lovers in these rivers.
The westerners flock every year to the east just to practice meditation. Numerous monasteries and mediation centers in Kathmandu and other places are ready to provide space for them. Spa with medicinal purpose is becoming popular. In fact, it has established itself a unique product. Many hotels are providing such facilities as an extra product in hotel's service line. It has become an attraction while selling accommodations. Similarly, Ayurvedic treatments are also becoming popular.
As discussed above, we have so many places, events and activities with high degree of potentiality, there is no question about it. Now, in the light of changing pattern of travel, we definitely, need to change our strategies to tap such potentialities. May be in future, tourists might say, " Yes, last year, I went to study wild orchids in Nepal, this time I am planning to visit for bird watching and trekking in the remotest part of Nepal." How do you feel? Sounds great !
Published in NTTR, 2007
The global trend of travels has gradually been changing. The practice of selling “hectic 10 day 10 city tour packages” or traditional "Sun, Sand and Sea" and the likes are slowly fading away. Tourists, now, really have become holiday makers in a way. They prefer “moving less and seeing more”. They enjoy the focused and meaningful holiday trips at their own pace. They want to visit remote parts of destinations enjoying the flaunting natural beauties and landscapes, interacting with locals, learning their cultures and the way of living. A western tour operator was quoted saying, "Tourists want to say, I didn't just go to Amsterdam for the weekend but I went whale watching in Iceland or wine tasting in South Africa." This shows how the tastes have been changing of tourists over time. Today, holiday makers also consider travel as a form of self-expression. They want to return their countries with full of stories and experiences in their bags as souvenirs from their trips.
Tourists want to explore new areas, and are ready to pay extra for the newness. They don’t only look into the prices and regional destinations as their choices, but also look into their ulterior motives and aspect of travel itself. They want to make the journey to the destinations as much enjoyable as the destination's offers by selecting the proper mode of transports and indulging activities they like. Especially, trains are the first choice for long haul travels instead of jets in Europe. They call it "slow travel". If you travel at a slow pace, you enjoy traveling, and also get enough time to observe things and surroundings while passing through. Environment issues are coming up strongly. Eco-levels are everywhere, which promote eco-products. Such trend is reducing air travels insidiously though the air travel is increasing steadily at the rate of 5 percent a year.
Increasingly, the tour operators around the world are applying niche strategies to tap such markets. A niche market is characterized by small but profitable size, growth potentiality, relatively less competition and need of skilled human resources. In other words, the niche market is a specialized segment within segment. Thus, the tour operators apply niche strategies out of sheer compulsion i.e. competitions and not by a choice. Otherwise, their first choice would be only to indulge in a lucrative segment. Again, no one would follow a niche if they don't make money. But, some also use multiple niche strategies, means they handle more than a single niche at a time. The tourism niche markets are sizable, but it has no boundaries, thus making it worldwide. Demographics, sexes, regions or whatsoever really don’t affect the market at all. The common interests, enthusiasm among them are the binding thread to lead a special segment.
Nepal offers many niche segments ranging from smooth observations to hair raising adventures. We can name hundreds of them viz. fossil hunting, honey hunting, butterfly observations, fishing, mountain biking, paragliding, ultra-light flights, bungy jumping, trekking etc. Non urban tourism like home-stay, in Nepal, is definitely a unique niche product. The home-stay experience is uniquely assimilated the Nepalese taste of cultures, traditions, customs and the touch of peoples' bonhomie. The tourists can learn and enjoy the cultures and traditions, customs by themselves as their own. They enjoy authentic and first hand experiences which are invaluable for them. They enjoy their stay more interestingly involving and enjoying small activities like hiking, photography, village tours etc. Our home-stay infrastructures are quite good. Bridim in Rasuwa, Sirubari, Ghalegaon, Antu in Ilam are some of the home-stay products which are in operation for quite some time. Sooner or later, these products will be popular among holiday makers from home and abroad.
Nepal provides an ample environment for over 869 species of birds, 92 specialty species including 27 endangered birds. In fact, Nepal is really a paradise of bird watchers. Some of the bird watching areas are Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Chitwan National Prak, Annapurna Conservation Area, Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area, Langtang National Park, Bardiya National Park, Godawari, Phulchowki, Shivapuri etc. Some companies are doing well handling such market. We can still do better because there is future growth. Even, Mr. Jimmy Carter the ex-president of the U.S.A. at that age and haste shared some of his precious time to watch birds while he was in Nepal some days ago.
Similarly, the orchid lovers enjoy more than 400 species and varieties of wild orchids throughout the mid hill regions. It may sound ridiculous to us, but the wild plant lovers relentlessly seek the opportunities to find them, click them and write them. Such committed lovers are also the committed visitors. Yet, little has been done to promote such golden plants.
Rivers originated from the high Himalayan region with its course down to plains provide rendezvous with nature's gifts. White water rafting in roaring and serpentine rivers with waves deadly enough to resurrect one's oblivious spirit on board is a thrilling experience. Rivers are from 1 to 5+ grades available to test one's physicality. There is a strong attraction for adventure lovers in these rivers.
The westerners flock every year to the east just to practice meditation. Numerous monasteries and mediation centers in Kathmandu and other places are ready to provide space for them. Spa with medicinal purpose is becoming popular. In fact, it has established itself a unique product. Many hotels are providing such facilities as an extra product in hotel's service line. It has become an attraction while selling accommodations. Similarly, Ayurvedic treatments are also becoming popular.
As discussed above, we have so many places, events and activities with high degree of potentiality, there is no question about it. Now, in the light of changing pattern of travel, we definitely, need to change our strategies to tap such potentialities. May be in future, tourists might say, " Yes, last year, I went to study wild orchids in Nepal, this time I am planning to visit for bird watching and trekking in the remotest part of Nepal." How do you feel? Sounds great !
Published in NTTR, 2007
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment