PATA provides blueprint for tourism recovery in Nepal

BANGKOK - On June 21, 2015, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presented Nepal with the PATA Nepal Tourism Rapid Recovery Task Force Report to help the country recover from the devastating earthquake on April 25, 2015 which killed and injured thousands of people and devastated much of Kathmandu’s tourism infrastructure.

PATA Vice Chairman and PATA Nepal Tourism Rapid Recovery Task Force leader, Andrew Jones, and Vice President Area Business Development Safehotels Alliance AB and PATA Nepal Tourism Rapid Recovery Task Force coordinator, Bert van Walbeek, presented the completed report to Nepal’s Minister of Tourism Mr Kripasur Sherpa and 250 leaders of Nepal’s tourism industry in Pokhara, Nepal.

Mr Jones stated that, “The PATA Nepal Tourism Rapid Recovery Task Force was made possible by the contributions of a group of International and Nepalese volunteer tourism professionals to help and support their industry friends and colleagues during this time of crisis and, in doing so, also achieve a core aim of PATA – the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region”.

The report provides a total of 78 recommendations categorised into three sections and eight areas:

- Recommendations related to B2B - International Recovery Sales; Asia Recovery Sales; Nepal Tourism Accessibility;
- Recommendations related to Media - Recovery MarCom Social Media; Media - Recovery MarCom Traditional Media; and
- Recommendations related to B2C - Promotion Social Media; Redefine Brand Nepal; Promotion Traditional.

In addition to Mr Jones and Mr van Walbeek, contributors to the report include Dr. David Beirman, Senior Lecturer, Tourism in the Management Discipline Group, University of Technology-Sydney, Australia; Damian Cook, Founder and CEO, E-Tourism Frontiers; Oliver Martin, Principal, Twenty31 Consulting Inc.; Charles Pamonmontri, Director Sales Services Thailand (retired), Thai Airways International; Jeremy Smith, Independent Sustainable Tourism Writer and Communications Strategist; and Soren Wettendorff, Product Development Director, Destination Asia. In addition, faculty and students from the University of West London and Taylor’s University, Kuala Lumpur also contributed to the report.

The PATA Foundation is still accepting donations for Nepal Earthquake Tourism Recovery Fund to help Nepal’s tourism industry recover from this tragic incident. Individuals and organisations can contribute by making donations directly to the Fund.

To view the PATA Nepal Tourism Rapid Recovery Task Force Report click here.

 sourced:traveldailynews.asia