Kathmandu, Jan.28: Social justice and national economic prosperity are two aspects that have to be balanced while addressing industrial-related issues, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said here today.
“How do we balance the two is a test for us,” he said delivering his inaugural address at the 34th general meeting of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) here today.
Poudel said that there are some complications in the travel-trade which need timely correction. He reminded that the tourism industry recently had come under the threat of some destabilising forces that even provoked the private sector. “Targeting different economic sectors, these destabilising forces have been ultimately aiming at democracy.”
The Deputy Prime Minister also said that many quarters helped to flare up the recent trouble in travel trade to get political mileage. “Such irresponsible acts pose serious threat to the travel trade.”
Varun Prasad Shrestha, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, speaking during the inaugural meeting, said that Nepalese tourism is bearing severe pain due to the hijacking of an Indian airliner in 1999 and the recent disturbances within the industry.
“Sensitivity in tourism is extremely high compared to other industry as a slightest disturbance makes irreparable damage for longest duration in this industry,” he said. “It is not an industry which can be switched on and off like operating a machine in manufacturing industry.”
Understanding and patience, Shrestha said, are to be the means in addressing the issues of tourism industry relation surfacing in the changed context of globalisation and regional consolidation.
Narendra Bajracharya, President of HAN, stressed on the evils plaguing the tourism industry. “Unsociable elements have attacked and vandalised many industries and tourism outfits. This kind of unrest is not healthy for tourism development.”
Highlighting the losses tourism faces during strikes, Bjracharya said that one-day closure in travel trade means a loss of Rupees 34 million worth of foreign currency. “It also means that the government loses Rupees five million as VAT per day.”
Bajracharya said that there is a strong need for ratification of labour law making it investor friendly. “No investor wants to put his money where there is a sword of strike hanging all the time. I strongly appeal the government to make necessary amendments in the present labour laws to make it more investment and industrial friendly.”
Speaking during the same meeting, noted entrepreneur Prabhakar Shamsher Rana said that the policy and actions are contradicting each other. “The problem with us is that we introduce policies by reaction and not by pro-action,” he said.
Rana stressed on what he called management for the sustainable development. “Without management, things cannot happen. And for the management to be at place, we need to have the objective which is also required for sustainability.”
Delivering his keynote speech, Pradeep Madhavji, President of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), said that Nepal and India both can work together for tourism promotion. “If we work together we will have a win-win situation.”