03 October 2011 NZ links with Nepal a triumph says tourism professor

With New Zealand and the Himalayan republic of Nepal now into the second half-century of their government-to-government relationship, Lincoln University’s Professor of Tourism, Dr David Simmons, says it is an opportunity to reflect on a ‘triumph of bi-lateralism’.

As a tourism specialist, Professor Simmons has been personally involved with the New Zealand’s Nepal connection for over 25 years. Tourism is one of Nepal’s economic mainstays, accounting for over six percent of its GDP and more than 12 percent of its foreign exchange earnings. The industry is founded on the country’s extensive national parks, mountain ranges, and scenic attractions, and Lincoln University is where many of Nepal’s conservation, parks and tourism leaders have been trained since the 1970s.

It is currently National Tourism Year in Nepal and activities have included an international conference in Kathmandu on Special Interest Tourism and Destination Management, with Professor Simmons among the keynote speakers.

Tourism is one of many paths to development for a country like Nepal, he says, but a tourism destination and its attractions need constant innovation and product development as progress occurs.

“There are three key principles of tourism that underscore successful long-term development. The first is the protection of resources, the environment and local cultures.  The second is to actively explore ways in which local goods and services and value added activities can be built into the ‘supply chain’. The third is to invest in training and education.”

Professor Simmons’ keynote address to the conference focussed on energy use and the relative competitive advantage that Nepal currently has in trekking tourism. Compared with other major trekking locations, such as New Zealand, Nepal is closer to markets and has a lower per day, in-country energy profile.

He told his audience that Nepal could promote these aspects to its benefit in the increasingly carbon sensitive tourism market.

“Globally there is now considerable focus on the energy/carbon content of everything that we do, and that includes tourism,” he said.

To maintain and enhance their comparative advantage in the international tourism market, he advised Nepali operators to use energy efficient travel modes; to avoid drift to high energy activities, for example scenic flights; and to encourage longer stays in one area. He also advised them to use research to measure, monitor and manage energy use and to highlight direct links with the UN’s Millennium Development Goals which include ensuring environmental sustainability.

He said Nepal was close to strong emerging markets – China and India – and that relative to the tourism sector as a whole the country offered a global, carbon light tourism product.

Other Lincoln University academics presenting papers at the conference were Dr Emma Stewart , Dr Stephen Espiner and Associate Professor Susanne Becken, plus Nepali postgraduate tourism management student Lhakpa Tenji Lama, all of the Department of Social Science, Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport.