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Perfection is under way in tourism - Nava Raj Dahal, General Secretary (TAAN)

Posted by: NTN | Date: December 04, 2008

His long years of national and international experience in tourism sector have helped him to lead his company as a Managing Director since 1990. Born in Dhading district of Nepal, he shifted to Kathmandu after the completion of school education. He holds Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Tribhuvan University.

He is the present General Secretary of TAAN (Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal) and has already served this association as one of the Executive Members. As the General Secretary of TAAN he works in coordination with other associations to promote tourism in Nepal.

Starting his career as an accountant in a trekking company in 1990, he has risen from the grass root level to that of Managing Director of his own company. He has extensively traveled in countries like Thailand, Singapore, India, China (Tibet), Bhutan, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. This has enabled him to extend business associations overseas and has also kept him abreast with the innovative ways of improving tourism.

Being an ardent supporter of eco-tourism in Nepal, he aims to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.

It is his diligence, creative thinking and uncompromising work ethics that has earned him respect from his business fraternity as well as the clients.

NTN: Why do you choose tourism industry?

Dahal: My fascination to join the tourism industry dates back to boyhood years. Tourists walking the path near my school ignited my curiosity to know more about the people outside my home country. Further interaction with them inspired me to pursue a career in this industry so that I could widen my outlook regarding the lifestyle, culture of other countries. Moreover, I chose this industry as it provides me immense opportunity to utilize my creativity in a constructive direction.

NTN: Is it easy to become tourism entrepreneur?

Dahal: No, it is not easy to become a tourism entrepreneur. In fact it is a challenging and difficult enterprise. You need to possess the relevant education, experience and necessary technical skills for it.

NTN: What are the challenges that tourism industry facing today?

Dahal: There are many challenges that tourism industry facing today, such as lack of proper and effective way of promotion, lack of healthy competition among the tourism entrepreneurs, insufficient infrastructures, no clear cut tourism law enforced by the government thus there is no conducive environment to motivate the entrepreneurs to excel in their business, no standardization of rates, insufficiency of skillful and professional tourism entrepreneurs, lack of unity among the entrepreneurs and related associations. In addition to this the unstable political situation of the country and stiff competition from the neighboring countries like India, China and Bhutan to Nepal tourism due to their professionalism and conducive environment for tourism.

NTN: What are the priorities of TAAN?

Dahal: The fore most priority of TAAN is to enable the tourism entrepreneurs of Nepal to succeed in their business. Then it also intends to explore new trekking routes, control illegal trekking operations, provide trainings to trekking employees to make them skillful in their respective areas and help develop infrastructures.

NTN: Do you think services are really standard for tourist here in Nepal?

Dahal: No, it will take some time to maintain the standard of the services in Nepal.

NTN: What must be the long-term plan to promote tourism? What are the activities carrying on by TAAN?

Dahal: The long term plans to promote tourism should be to enforce new laws to help tourism entrepreneurs in their business, proper management of the airport and assist Nepal Tourism Board and other related association to promote tourism. The activities that TAAN plans to carry out are celebration of festivals like Lhosar, organizing inter-company volley competition, trainings for guides and cooks, eco trekking workshop , tree plantations on World Environment Day and celebrations on International Everest Day.

NTN: Is TAAN Coordinating with NTB for new programs?

Dahal: Yes, TAAN will be coordinating with NTB for new programs and it will be a pleasure to coordinate with other associations as well.

NTN: As tourism professional what are the challenges that you are facing today?

Dahal: As a tourism entrepreneur the challenges that I am facing at present are lack of sufficient infrastructure, rampant illegal trekking operations due to lack of proper government laws to curb such operations, low rate competition and various obstacles in the airport like proper transportation facilities and nuisances created by hawkers near the airport premises.

NTN: At the end of conversation do you have any more idea to share?

Dahal: Well, I would like to inform you that Tourism National Federation, Nepal has already been registered and will soon hold a general meeting to make a public announcement of executive body as well as the future programs. I have been working for this organization for about a year. I firmly believe that this organization will definitely help to foster unity among all the associations and also clear the misunderstandings among the related tourism associations. I would have loved to share more ideas with you however the time constraint compels me to end the conversation with you right now. I am really grateful to you for giving me an opportunity to express my views in your website.