23/07/2016

 
Venturing into modern Ayurveda

 

 TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO COMBINE TRADITIONAL IDEAS WITH COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS


Abhilasha Rayamajhi
Kathmandu

Scientific and systematic research and studies should form the base of any business. Investigations, examinations and experiments have led to new discoveries and breakthroughs around the globe in almost all the sectors. From introduction of new medical treatments to successful businesses almost everything has come out of intense research and data analysis.
Despite the huge scope for research, in Nepal the culture of research and study is quite low. Businesses are established randomly with little or no knowledge about the market.
However, some individuals and organisations have made efforts to combine traditional ideas and research and technology to come up with sustainable solutions for acute problems the world is facing today.
Brajesh Nanda Vaidya is a self- motivated, talented researcher with over 20 years of experience in establishing and operating commercial plant tissue culture laboratories and in leading commercial and research projects internationally.
Vaidya has a proven record of improving work relationship with farmers, entrepreneurs and non- government organisations with his innovative and sustainable ideas.
He possesses practical experience to work and lead team members for building strategy and successful completion of tissue culture projects.
Vaidya, a graduate of Science in Plant Biotechnology from Fort Valley State University, USA currently works as Research Assistant in the same university. When questioned about his interest in research on medicinal plants and herbs, he replies, “ People these days are too busy and stressed out. This has resulted in various diseases such as high blood pressure, depression, headaches, anxiety and so on and herbs have the power to cure these diseases without any side effects.” He adds, “ My uncle has been a huge source of inspiration for me and my last name is ‘ Vaidya’ so that says a lot about my interest in medicinal plants.” Vaidya is the Sanskrit word for Physician or one who practices Ayurveda.
Vaidya’s present role as the Assistant Researcher at Fort Valley State University includes training graduate students on microscopy techniques and to assist plant biotech lab classes. He shares, “ I also manage plant tissue culture research lab work on medicinal plant Scutellaria and multipurpose biomass tree Paulownia.” In 2013 he along with Terri A Brearley and Nirmal Joshee published a journal of medicinally active plants. The research was on the antioxidant capacity of fresh and dry leaf extracts from sixteen Scutellaria species.
He shares, “ The use of plant extracts have been proven to contain various types of bioactive compounds that are beneficial for human health and consumption.” Our lifestyles and dietary habits have changed drastically in the last few decades; stress from personal and professional life has had an adverse effect on our minds and bodies. The stress level has become so high that we are fatigued and our brain literally stops working.
Herbs like rosemary and skullcap have high antioxidant levels that remove oxidising agents from our bodies, according to Vaidya.
Moreover, the plant extract reduces specific brain tumor cells and his research is mainly on these plants.
“ Nepal has a lot of potential in this field and it could play a key role in the export of plant extracts internationally,” he says. According to him this can benefit the agriculture sector and also boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal.
The use of biotechnology and farming medicinal plants in Nepal can generate a profitable venture. He shares, “ Farming models and cost benefit analysis should be developed before venturing into this business. Once there is an assurance from the extraction company or the industry that converts the raw into final product farmers can calculate their production cost and then go for further negotiation.” He says that a model can be developed in a way that is profitable to the farmers.
He concludes, “ The application of biotechnology in Ayurveda can be commercialised and this can benefit entrepreneurs as well as farmers. New plant based products in the market and innovations in science and technology has made it possible to combine traditional ideas with commercial prospect.”

 (The printed version of this article was published on The Himalayan Times Perspectives on July 24, 2016)

14/07/2016

Experience Life through Travel


Abhilasha Rayamajhi recounts her travels to Delhi and Jaipur

If not now, then when?” A friend of mine always questioned me whenever I was reluctant to travel. I love to travel, meet new people and visit new places but there are so many things that keep me occupied in my little world that I am unable to just go for it. However, the trip to India with friends was something I could not afford to miss.
I was quite excited to reach Delhi because I would meet my cousin brother who lived there. On the first day in Delhi with my cousin and friends I enjoyed some shopping in the city. The capital offers a good deal on branded clothes in malls and is also famed for its colossal marketplaces. I was impressed with the metro that took us to our destinations in no time. Delhi was beautiful with the greenery alongside bustling roads and skyscra ers.
I was also eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of the exotic monuments. We reached the ancient Qutb Minar complex, located at Mehrauli area of Delhi. The five storey tall complex and the historical monuments and surroundings are rich in history and culture.
Later in the evening we visited Akshardham Temple. I really enjoyed the water show that included animatronics and children telling stories from the life of Swaminarayan. It was magical to witness the colourful lights and the musical fountains. We were not allowed to take our mobiles or any other personal belongings along and I was grateful for it because we now could behold the beauty in front of our eyes without being tempted to check on  our phones.
Jaipur, our next destination, was enthralling and captivating. The capital city of Rajasthan is majestic and is also known as the Pink City. The star attraction of the city was Amber Fort which encompassed historic palaces and Maotha Lake. We enjoyed walking through spacious halls of the royal palace. Beautifully carved intricate designs, well maintained gardens and the serene environment around the fort makes it a visit worth remembering.
We also toured around the City Palace in Jaipur. The grandeur of this place cannot be described in words and the company of close of friends is always appreciated. Taking pictures and creating memories is something that we relished. The detailed artworks on the walls of the palaces and the magnificent paintings are something to behold.
Jaipur has its own charm and I enjoyed our time there. The multi windowed palaces, the vibrant vibes, hospitable people and majestic forts are wonderful attractions. It is always great to visit a new place and know about its culture and history. I would love to visit Jaipur again because it has left me truly mesmerised.
The journey of life is meant to be travelled with joy in your heart. Travelling gives a new perspective and broadens the horizon of life. So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get ready for your next trip. If not now, then when?

The printed version of this article appears in print on July 14, 2016 of The Himalayan Times Travel and Lifestyle.

10/07/2016





What do Chinese Tourists Want?



NEPAL’S TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS NO REAL IDEA OR STRATEGY TO TAP THE WORLD’S LARGEST OUTBOUND MARKET

Abhilasha Rayamajhi
Kathmandu 

Chinese tourist arrivals drastically dropped by around 55 per cent in 2015 when compared to 2014. Nepal received 123,805 Chinese tourists in 2014 which dropped to 66,984 in 2015. Further, the inflow of Chinese tourists this year is not impressive and does not promise much growth.
China ranks number one in outbound tourism with 120 million tourists who spent 215 billion US dollars in 2015 according to World Travel and Tourism Council. Chinese tourists are not only huge in numbers but also the biggest spenders. Despite the huge potential and proximity to Nepal, the tourism industry in Nepal has not been able to tap this giant market.
Tourism entrepreneurs are quick to blame poor air connectivity, costly airfares and delay in development of infrastructure for the loss of interest of Chinese tourists in Nepal. However, are these the real problems or is there much more to this dismal performance?

 LACK OF CREATIVITY AND FOCUS

 “ The tourism industry of Nepal has a vague idea of what Chinese tourists want in Nepal and what we have on offer for them,” says Bijay Amatya, CEO of Kora Tours.
According to him, in order to create demand we should clearly understand the needs of Chinese tourists. He adds, “ We must know what to market, to whom and how.
Focus and creativity is lacking in the industry.” It is high time the government and stakeholders invested in aggressive promotions and simultaneously developed infrastructure, he says.
He recommends that a study of our tourist carrying capacity be conducted in order to clearly understand the needs of Chinese tourists. He exclaims, “ Suppose one million Chinese tourists do visit the country, where will we take them? Do we have enough vehicles to transport them? What is the carrying capacity of tourist spots like Durbar Squares?” This rings true not just for the Chinese tourists but also tourists visiting from all over the world.
Nepal’s tourism potential as a destination is God gifted, but stakeholders and the government have done precious little in terms of real research and focused development and marketing to tap this in an organised manner.

FIERCE PRICE WAR

 The mushrooming of hotels and tourism service providers without any real research is proof of this chaos. “ The decline in the number of tourists last year resulted in a fierce price war among travel agencies,” mentions Madhu Sudhan Acharya, President of Nepal Association of Travel and Tour Agencies ( NATTA). He says that it is simple economics that whenever supply is in excess over demand the price of products decrease.
He reveals, “ We accept that there exists unhealthy competition among ourselves and we operated even in losses just to survive in the market. Hotels and travel agencies offered rooms and packages at cheaper rates to sustain themselves. We do not want to push our products at cheap rates but in turbulent times that was the only option we were left with.” He believes that with promotion demand will rise and the price war will automatically end. However, the other problem that affects hotel occupancy and the tourism industry is seasonality. Seasons play a significant role in prices according to entrepreneurs. For this reason they offer discounts in the low season to attract more customers.
According to recent records from NATTA the average amount spent by Chinese tourists in Nepal is about USD 50 dollars per day which excludes their shopping expense.
They claim that if they add up their expenses on shopping and adventure the figure could reach USD 200 dollars per day. However, this figure is nothing when compared to their daily expenditure in other countries. Chinese travellers spend 1,086 USD a day excluding accommodation costs in Europe, USA and even other Asian destinations.
According to tourism entrepreneurs, Chinese nationals have invested or acquired many hotels and businesses in Thamel and Pokhara. Many Chinese tourist groups also come through Chinese agents who handle their travel and stay in these hotels. This is not beneficial for the local industry and adds fuel to the burning issue of price war. The challenge for Nepal’s tourism industry is to attract higher spending tourists that can contribute to sustainable development of the industry. But that’s an area where we have not made any significant progress.

EXPENSIVE AIR CONNECTIVITY

 Air China, China Southern, China Eastern and Sichuan Airlines have been operating flights to Kathmandu from China. Airfare charged by such international carriers are comparatively costlier and this is one of the major reason perhaps that many Chinese tourists do not choose to visit Nepal.
Also in the face of adverse situations and drop in passenger load they cannot be expected to continue flying to Nepal. Plans to market Nepal as a destination for Chinese tourists needs to have this factor sorted as well. Dhiraj Chandra Shrestha, Deputy Sales Manager of China Southern Airline says, “ China Southern Airlines had to suspend its flights to Nepal after the severe fuel crisis in 2015. However, it has now resumed since April 26 and we are expecting to witness an increase in the number of Chinese tourists.” “ There are only a limited number of Chinese airlines operating flights from a few cities of China to Kathmandu and this is not sufficient to really attract the maximum Chinese tourists to Nepal,” says Sugat Ratna Kansakar, Managing Director of Nepal Airlines Corporation ( NAC). Since China is an important market, he says that the national carrier should also fly to different cities of China. NAC will be directly flying to Gonzhao in the next three to four months he informs.
“ In order to make airfare more competitive NAC must intervene and invest in more aircraft. The government has passed the budget for two aircraft this year and this should continue every year.” He concludes that investment in NAC is vital to help tourism and should be a part of the master plan to increase tourist arrivals and boost the entire national economy.

THE ROAD AHEAD

 It is not like Chinese tourists are not travelling to Nepal. But to increase the numbers a focussed approach is required by the industry.
“ About 85 per cent Chinese tourists come to Nepal for tours. About 10 per cent are here for pilgrimage and the remaining for trekking or mountaineering,” says Bishwesh Shrestha, Managing Director of Shuang Qi Tours which is one of the major agencies dealing with Chinese tourists.
Lumbini and Pokhara are two popular destinations for Chinese tourists. Chinese prefer these two cities to the capital, according to him. He mentions that they visit Lumbini for pilgrimage and Pokhara for adventure tourism.
Chitwan and Kathmandu come after these two cities.
“ We have not been able to capitalise on this market. The government has not been able to develop infrastructure to support the industry.” He questions, “ What has the government done in the past 30 years for the development of the tourism industry?” He says that even though China is the leading outbound tourism market, Chinese economy is slowing down which will impact the outflow of Chinese tourists to Nepal.
He shares, “ Due to disasters and political upheavals Nepal is no longer on the desired travel destination list for Chinese tourists and it will take time for them to be reassured about travelling to Nepal.” The task ahead is to massively promote Nepal as a safe place to travel. However, with the lack of research, lack of a coordinated approach and effective marketing the number of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal will not witness a significant growth according to him. “ We are expecting around 1,00,000 Chinese tourists. But according to current trends not more than 80,000 to 85,000 Chinese tourists will arrive this year which is only a slight increase when compared to the figures of 2015.”

Top 10 destinations Chinese tourists are hitting this Summer

1.       Australia
2.       Japan
3.       France
4.       Hong Kong
5.       South Korea
6.       USA
7.      Maldives
8.      Germany
9.     Thailand
 10.    Taiwan
(Source: Forbes.com) 

Year Chinese tourists arrival
2003 7,562
2004 13,326
2005 22,377
2006 17,538
2007 28,618
2008 35,166
2009 32,272
2010 46,360
2011 61,917
2012 71,861
2013                                                                                    1,13,173
2014                                                                                    1,23,805
2015 66,984



(This article was published in The Himalayan Times-Perspectives, July 10, 2016.)

QR code payments: For financial inclusion

With innovation in the payment systems in Nepal, people are shifting gears from cash to digital payments. Cash remains the king, as 97 per c...