Dear Synatan
I have been very much pleased to know that you would like to help a non profit organization like ours.You can send me mail to my e-mail address
ssf2345@ntc/net.np
Thank you.

Tejanath

This morning, Tejanath met with the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Sankhuwasabha and was able to tell him about the planned eco-tourism project. He said that they had a very positive meeting. Prior to the meeting, Tejanath had completed a strategic plan with information from the district and he was able to present this as well.

Tejanath requested that the CDO establish a tourism board for the Sankhuwasabha district under his direct chairmanship. He was very supportive and very satisfied with the strategic plan that was submitted. He also offered suggestions for items that could be added to the plan, such as arranging local festivals that might attract tourists in the area. Tejanath prepared the plan in Nepali, but promised me that he would translate it and email it to me so that I can post it here as a frame of reference. He would also like further input for improving the plan.

The CDO indicated that he would call a meeting among the VIPs of the district to discuss the plan. At this meeting, he will consider formation of a high level district committee which will be tasked with managing the eco-tourism project. If the board is formed, the board will provide for expenditures associated with the website (www.sankhuwasabha.com) as well. Tejanath said that if the board is formed, it will be like a semi-governmental board and the government will also support them in their mission.

Tejanath explained the role of Nabuur in the project. He was able to tell the CDO about the Sankhuwasabha Education Scholarship Foundation and about how CNN took note of the Sankhuwasabha village here on Nabuur and mentioned it in an article on their website. Tejanath said that he was very impressed and happy with what he shared.

Tejanath expects that this committee will be formed within the next 1-2 weeks. He had been waiting a long time to meet with the CDO, but felt very confident after their meeting that things are beginning to move forward locally in a positive direction.

Tejanath-

I came across this tonight and thought it looked like a good potential resource. It requires registration before you can use the tool, but says that it generates reports with the information entered that you can then use. Might be worth checking out:

http://www.communitydevelopment.uiuc.edu/tourism/assess_t_resources.html

Jennifer

Hi Tejanath and everyone, earlier in January I cam across an article in a major newspaper in Sydney. It describes a new treking route in along Kopra Ridge in the Annapurans in Nepal, and it also refers to the influx of treking traffic to these regions and this can help the local communities. There is also information about a treking company who is trying to establish relationships with communities along treking routes. I think this could be a very positive way forward for Sankhuwashbha. I hope you can read the article- it is a travel piece so it's a bit lengthy:
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/push-for-a-new-high-20090114-7glx.html

The next week in another newspaper I read a Letter from a reader about the same article. I can post it here but I will re-type the relevent bit:
"the villages along the way offer a warm welcome to vistors and Paudwar village, halfway up the hill between Tatopani and Kpora, now has homestay accommodation and supports the local school. We were there last year and were priviledged to see how the village community thrives. For more info contact Krishna Pun at "

Again this shows the importance of building tourism infrastructure such as homestays. I don't know how we would go about getting a story together from a tekker who walks through this regions- but that could be a very effective way of promoting the region and the treking route on a much wider-scale.
Anyway...just some thoughts from me today... Carolyn

That's great information Carolyn. Maybe Andrew could help with a story about trekking through the region since he's done it several times.

Andrew do you think that would be something we could piece together based on your experiences?

Jennifer

Carolyn, great article.

I think the following quotes from the article are important to take note of when developing our project in Sankhuwasabha considering trekkings:

1) Shift in focus on trekking area i.e. from Annapurna to Mount Everest:
"The circuit's demise is certain to result in further shifts in Nepal's trekking landscape pushing more people into the Everest area. In the Annapurnas, traditionally the destination for about 60 per cent of Nepal's trekkers, it's also likely to start a scramble for new trekking routes to supplement the already-popular Poon Hill and Annapurna Sanctuary treks."

If I am correct the Mount Everest area is situated closer to Sankhuwasabha than the Annapurna Circuit, so to focus on the Everest area might be interesting. Maybe Sankhuwasabha can be a trekking starting/finish point for tourists or a place to acclimatize before and/or after their trek?

In the background information of our project it is mentioned that "Every year about 200 tourists from different countries in the world come to trek from Tumlingtar to Mt. Makalu Base camp. It is twelve days’ trekking from Tumbling to Mt. Makalu Base Camp. They stay in their camp and in the hotels."
Do those tourists pass Sankhuwasabha during this trek? Or can Sankhuwasabha become a starting point or rest point for this trek?

2)Profit for community lodges
"As beautifully positioned as any lodges in the Annapurnas, the community lodges represent another, better shift in Nepali tourism, with all profits from the five lodges going not to lodge owners but to schools in nearby villages. A joint initiative between Chapman and the villages, the lodges will be open to all trekkers though trekking groups will be encouraged ahead of individuals for two reasons: more people means more money; and, even after 30 years of use, the trails are at times so faint a guide is essential. The lodges will be staffed by villagers (...) "It will be a unique trekking area in that you can help the local communities," Chapman says."

This is preferable for Sankhuwasabha.

3) Last but not least: the trekking season
"The trekking season in Nepal runs from October to May. October and November have the most stable weather conditions. The rhododendron forests flower in March and April."

How can we attract tourists for the shoulder seasons i.e. June to September? Here is a link with Nepal weather conditions for all seasons: http://nepal.saarctourism.org/nepal-weather.html

Tejanath, how is the monsoon season like in Nepal?

So far my thoughts...

Jenny

Jenny-

In terms of the geography-Nepal is broken up into different districts. Sankhuwasabha is one of those districts. Khandbari-where the Mt. Malaka base camp is located is a city within the Sankhuwasabha district. Have you had a chance to look at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation website for Nepal? They also have a lot of information pertaining to who is coming in/out of Nepal-what countries are they from, etc. under "Tourism Statistics"-they also have a list of tourist activities Tejanath, but I believe most of the items have been listed already except maybe "hot air balloon rides." That website is located here: http://www.tourism.gov.np/index.php

Hope that helps!

Jennifer

Tejanath has finished translation of the Strategic Plan that he prepared. I have attached it here for review/comment.

Jennifer

Tourism_Strategic_planning2.doc

Dear Jennifer,
Thanks for for putting the strategic planning in the site.

Tejanath

Hi everyone-I hope you're all having a great weekend. I was able to talk with Tejanath today and he provided me with an update on the status of the project.

The District Development Committee has not met yet. Tejanath recently was able to talk to one of the key people from the committee who reported they plan to meet soon, but a date has not yet been set. Due to the recent protests at the college, they had been doing some work around the issues that sparked the protests. Tejanath reports that the former college committee has resigned and that they hope to form a new one.

Tejanath said that they are beginning to see more groups coming to trek to Mt. Makalu. Tejanath expects that once the tourism committee is formally formed that things will begin to move quickly. They are considering putting forth a proposal to train local youth as trekking guides and cooks. The hope in doing this is that people will not have to hire guides/cooks in Kathmandu to bring them to Sankhuwasabha. This will save them plane fare for the guides/cooks. Tejanath said that the youth are very interested in being trained.

In this proposal, they also hope to promote home stays with local people. Tourists will be able to then experience authentic Nepali food. Tejanath said that they are envisioning volunteers to manage this and says that most people have been excited to hear about it. Right now this is mainly brainstorming, but if they can further develop this proposal, they hope to recommend it to the tourism committee and begin there once the committee is formed and begins its work.

If anyone has any thoughts or questions, I am sure that Tejanath would welcome your input/ideas, so please post them here.

Thanks again for all of your patience and input!

Jennifer

Hi I think there are two excellent ideas here- the tranining of local reps, and the provision of hoem stay witht he locals.
I would also suggest that comprehensive guidleines be developed for those locals who will be providing homestays. Perhaps even trialing it on 2-3 local homes would be a good start. It's not just about providing a bed for the traveller. I am sure there would be some guidleines out there on this matter, as with guidleines for training local guides.
Carolyn

Dear Jennifer and Carolyn

Thanks for your posting.

I will write to you as soon as something develops in Khandbari.

Tejanath

Dear Jennifer Neighbours

Now I am in Kathmandu with my daughter Susmita for her college preparation. I will return Khandbari on April 29.

Our distict development committee has said that they ar going to form a distcti Tourism coordination committee soon. I also talked to a travel agent about forming a package program for the tourist to visit Sankhuwasaba.

They are very much interested to work with us.

I willalso meet other travel agents as well as governentline agencies.

I will post more message soon.

Let sahar some ideas about tourist pacakage program.

Best regrds
Tejanth

Hello

I have attached some project suggestions for the tourism project Sankhuwashbha district of Nepal. I tend skew mor to the left and support the 'triple bottom line' theory. I hope this is not too late. Overall make the families and individuals of Sankhuwashbha district number one.

Cheers

Leutele Grey

Marketing Tourism and Heritage for Sankhuwashbha.pdf

Hi Tejanath, that's a great idea that you're talking with the travel agents in Kathmandu. I guess the basics of a package would include accommodation, perhaps a guided walk or short trek, and maybe even info about how to get to Sankhuwasaba. Good luck with settling your daugter into college!
Carolyn