The Himalaya is a lifeline to Nepal, much like petroleum is to Brunei.  As long as this attraction and commodity continue to churn out money for the respective countries, there is little incentive to diversify their source of income.  In the last issue of MICEreview, we reported that Brunei is diversifying into the MICE industry, perhaps prompted by the thinning oil resource.  In this issue, MICEreview finds that Nepal is also promoting the country as a MICE and tourism destination, and not just the mountaineering and trekking haven.

In fact, Nepal has slated 2011 as Nepal Tourism Year. Nepal does have a lot to offer apart from mountain climbing and trekking, from adventure, cultural and heritage, to nature and wildlife.

But alas, as soon as the Nepal Tourism Year 2011 marketing campaign was launched in early 2010, the country has gone into a political crisis that affected tourist arrivals.  To date, the country has yet to find a prime minister acceptable to all parties.

Political issues aside, the efforts to promote tourism and MICE appears to be half-hearted as basic infrastructures are very lacking.  People all over the world have always been very familiar with the colourful side of Nepal be it cultures or nature.  But the other side of Nepal (Kathmandu in particular) is filthy streets, dusty and polluted air, clogged traffic due to under-developed road system, unstable power supply that put the city in almost complete darkness at night, and unreliable flight schedules.

There are some great hotels and resorts that are capable of hosting corporate meetings and conferences.  However, it is quite a challenge for event managers to plan and schedule anything on time when it involves traveling out of the hotel, or worse, if it involves flying out to another city in Nepal.  And with all the waiting in tour buses while stuck in traffic jams, local guides do not seem to see it as their responsibility to provide additional information, or to keep the passengers entertained with jokes and anecdotes.

Nepal has a lot of potential as a destination for corporate meetings or association conventions.  Attractions galore and there are wide ranging team-building programme possibilities.  However, it has to get its basic infrastructure and service standards right, because MICE people may not be as forgiving as mountaineers and trekkers.