By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, April 15
The independent travelers to Nepal and local hoteliers have celebrated the early-April launch of www.kathmanduhotel-link.com.
A locally owned and operated travel-booking portal, it propels Kathmandu-based small- and medium-sized tourism operators into the global e-marketplace.
"This initiation of connecting local hoteliers to the international market will help in promoting Nepal’s beautiful destinations and unique products," said Prachanda Man Shrestha, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nepal Tourism Board.
Prasidha B. Panday, President of the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN), said, "We are confident the launching of this portal will add further momentum to the Nepalese tourism sector, providing necessary facilitation to both accommodation/service seekers and providers."
www.kathmanduhotel-link.com is the 156th locally managed destination website brought to the public by whl.travel, the global grassroots travel network catering to independent and responsible travellers (www.whl.travel), according to the World Bank (WB).
The Kathmandu website is also the first of two currently planned for Nepal and the 14th travel portal in South Asia, adding to others in India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Outdoor Himalayan Treks (OHT) joins whl.travel as its local partner in Nepal with full responsibility for the website. In operation for five years, OHT organises treks designed to give travellers greater insight into the land, culture and its people, the Bank said.
whl.travel was won over by OHT’s commitment to sustainable tourism. Most of OHT’s trekking clients are taken to remote villages, where they can experience traditional ways of life and develop greater understanding of their culture, it stated.
Guests are encouraged and often motivated to volunteer on projects or provide financial assistance. OHT goes one step further by supporting volunteer-worker initiatives and even providing donations to promising projects and organising charity treks.
In addition, OHT’s Managing Director, Rajendra Prasad Sapkota, once an orphan himself, has founded, and through OHT, continues to support an orphanage home in Kathmandu for displaced kids.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, played a catalytic role in bringing together whl.travel and the Nepal tourism industry.
The development of www.kathmanduhotel-link.com received support from IFC Advisory Services in South Asia – the South Asia Enterprise Development Facility – co-funded by the United Kingdom’s DFID, European Union, CIDA (Canada) and the governments of Norway and The Netherlands.
IFC has supported similar whl.travel undertakings in Cape Verde, Madagascar, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania and Vietnam. Per Kjellerhaug, IFC South Asia Regional Manager, said "Through its support for this project, IFC will help create business opportunities for Nepal, extend support to local operators and enhance income and employment opportunities."
As of mid-April, whl.travel spans 159 destinations in 74 countries on five continents, with a particular emphasis on developing and emerging markets. By the end of 2009, further expansion will reach additional 100 destinations.
Unique to whl.travel is its franchise model. whl.travel’s local partners, called marketplace operators (MPOs), serve as vital on-site lifelines to travellers looking for an often-missing personal touch in online services. The MPOs also espouse values fundamental to the whl.travel vision – care for their destinations’ cultural and environmental sustainability.
"I am delighted to see the launch of the site for Kathmandu and to be working with the team at Outdoor Himalayan Treks," remarks Len Cordiner, CEO of whl.travel. "The new site in Kathmandu profiles some wonderful local accommodation and tours for the independent and small-group traveller, allowing both to be booked online and secured with a credit card.
Outdoor Himalayan Treks was selected from a large number of possible partners for these sites due to their obvious commitment to sustainable tourism and deep knowledge of local tourism experiences, the CEO said.
