Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]
Code Context
//    $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';



    if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){
$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp'
$dataForView = array(
	'articles' => array(
		(int) 0 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 1 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 2 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 3 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 4 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 5 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 6 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 7 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 8 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 9 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 10 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 11 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 12 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 13 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 14 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		)
	),
	'current_user' => null,
	'logged_in' => false
)
$articles = array(
	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2267',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'Lack Of Directive Puts Rs 28 Billion Housing Investment At Risk',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sujan Oli</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government&rsquo;s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers&rsquo; Association (NLHDA). &ldquo;The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,&rdquo; Tamang told The Corporate.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As a measure to address the woes of the realty sector, the government had announced, through the budget of FY 2010/11, to allow foreigners &ndash; both individuals and companies - to purchase flats and apartments in Nepal. However this announcement has not been implemented because of the lack of a directive. According to the announcement, foreigners can purchase flats and apartments costing USD 200,000 or more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is because of the lack of the directive that hundreds of foreigners and non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) have been deprived of the opportunity to buy flats and apartments in Nepal,&rdquo; Tamang explains, &ldquo;This is the reason why there has not been the expected improvement in the realty sector.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Realty sector entrepreneurs reveal that more that 50 per cent of the apartments and housing units built so far are yet to find buyers. Tamang claims that at least a hundred foreigners will buy apartments and housing units a year once the directive is issued. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Bhesh Raj Lohani, NLHDA secretary, there are 6000 housing units in the apartment buildings constructed so far and that nearly 3,500 units are yet to find buyers. The cost of these units ranges fron Rs 5 million to 20 million. If the average cost of one housing unit is considered to be Rs 7 million, then a whopping Rs 42 billion has already been invested in the housing sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Out of this huge investment, housing units worth Rs 28 billion are yet to be sold,&rdquo; said Tamang, &ldquo;Even if a hundred foreigners bought apartments and housing units a year, Rs 1.96 billion of foreign money would come to Nepal annually.&rdquo; He further said that scores of foreigners working in big projects of foreign investment are willing to buy flats and apartments in Nepal. &ldquo;Many NRNs, too, are keen about purchasing apartments and housing units in Nepal,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the developed countries in the world have allowed foreigners to buy apartments, according to Tamang. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>&lsquo;Draft of directive ready&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, Krishna Raj BC claimed that a draft of the directive is ready. &ldquo;However, the home, foreign and law ministries have advised us to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal only after formulating a relevant Act,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a situation where such an Act could be enacted immediately.&rdquo; The government, however, is positive about allowing foreigners to purchase apartments in the country, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-15',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government’s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers’ Association (NLHDA). “The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,” Tamang told The Corporate.',
			'sortorder' => '2163',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2317',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Fishtail Air Focus On Adventure & Rescue',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/spt%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 222px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Suman Pandey</strong></div>
						<div>
							Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company has never compromised on serving Nepalis either for bringing them from remote areas to the cities for medication, or in bringing pregnant women to hospitals in Kathmandu. And interestingly, three babies &nbsp;were delivered while the mothers were on board the Fishtail Air.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Fishtail Air was closed down in 2004 because of the insurgency hitting hard in the tourism industry. However the company was re-established in 2007 under a new management team and new way of working that has taken the company to a new height.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Leadership for Growth</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Pandey has been heading the company since 2007. It was the same year the company started its second innings. Pandey says that he is the first manager of the company who came from a non technical background. Pilots and engineers were the directors and promoters of the company. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey, for the last 25 years has been working in the field of adventure tourism. His company Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure is one of the top adventure tour operators in Nepal. &ldquo;In terms of diversification, it is considered number one among other tour operators,&rdquo; claims Pandey. Working for an adventure tour operator, he had an experience of utilising helicopters quite often and it gave him the confidence of managing a helicopter company.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey feels that the need of adventure tourism has always been there in the tourism market. And, he saw the need of a helicopter operator to partner in this unique service offering. He says that during that time helicopter companies were not satisfying the need of adventure tourism. &ldquo;There were certain areas that were unexplored. I thought I could be helpful in bridging the gap and bringing new ideas and innovations as an adventure tour operator,&rdquo; adds Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He shares that helicopters were serving only up to the altitude of 14,000 feet. After his involvement with Fishtail, he and his team came up with an idea to serve also in the higher altitudes. Then the company started serving into the thin air of high mountains. Recently, a rescue operation was carried out at the elevation of 7,800 metres at Mt Everest that saved the life of a Nepali mountaineer from Canada who was also disabled.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Serving High Altitudes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company has been serving its clients up to the elevation of 23,000 feet. In the company&rsquo;s initial days, Mi-17 helicopters were serving Indian pilgrims visiting Mt Kailash and Mansarovar. Being a big helicopter, operations were not smooth as it required at least 100 passengers for one operation. So, Pandey says he came up with an idea of using small helicopter that have good high altitude performance.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Accordingly, the company signed for two AS B3 helicopters from Eurocopter, a French company that had best service records in high altitude. Based in Simikot, these helicopters started serving Indian pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar. Pandey says that Mi-17s have been completely displaced. With the new high altitude performance of new helicopters, the company has gained the strength as a company that serves in high altitudes of the Himalayas.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Rescue Operations</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;In the last 4-5 years, the company has carried out numerous rescue operations and saved many lives in the mountains that were usually impossible without the use of helicopters. Pandey says that today, helicopters can even land at the second base camp of Mt Everest, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Pandey, a Swiss technology for rescue operations has been used by the company in collaboration with Air Zermatt. Since 2009, sling operations are being performed in Nepali Himalayas. He says that Air Zermatt has helped Nepali pilots by providing trainings both in Nepal and Switzerland.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rescue operations soar during the peak tourist seasons for rescuing people injured in accidents and as well as stuck with altitude sickness. Pandey says that the company sets its priorities according to the nature of the case and seriousness, and carries out its operations accordingly.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Apart from these operations, the company also performs mountain flights, transport flights and sightseeing flights to both foreigners and Nepalis. However, Pandey says that the priority is set on rescue operations as the company believes in saving lives first. Fishtail Air carried out a significant role in rescuing hundreds of tourists stranded in Lukla because of bad weather in 2011.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Safety Concerns</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company feels that the recent embargo by the European Union on Nepali airlines is a sad incident. The company has geared up &nbsp;to comply with the highest safety standards, whereby it is planning to review its safety aspects and take all the necessary &nbsp;improvement measures. &ldquo;We will try to prove that our operations are already up to the standards to European community. We will show the quality and reliability of our services both in operations and on paper,&rdquo; promises Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey says that a company can do extra than the listed safety concerns for adding value to the company&rsquo;s services. &ldquo;We are looking at adding some extra security features like bringing expert trainers from Europe and training our pilots and engineers and providing extra measures to support our safety standards to prove that Fishtail Air is a safe carrier.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Ventures</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Looking at the latest safety concern, Pandey says that the company has decided to go slow because things look quite uncertain at the moment. He says that this strategy will prevail for the next six months to one year. He says that the situation during that time will decide how and where the future steps of the company will lead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, the company is planning to go into the hospitality industry from the current area of working- aviation. Pandey reveals that land has already been acquired in Lamatar of Lalitpur that overlooks the entire Kathmandu Valley and a range of mountains in the north. He says that the company is going to start a 100 room luxury eco-resort, a new concept in Nepal targeting high-end clients. He says that the resort will come into operation within three years.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/sptlght%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 182px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Tale of Fishtail Air</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd is a helicopter charter company operating within Nepal, with its base in Kathmandu. Established in the year 1997 the company has been involved in operation throughout the country with occasional Trans-border flights to Bhutan and India. With a fleet of four helicopters, which includes two AS 350 B3 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, one AS 350 B2 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, and one Bell 206B III Jet Ranger helicopter, the company claims itself to be the largest helicopter operator in Nepal.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air operates flights for sightseeing, rescue, medical evacuation, business travels, project support, expedition works or any other purposes that need the services of a Helicopter. The company also operates support flights for trekking, which is getting really popular these days in the name of &ldquo;Heli-Trekking&rdquo;. Aerial sightseeing flights over the heritage and tourist spots is being quite popular these days &nbsp;to have a glimpse of tourist spots within the Kathmandu Valley in a short time and from different angle.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Partnering Everest Skydive 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air has been operating flights for Everest Skydive from Syangboche Airport this year continuing the trend that has been in operations for seven years. &nbsp;AS350B3 Helicopter 9N-AJI of Fishtail Air is operating at least three flight loads for the Skydive every day. Exclusive partner for this extreme event since its launch in 2007, Fishtail Air also made the flight load with French national Marc Kopp who set a record for being the first disable person to skydive in the shadow of Everest from the ceiling altitude of above 22000 ft on 27 October 2013. Fishtail Air, has also been involved in carrying the skydivers back to Kathmandu after their successful dives.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Spring of 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											The company says that the spring season of 2013 ended with a productive spell. From the beginning of the season in March, Fishtail Air carried out more than 200 rescue flights as well as cargo shipments of over 1,00,000 kilograms. A handful number of mountain flights and search flights were conducted specially in the Everest and Dhaulagiri regions. During this season, one of the highest helicopter rescue operation was carried out at the altitude of 7,800 metre between Camp III and Camp IV of Mt. Everest. During those few months, B3 Helicopter was stationed in Lukla to provide quick services to the foreigners as well as Nepalis. Similarly, one of the helicopters was stationed in Simikot to assist and support pilgrimage tours to Mount Kailash during emergencies.</div>
									</div>
								</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-30',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.',
			'sortorder' => '2162',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2318',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Don’t Believe In Transactional Selling, We Believe In Relationship Building”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world&rsquo;s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT). In an interview with The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Rashika Pokharel</strong>, TE Connectivity&rsquo;s <strong>R Murugesan</strong>, Country Sales Manager, India and SAARC, talked about TE&rsquo;s journey around the world and its plans in Nepal. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tell us about TE Connectivity&rsquo;s history</strong></span>.</div>
<div>
	We are the global leaders in terms of connectivity and computer networking products. The company was started in 1945 and it was originally known as AMP net connectivity. In the year 1999, TYCO International took over the company and then, was known as Tyco Electronics. However, after couple of years, the company was renamed as TE Connectivity. We make connectivity products irrespective of the industries. We produce consumer appliances such as mobile phones and other household appliances. We are focusing on computer networking products and cabling products which is a lifeline for all other cabling networks. We provide cabling for office networks, data centers and large campuses. We mainly focus on Local Area Networks (LAN) though we also have wireless services. We have complete product range for telecommunication networks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Briefly describe about TE&rsquo;s operation globally.</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We manage companies in India and other SAARC countries. We have good operation in Srilanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan. We make our selling through distributors and system integrated partners. Some of our integrated partners in India are: HP, IBM, Wipro Infotech. They buy our cabling products and other networking instruments and install in customer premises. Our head quarter is in USA and have office in India also. We manage business from India. We have got 36% of market share in India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the reason for choosing Nepal in particular for business expansion?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is very potential market because the telecommunication market is rising here. This is the reason we see Nepal as an important market. Future prospect is good for our company here. Since the last one year, we are focusing on Nepal&rsquo;s market. We have identified SAT as our business partner. SAT will be funding our business in Nepal. The reason for our visit is to educate and inform our partner as well as the people of Nepal about our products and their usage. We have planned to focus on office networks in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal is widely known for its tourism and hospitality. They need wide networking services and we provide that. We have planned to focus on office networks and data cabling here. As offices require LAN and use fiber optic products, we are trying to supply it in Nepal. Though we officially launched TE Connectivity on 20th December this year, we have been studying the market since last year. We are doing Surya Nepal project here which is also an ICT company. Basically, we will be focusing on Banking and Financial Institutions, along with hospitality and tourism industry clients. We will be working on government projects also. We are planning to establish a connection between various districts, as part of our government project.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the idea behind your success? How is it different from other companies?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The first thing is that our organization is committed. Secondly, we have got right people to manage the business. Finally, it is our products. These three factors have helped our company to become successful. We understand technology very well and it is definitely a plus point for us. Moreover, we don&rsquo;t believe in transactional selling, we believe in relationship building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The tech market has been suffering from fast changes. As such, how is TE Connectivity keeping its &nbsp;pace with the pace of change?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The TE Connectivity team is a part of Standard Committee and so, whenever a new technology comes in, our company is updated about it. Our company has been investing much amount on R&amp;DT (Research and Development Test). Our team is working on finding out new technologies and we are also trying to cope with that. We are an innovative company with global recognition for our services and products. The demand for our products in the global market justifies that our products are unique and good. 24 per cent of our business globally comes from the products that we have produced in the last three years. This clearly states that we are ahead in the market and we are proud of that. Our diversity in the products is helping us to handle the market situation. Of course, there are turbulences, but we are not suffering from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business strategies for Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Our main strategy in Nepal will be educating the people about technology. We are planning to conduct more workshops to acquaint the people with new technology. We are committed towards this aim, rather than only selling our products. We have different levels of training programs. Our strategy is that once people understand our technology, it will be easier for us to sell. We want to educate the customers so that they understand technology well before investing in it. This way they will invest in the right product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>As the head of TE-SAARC, what are TE&rsquo;s future prospects in South Asia?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Product sales is good in South Asia. If we see whole South Asia, communication era started some time back. There are still more advancements to happen regarding automation. If we look at South Asia in terms of automation, only 10 percent achievement has been made. We have huge potentials to harness in the years to come. There are so many government and educational institutions that have to be automatised. &nbsp;5 or10 years down the lane, Nepal and India will have automatised infrastructures. In Nepal, the telecommunication industry has already started using such technology. Therefore, Nepal has huge potential and it will definitely grow ahead.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-31',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT).',
			'sortorder' => '2161',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2270',
			'article_category_id' => '137',
			'title' => 'Nepal Edges Up In Energy Ranking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By TC Correspondent</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices -- Economic Growth and Development basket, Environmental Sustainability basket and Energy Access and Security basket. Last year Nepal with a score of 0.39 ranked 101st out of 105 countries in the index. Neighboring India and China were placed at 69th and 85th position, respectively. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were ranked at 70th and 96th position. In the South Asia region, Nepal was only ahead of Bangladesh (114th).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal scored 0.31 in the Economic Growth and Development Basket which measures GDP per unit of energy use, fuel imports/exports and electricity prices for industry. According to the WEF report, Nepal&rsquo;s GDP per unit of energy is priced at USD 3.66. Whereas, fuel imports of the country accounted 6 per cent of the GDP in 2013. Nepal fared particularly well in Environmental Sustainability basket with a score of 0.63. India scored 0.41 and China achieved 0.35 in the sub-index. The sub-index reveals the rising trend of the use of alternative energy sources such as the biomass in Nepal. WEF reported that the use of alternative energy in the country increased by 87 per cent in 2013 compared to last year. Meanwhile, use of alternative energy sources in India rose just by 28 per cent. Nepal&rsquo;s pollution level was also seen lower as it scored 27 in PM10, country level (micrograms per cubic meter) sub-index. In India, the PM10 level was recorded 52. Similarly, the air pollution marred China received 59 in the sub-index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the Energy Access and Security basket, Nepal performed lower with a score of 0.33. According to the sub-index, 82 per cent of the Nepalis rely on solid fuels (timber, animal dung and coal etc.) for cooking purposes. However, electrification rate in the country was recorded higher at 76 per cent. India&rsquo;s electrification rate was 75 per cent in the sub-index. China&rsquo;s electrification rate, meanwhile, was seen at staggering 100 per cent. The EAPI 2014 revealed the poor state of energy security and access in Nepal. It further stressed that the country need to speed up its energy development projects and deploy effective energy management policies to ramp up the efforts. The Report finds that many developing countries still struggle to supply citizens with basic energy needs, providing electricity to less than 50 per cent of their total population. It also highlights the over-dependence of many energy systems, with 32 per cent of countries dependent on imports to meet more than half of their energy needs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Norway was the top listed country in the index followed by New Zealand, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Colombia, Spain, Costa Rica and Latvia. The world&rsquo;s industrial giants, United States and Japan were ranked 37th and 38th respectively. Cambodia (120th), Tanzania (121st), Benin (122nd), Lebanon (123rd) and Yemen (124th) were the bottom ranking countries in the index.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices',
			'sortorder' => '2160',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2313',
			'article_category_id' => '39',
			'title' => 'Saurabh Group Leading Strong',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishnu Prasad Neupane Chairman, Saurabh Group" src="/userfiles/images/CF1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 238px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div>
						<strong>Bishnu Prasad Neupane</strong></div>
					<div>
						Chairman, Saurabh Group</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This factory has been established with an authorised capital of Rs 4000 million. It is one of the largest cement factories of Nepal that produce their own clinker. The factory has 45 per cent shareholding of a Hong Kong based company, Krishna Holdings Limited. &nbsp;The factory is spread over 30 bighas of land and the mine is spread over an area of 20 square kilometres for extracting limestone.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that this factory uses the latest technology that is not only efficient but also energy saving. He adds the technology installed in the factory is different than those used in Nepal and consumes 50 per cent less energy. All machineries for this project are imported from Denmark and manufactured by FLSmidth Private Limited.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Expansion Drive</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has always been prioritising the expansion of its factories. Last year, the group had a major expansion on its laminated sacks factory, Jagdamba Synthetics Pvt Ltd. New technology was installed and all upgraded machineries were imported from Austria. The factory has an installed production capacity of 1.5 million metres of fabrics per day. Neupane claims that it is the largest woven sacks factory in South East Asia. He adds, &ldquo;We are proud to say that we are the largest producer and exporter of woven sacks in Nepal.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Jagdamba Synthetics was established around 13 years ago and the latest addition is the new process of producing laminated bags. Neupane claims that this company has the capacity to produce the thinnest fibres in the entire South Asian region with quality consistency. He says that quality consistency has helped the company export 90 per cent of its production to India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the group has plans to convert its 15 storey building in Bhaktapur into a hotel as a part of its plan to move into the tourism industry. This three-star hotel will come into operation in a few years tying up with an international chain. Neupane says that it will be a unique hotel that utilises green technology.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Manufacturing Focus<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group in its initial days was involved in trading business. &nbsp;When Neupane separated from his family business and started his own, he had little experience in the manufacturing sector. He partnered with Shanker Lal Agrawal who was also in the trading business then. It was around 1996 when he and his partner Agrawal thought about entering into the manufacturing industry. Agrawal had the experience of running Jagdamba Steel and Neupane, who is also an engineer, had thoughts of establishing a cement factory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2001, the group started the construction of a woven sacks factory that produces bags for cement packaging. Construction was completed in 2003 and production began in the same year. Similarly, the group moved into spinning and tea gardening and processing. It was followed by the establishment of Jagdamba Roto Packaging factory. Likewise, the group also moved into pashmina, steels and other construction material production. Sarbottam Cement would be the latest addition to the construction material production business of the group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I always had a desire to go for production based industries especially on construction material rather than the service industry,&rdquo; Neupane says. He was often suggested to venture into more profitable sectors such as real estate and gold trading but they never lured him. Though the group is still involved in trading, it is the manufacturing sector that gives Neupane an immense pleasure. He says that the manufacturing sector creates employment for a good number of people and benefits society with both backward and forward linkages. The Saurabh group has been employing 2600 people at the moment in all of its companies.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Turning Point</strong></span></div>
<div>
	When democracy was restored in the country in 1990, it was a new beginning for the Saurabh Group as well. The group&rsquo;s major industries were established in the 1990s. The liberal policies of the government encouraged industrialists like Neupane to establish new companies. The easier licensing policies and laws were a sort of relief for them. In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, the group came up with its major companies. This was the same period when the armed insurgency was escalating and businessmen were realizing that the situation is unfavourable for making investments.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says his companies were least affected by the armed conflict being located in urban areas of the Tarai region. However, when the conflict ended and the country was moving towards conflict resolution, the political events of 2005-2006 took its toll on companies in the Tarai by disrupting the operation of factories. Neupane says that bandhs and strikes are a part of life and industrialists must be immune to such incidents.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cement factory was one of the major establishments of the group in the early 1990s. The group&rsquo;s course changed when Neupane thought of establishing his own cement bags factory while the general trend was to import bags from abroad as local production was insufficient. This very move led the group to be the largest producer of woven sacks in the South East Asian region at present.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane considers the group&rsquo;s move to establish a cement factory that totally depends on local raw materials as another turning point. The group came up with the idea of producing cement by manufacturing clinker using local limestone when a majority of industries were importing clinker. This gave the company the benefit to get a strong foothold in the market as one of the producers of cement in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Saurabh Group of Companies" src="/userfiles/images/CF2%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 184px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Market Coverage</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Neupane, 90 per cent of the total production of Jagdamba Spinning Mills is exported to India while the remaining 10 per cent is supplied to local textile manufacturers. Similarly, products of Jagdamba Roto Packaging are supplied to confectioneries, biscuits and noodles producer for packaging and wrappers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that the largest market of cement is Kathmandu Valley and its periphery where 40 per cent of the group&rsquo;s production is consumed. Out of around 1 billion sacks of cement produced by the group, 40 million sacks are consumed in Kathmandu Valley alone, says Neupane. He expects the groups&rsquo; market share on cement to increase to 20 per cent once Sarbottam Cement&rsquo;s production enters the market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When offering products to the market, the group abides by three fundamentals: quantity, quality and consistency. Neupane says that producing larger quantities helps to achieve economies of scale and also gives an edge to competition. Similarly, quality is the prime focus of the group and he says that any complaints on quality are taken seriously.</div>
<div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>History of Saurabh Group</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh Group&rsquo;s journey began from Myanmar. Till the 1960&rsquo;s, Bishnu Prasad Neupane&rsquo;s father, Lila Ram Neupane, was doing retail business alongside running a butter processing factory in Lashio town in the Shan state of Myanmar. After Buddhism was made the state religion in the 1960s, people of Nepali and Indian origin were forced to leave the country. Lila Ram Neupane made a decision to leave Myanmar and resettle in Nepal and started his own business with a wholesale store of textiles in Bhairahawa. During that time, textiles were brought from Kathmandu and distributed there. Later, he also took dealership of the National Trading and Salt Trading Limited.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							It was in 1964 when the business took shape of a group and was further diversified. Bishnu Prasad Neupane took up responsibility in 1986 and started the Jagadamba Cement Industries, his first manufacturing venture, in the early 1990s.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							Saurabh Photo International, the authorized distributor of Konka products, was in the agency trading business since 1990 and has a strong presence in the market. Currently, the group is mainly involved in the production of cement, steel, tea, spun yarn, PP Woven fabrics, calcium carbonates and other such products. The group&rsquo;s trading activities continue with imports of Konka products, Citizen watch components and other Chinese products. There are 14 companies under the group and some companies are operating under a joint venture with Shanker Group, another business house of Nepal. Today, the Saurabh Group registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion, Rs 4 billion, and Rs 2 billion from its cement, spinning and synthetic production, respectively.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>CSR</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh group and the Neupane family have a good reputation in Rupandehi district not only for business but also for their contribution to society. The business house has contributed over Rs 100 million for social work in the area. Along with institutional corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, the Neupane family has been carrying out philanthropic activities on a personal scale. A separate trust has been established and run by the family. This trust was established by Neupane&rsquo;s father and every year, at least Rs 2.5 million is donated by the family for social work. According to Neupane, donations amounted to Rs 2.7 million last year. He modestly says, &ldquo;This is not our CSR activity and is not for any commercial benefit. Within our family, there are three business groups and all of them contribute to the trust to make it an independent social entity.&rdquo; Neupane says that the group does not take any credit for the trust&rsquo;s activities.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							The trust supports government hospitals, schools and government organisations. Neupane says that most schools in Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts have received support from the trust. Similarly, Jagdamba Cement has recently initiated ambulance services. It also carries out social training programmes for various activities such as cancer relief activity. Likewise, the group also awards people and their social and non-profit organisations that have made good contributions to society. The company has been providing cement to construct buildings of such organisations at cost price.</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-22',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'new business age corporate focus news & articles, corporate focus news & articles from new business age nepal, corporate focus headlines from nepal,  current and latest corporate focus news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali corporate focus economic news and events,  ongoing  corporate foc',
			'description' => 'Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.',
			'sortorder' => '2159',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2269',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Are Trying To Employ Nepalis  In Our International Projects”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Angila Sharma</strong>, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company&rsquo;s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, <strong>Bijay Rajbhandary</strong>. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the business scenario of Nepal&rsquo;s construction sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is a developing nation and so, it is much occupied in the construction sector to meet its development infrastructural needs. We have contributed a lot to the development of the nation and still have a lot to do. Our priority is to set benchmark for building infrastructures in various development sectors. We believe that construction business has an important role in taking Nepal&rsquo;s development agenda to the next level. But, matters like political instability obstruct our vision. Basically, construction sector is doing well in Nepal. It is a sector with no limitation for growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>How is the business scenario after the CA elections?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As far as I have seen and known, it is good. We can assess the whole scenario only through economic indicators. Presently the scenario is positive and progressive. We are yet to see the changes that have been promised. For now, I believe that we can expect economic growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Kathmandu is squeezing at a fast pace. How can the industry expand beyond it?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Construction is not limited to constructing buildings only. Kathmandu may have the problem of space. But, that makes no difference to the construction sector because it is beyond constructing buildings. Kathmandu is a congested place that faces traffic problems every day. As such, we can invest in constructing roads and flyovers. Construction is not limited to a specific area, it can cover a community or a country. It can also be understood in terms of hydro-electricity production, construction of transmission lines, bridges, health institutions and other infrastructural setup. It is firstly very essential to understand that construction does not simply mean building of houses. Secondly, there is a wide scope for construction business in Nepal which is yet to be explored and utilized.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business expansion plans?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We are planning to take our projects to other cities in Nepal. Along with that, we also have a project named &lsquo;Beyond the Boundaries&rsquo; under which we are currently working in Qatar. We are trying to expand our reach in Bhutan and Tibet. Our expansion strategy includes using latest construction technologies that are permitted by the law of that land. As far as the host nation&rsquo;s policy allows, we are trying to employ Nepali human resources in our international projects. We have pioneered in using latest construction technologies and this, we think, will assist the nation in gaining expertise in construction business sector too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What new construction technologies are you using?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Across the world, one of the major technologies used in the construction project cycle is project management. It is important to apply project management tools to complete projects on time. Project completion in Nepal is complex due to demand for quality services within a very limited time period. Project Completion generally consists of planning tools, monitoring tools, methodologies and the application of equipment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Are the existing real estate policies conducive? What changes would your recommend?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Policies should be changed periodically corresponding to the needs and demands of time. Recently, government has come up with a policy of 45-days approval of land. Previously, there was no time frame for land approval and transfers and that burdened buyers with interest. This policy has helped in minimizing the burden of interest on the buyers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Government, however, has to come up with new policies which can foster the growth of the construction sector. Government has to pass laws that allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal. Apartments and real estate is an unavoidable solution to organize the cities here in Nepal. It has to facilitate us with proper policies for developing essential infrastructure. It should be able to provide subsidies and security to the private sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, government land should also be used for infrastructural development. Through active participation of private and public sector, we can build well-organized residential areas that are facilitated with recreational areas and essential services. Existing crowded city areas could be transformed into modern business centres. This needs government&rsquo;s active participation in dealing with stakeholders and in managing their relocation in new residential areas. This can be achieved only when there is political stability in the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your ongoing projects?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Right now, our projects include hotels, shopping complexes, institutional projects and apartments. Similarly, we are working on 15 real estate projects. We are expecting some big projects in the near future.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is your future strategy for the growth of this sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We believe that major volume of construction business should be conducted by Nepali people themselves rather than depending upon foreign constructors. For this, we have to prepare them. This requires establishment of training institutes, project management workshops and other practical means of learning. If we train these people properly, we will be able to deliver quality services at minimum prices and that too within a very short span of time. We will be role models in the construction sectors all over the world if we can provide quality training to the manpower in our nation.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate’s Angila Sharma, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company’s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, Bijay Rajbhandary. Excerpts:',
			'sortorder' => '2158',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2275',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Quick Selling Affects Trading At Nepali Stock Market NEPSE Went Up 11.43 Points Last Week',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country&rsquo;s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week&rsquo;s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered &nbsp;a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and &lsquo;Others&rsquo;. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points). The total turnover of the day was Rs. 560 million and the total market capitalization registered at Rs 744 billion. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse Index gained 11.43 points last week (Dec 8 to 12). Nepse, which opened at 702.49 points on the week&rsquo;s first day (Sunday), closed its trading at 713.92 points on Friday. By analyzing the stock market&rsquo;s recent movement, analysts say that the quick profit booking strategy of investors is likely to cause volatility in the coming days. They predict that Nepse trading may edge up for some days while it may slide down again for some days. According to them, many investors are currently busy in selling the shares, which they have bought recently. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Over the period of 8th December to 13th December, the number of trading at Nepse totaled to 14,283 with 641.5 million shares worth Rs 1.98 billion of turnover. Last week, the transaction volume increased by 17.31 per cent compared to the previous week. However, the number of transaction declined by 4.03 whereas the number of shares bought and sold came down by 4.72 per cent. The increase in transaction volume followed by the decrease in number of shares and transactions indicates the imbalance between demand and supply of shares in the stock market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In terms of turnover and the numbers of shares bought and sold, Kist Bank topped the week. Nepal Telecom, meanwhile, maintained its top spot in terms of market capitalization. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which recorded a 4-year high on 6th December, corrected on the first day (Sunday) closing down 4.92 points at 702.49. However, the index surged on the second day (Monday) by 1.67 points closing at 704.16. On Tuesday, the benchmark index declined by 4.32 points closing at 699.84. The volatility continued in the index as it rose by 10.91 points on Wednesday to settle at 710.75. On the last day of the week (Thursday), NEPSE again gained 3.71 points to close at 713.92. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the sub-groups of the Nepse witnessed a shrink in their share trading during the week. Commercial banks and finance companies were the only gainers who stood firmly on the index. The sub-indices of commercial banks and finance companies gained 31 and 5.68 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the other sub-indices recorded a decline. Insurance sub-index was the biggest looser---down by 61.33 points--- followed by Hotel (58.25 points), &lsquo;Others&rsquo; (8.22 points) Hydropower (4.75 points), Development Bank (2.27 points). Also, the Sensitive Index which represents the class &lsquo;A&rsquo; listed companies of Nepse came down by 2.76 points. Manufacturing and Trading sub-indices remained unchanged. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 71 companies out of 148 listed companies observed a gain, while the price of 58 companies declined during the week. The price of 19 companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/in.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 303px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country’s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week’s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered  a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and ‘Others’. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points).',
			'sortorder' => '2157',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2178',
			'article_category_id' => '40',
			'title' => 'Tourism Next In Nepal Vision Ahead',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em><span style="font-size:14px;">Premium positioning for higher revenues, advanced infra-structure &amp; larger domestic and foreign direct investment are the mainstay of Nepali Tourism Next, whereas Nepal already excels in authentic and ethnic route to tourism, notes <strong>Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury.</strong></span></em></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion. One out of every seven persons travelled to another nation in 2012 and 1 out of every 11 adults of the world is engaged in tourism industry. Emergence of new travel destinations and innovative approaches for catering to the needs of the industry, provides it with the potential to be an important component of the national economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In light of these facts, the New Business Age reviewed the present standing and potential sectors of Nepali Tourism industry and the lessons that the industry could learn from countries including India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Middle East, et al.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	An international symposium entitled &ldquo;Understanding Tourism and Aviation Next in Nepal&rdquo;, participated by niche experts from India, Malaysia and Nepal itself, was organized in Kathmandu in September this year. This symposium jointly organized by New Business age and Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna and sponsored by Qatar Airways and Ace Travels, &nbsp;focused on: raising service standards; creating premium brand of experiential tourism apart from the existing largely value-for-money backpackers&rsquo; tourism; positioning of exotic Nepal; upgrading the tourism and hospitality infra-structure: adding new international airport, additional terminals and new air-routes; and increasing domestic and foreign investments in tourism services.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Tourism Next Inaugration" src="/userfiles/images/cs1%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 336px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<div style="text-align: center;">
							<strong>Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire,inaugurating Tourism and Aviation Next 2013. (From left) New Business Age Pvt Ltd Chairman Madan Lamsal, Incredible India pioneer Amitabh Kant and South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia Amran Abdul Rahman.</strong></div>
					</div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Goal: 5% of GDP by 2080 BS</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As the opening speaker, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire elaborated on how Nepal aims to achieve tourism turnover equal to 5% of the GDP by 2080 BS. Presently the turnover is less than 2%. Secondly, Ghimire focused on strengthening the capacity of national flag bearer, Nepal Airlines and claimed that the ministry is working towards that end. &nbsp;He laid stress on accessing all major stake-holders&rsquo; views while preparing a long-term future course for a private sector driven domain like that of tourism &amp; aviation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Ghimire, key participants from India and Malaysia shared their experience and case studies on how their respective nations took their tourism industry to next level. Key giveaways of their presentations follow:&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Case-studies: India &amp; Malaysia</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>INDIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The former Tourism Secretary of India and of Kerala state, and the man behind &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; and &ldquo;God&rsquo;s Own Country Kerala&rdquo; branding, Amitabh Kant, lamented that the positioning, branding and pricing of an otherwise high-end premium exotic destination like Nepal has been actually very low. He rued that the focus has been on low-end mass tourism in Nepal (however the arrival number has not yet touched a million), while it now needs to be on niche high-end tourism promotion with a clear positioning.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Noting that more than 1 billion people are travelling and almost 9% of the global GDP has been in tourism across the world, he said, Nepal needs to catch up with this burgeoning industry. Moving from sun-sand-sea focused tourism, globally travelers are looking at authentic experience now and Nepal has a huge advantage in it. Referring to the lessons learned from &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, he noted that to take Nepal to the next level in this sector, unique positioning and integrated marketing communication strategy and plan are a must.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kant ended expounding 6Cs for a holistic tourism development approach: civic governance, capacity building, communication strategy, convergence, community participation, and civil aviation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He expanded the concept that in every crisis there is an opportunity. During the onset of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, there were several crises going through India and the world. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre (WTC), the Gujarat earthquake, the coalition force war in Afghanistan, attack on the Indian Parliament, etc, were the stories of the day. India was then very low in several aspects of the travel trade competitive index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these setbacks, the unique positioning of &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; was taken up, and international consumers were reached directly through exhaustive campaigns, consistent communication, public relations in travel media, and documentaries in television channels. The results started showing up. During this phase, India strategically positioned tourism as a major engine of economic growth, harnessed the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, focused on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth (India being a large nation), positioned India as a global brand, acknowledged the critical role of the private sector, and, finally, created and developed integrated tourism circuits based on India&rsquo;s unique civilization (like the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, the Buddhist circuit of Gaya-Ajanta-Ellora, the sun-sand-sea tourism of Goa-Pondicherry, etc).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Kerala, India" src="/userfiles/images/cs2%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Kerala, India</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Some key strategies and actions taken during the last ten years for increasing the expansion and impact of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign are:</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Integrated communication strategy with the aim of promoting India as a destination of choice for travelling from 2002.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Showcasing different aspects of Indian culture and history like yoga, spirituality, etc.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2008, the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign targeted at the local population. Aamir Khan endorsed the campaign &lsquo;Atithidevo Bhava&lsquo; (Guests are like God).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2009, Minister of Tourism, Kumari Selja further extended the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign at the domestic level. Of the total USD 200 million budget, USD 12 million was allocated for promoting domestic tourism that year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Result</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2000 India&rsquo;s share of the world&rsquo;s tourism income was 0.5% but by March 2013 the share soared to 1.7%.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>MALAYSIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia, Amran Abdul Rahman, elaborated on how Malaysia moved away from &lsquo;Coca-Cola tourism&rsquo; and how it became a major tourist destination from an &lsquo;add-on&rsquo; tourist destination for Singaporean tourists, two decades earlier.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The nation received 13 million visitors in 2003 and 25 million visitors in 2012. The target of 2014, declared as the Visit Malaysia Year, is now 36 million visitors with USD 44 billion income.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating on the key factors that assisted in gaining such results, Rahman said, Malaysia could achieve this success due to infrastructure growth including the remarkable makeover of Kuala Lumpur Airport, changing mindset of the people and government with tourism coming under direct special supervision of the Prime Minister, heavy promotion of rural Malaysia while ensuring ethnic amity, and focusing on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention and Exhibitions) tourism events heavily.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Malaysia" src="/userfiles/images/cs3%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Malaysia</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Next: Branding&nbsp;and Capacity-building are Key Drivers</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Tourism Next panel, a panel comprising some key stakeholders and industry experts on different facets from the private sector, elaborated on key areas where the private and public sector should focus to alleviate the existing condition of the industry. &nbsp;Moderator of the panel, Upaul Majumdar, CEO of Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna laid focus on developing a &lsquo;can-do&rsquo; attitude, instead of just talking about challenges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nalin Mandiratta, General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza, focused on the need of constructing a large Convention Centre for MICE activities to grow; organizing more sports tournaments in Nepal, preparing and implementing dynamic and integrated destination marketing, preparing an integrated One Nepal concept by uniting efforts of various sections of the industry, and focusing on China and India more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Madhusudan Acharya, the Vice President of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, explained the benefits of unique positioning by referring to the success of Apple and said that to establish Nepal as a unique tourism destination, it needs similar positioning based on green initiatives and its ethnicity. He emphatically noted that tourism is both a cause and an effect of more holistic socio-economic growth. He noted that Nepal-China roads and Kathmandu&rsquo;s direct air connectivity with Chennai and Bengaluru are much needed pending measures.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nandini Lahe Thapa, the Senior Director of the Nepal Tourism Board and International Marketing In Charge, noted relative maturity of Nepal as a tourism destination However, she noted that it has been quite low at the high-end of the price-service spectrum. &ldquo;We have lowered our rates for other tourism services, but the cost of travel to and from Nepal has been exponentially costly. Hotels have already set the bar higher, but travel trade still needs to come together and raise the standards with rational pricing,&rdquo; she noted. Promotion of new destinations is possible, she told, if concrete proposals come to NTB from entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sumit Baral, the Senior Consultant with the International Finance Corporation of The World Bank Group, working for its investment climate programmes, with key focus on tourism programmes, recalled how Lufthansa dropped Kathmandu sector to protest the rampant child labor in the carpet industry and how it adversely affected German tourists&rsquo; travel to Nepal. Also, a diagnostic study categorically has shown that service standards decline has been the major factor behind lower per day spending by tourists. Noting that Nepal does not feature in luxury travel, he illustrated how Peru since 2000 has positioned itself as high-end destination, and how Maldives with almost same number of tourists like Nepal (little less than a million a year), actually has been earning double the income that Nepal has been earning from this sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Talking from the tourism technology perspective, Prerna Mimani, the Country Head of Amadeus (a global leader in travel trade distribution and marketing), noted that the e-commerce route to promote Nepal is must while stating that presently it is still at a rudimentary level. Mimani elaborated on the potential of collaborating with global travel portals with ethnicity focus for Nepal through efficient use of e-commerce.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Suman Pandey , Chairman of PATA Nepal and an entrepreneur, defended budget tourism noting it as an important part of the Nepali tourism eco-system and saying that it is different a way of travelling to experience the country. He poignantly noted, &ldquo;The seven days Golden Triangle plan is over-done and new tourism products are now necessary, as seen in the case of trekking tours being re-packaged as photography tours.&rdquo; Next to that Pandey suggested on organizing events replete with potentials to gain global media visibility, as seen in the case of the earlier Nepali cabinet meeting at Everest base-camp.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Aviation Next: Start Small, But Act in Unison</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Civil aviation has an important role in tourism industry. A separate discussion panel, &ldquo;Aviation Next&rdquo;, forwarded areas in which Nepal has to improvise in the days ahead to gain its tourism promotion objectives. Valentino Bagatsing, the Country Head of International Finance Corporation (IFC) of The World Bank group and moderator of the session, raised the issue air safety standards in Nepal. He noted, that there have been 70 accidents in 60 years, 3 of them being in the last two years and informed that IFC is presently tasked with safety management systems research and planning.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhola Bikram Thapa, the MD of President Travels, emphasized that the &ldquo;Government should make stronger policies and facilitate processes, and not do business directly.&rdquo; &nbsp;He lamented that the government has been unable to add more aircrafts to the existing fleet of the national carrier, Nepal Airlines.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ghanshyam Acharya, Chief of Corporate Affairs, Simrik Airlines, noted that three out of every four international traveler to Nepal is airborne and said IATA&rsquo;s Outlook for 2013 that looks forward positively at $711 billion global tourism turnover, has huge potential for Nepal&rsquo;s tourism sector too. Adding to it, he said that blacktopping of many airports in Nepal has increased air safety and air-travel is now available to middle class as well. However, he pointed the need for better regulatory support from policy-makers and rued that no domestic carrier has flown new aircraft since 1998.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Representing the government voice, Buddhisagar Lamichchane, the Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation, and Roshan Chitrakar, the Deputy Director General of the Air Navigation Services of CAAN, shared the government&rsquo;s initiatives in addressing the needs of the industry. Chitrakar informed that blacktopping and expansion of airports is going on in a high speed and the hurdles in fleet expansion of the national airlines are now almost removed. He also informed that one year compulsory Air Traffic Controllers&rsquo; training is now split into two parts - six-months in the first phase and then after some work experience another six months of second phase. This will address the problem of human resource crunch in the industry, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Lamichchane shed light on the installation of navigational safety equipment, and emphasized that the air safety standards in Nepal is reasonably strong by global standards. Further, he said, &ldquo;Nepali air-routes integration with more global air-routes is underway. And the construction of a second international airport at Bara which will create an East-West air corridor, is also taking off soon. Lamichhane further informed that &ldquo;the regulator and service provider functions of government with regards to aviation are being separated soon and a global consultancy is looking into this.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Air India Country Head, TK Saha, defended the pricing strategy of his carrier noting that only 10-15 percent seats go vacant. He advocated for new small aircraft routes and services for various potential sectors like Gaya-Lumbini, Patna-Kathmandu, and Varanasi-Pokhara.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ramdas Shivram, the Qatar Airways Country Head, brought in a basic issue and presented with emphasis. &ldquo;Garbage management is poor in Kathmandu airport&rdquo; he said calling for &ldquo;a blended approach that includes raising awareness in passengers, training airport staff, and implementing strong punitive regulation.&rdquo; &nbsp;He also advocated for more efficient and faster immigration services, quest for quality tourism instead of stressing only on volume-based tourism, and focus on finding and investing in new markets to expand Nepal&rsquo;s tourism and aviation base.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Bhutan Tourism Info" src="/userfiles/images/cs4%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 426px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smaller Cases: Bhutan and Sikkim</strong></span></div>
<div>
	BHUTAN has positioned itself as a &lsquo;high-value, low-impact&rsquo; tourism, with USD 250 as average on season spending per day by a tourist, and minimum of USD 200 any time of the year. Bhutan claims to have the Highest Gross National Happiness, and the slogan of Bhutan Tourism is &ldquo;Happiness is a Place&rdquo;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan" src="/userfiles/images/cs5%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 395px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Tiger&rsquo;s Nest Monastery, Bhutan</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>SIKKIM</strong></span></div>
<div>
	What should be the agenda for Sikkim in 2013 if it plans to be anywhere close to Switzerland? It&rsquo;s the oomph factor, about Switzerland, Dubai, and even backdoor ASEAN countries like Singapore and to some extent Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia that make them a most sought after destination. Switzerland received more than 10 million tourists in 2010. Even Goa received nearly 3 million tourists in 2010. The highest number of foreign tourists who visit Sikkim never crossed the 5000 mark in a month ever till now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim would need to emerge as a shopping and fun destination; a destination which film makers and market executives like. Sikkim hence, has introduced para-gliding, trekking, and bike riding in recent years, a few world class universities, a few niche products with enviable reputation, a highly educated libertarian civil society.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It&rsquo;s empowering every Sikkimese to figure out where Sikkim should need to focus on rather than a top to bottom approach&rdquo; has been Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling&rsquo;s Approach in developing the Indian state.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim came out with an integrated vision that brought together and synergized Nature &amp; Trekking Tourism, Eco-tourism &amp; Wilderness Tourism, Village/Rural &amp; Home stay Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Wellness Tourism: Meditation, Yoga, Spa &amp; Herbal medicine etc, Pilgrimage &amp; Buddhist Tourism, Culture &amp; Heritage Tourism, Conference Tourism (MICE destination), Tea Tourism, and Snow Travel and Hydro Tourism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the last decade, Sikkim has also pro-actively developed these niche aspects of tourism industry there: Flori-Tourism, Geo-Tourism (fossil study), Fairs-Festivals Tourism, Wedding/Honeymoon Tourism, Peace /Health Rejuvenation Tourism, Heli Tourism, Monsoon Tourism, Cave Tourism, Ekant Vas &amp; Agyat Van Vas, Developments of lakes and wetlands, Wayside Amenities- at every 10 Kms distance, Arts Crafts and Souvenir and some premium destinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Sikkim" src="/userfiles/images/cs6%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 413px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Sikkim</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong><img alt="Nepal Vs Switzerland" src="/userfiles/images/nepalvzswitz%20(Copy).jpg" style="
float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 378px;" />Premium Positioning for Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism: Possible Road-map</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal, the 36th largest nation of the world by land-area, and enriched with most of the world&rsquo;s tallest mountain peaks, huge fresh water-resource and glaciers, &nbsp;home to some of the best lakes and forests in South Asia, and a nation rich in centuries-old civilization heritages and cultures, has often been under-valued in tourism. The recent Travel &amp; Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 places Nepal at 112th position out of 140 nations surveyed, while Switzerland retained its position at the top of the chart.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Situation Analysis:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While Nepal is the preferred Himalayan destination globally, it is one of the cheapest travel destinations. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation study shows that the average daily spending of an airborne tourist in Nepal skidded down to USD 35 from USD 79 in 2003. Some 700,000 foreign tourists (including some 530,000 by air) came to Nepal in 2012 (as per Nepal Tourism Board estimates). But the image of Nepal has been that of the backpackers&rsquo; paradise, value-for-money tourism, and often a glorious destination for the run-away tourists. The image of Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism has been further tarnished in the last decade by the insurgency followed by political instability.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, things can take turn for the better. This piece throws open the discussion on the paradigm shift in Nepal Tourism. Without harming the current flow of tourists to Nepal every year with an average per head daily spending of USD 48, we can still look at creating a new crop of premium tourists who will hopefully spend a fortnight minimum in this Himalayan nation with a daily expense of at least USD 200 (four times higher than the current average). Even if there are 5,000 such tourists in a year to begin with, the national average and the total income of all stake-holders of tourism economy will have a qualitative leap ahead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Mt Everest" src="/userfiles/images/cs7%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Mt Everest</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Positioning of the Premium Tourism Product</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Let us look at what the premium tourists look for and what &lsquo;tourism product&rsquo; can be dovetailed for them. Then, we can look at what channels and process of marketing communications should be taken to ensure that 5,000 or more such premium tourists actually come for their date with the Himalayas and spend a daily average of USD 200 or stay in Nepal for more than 14 days.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The possible product must have a distinct positioning with a clear and creative packaging. The positioning that can be suggested is &lsquo;Pristine, Priceless &amp; Personal&rsquo;. The pristine beauty of nature and culture of Nepal needs no further elucidation. The experience of the &lsquo;product&rsquo; has to be made priceless incorporating a wide variety of the best expectations fulfilled - the Wow-effect of which should out-price the costs. And, surely, the entire experience has to be very personal, to be treasured for long, with an immense nostalgia-value.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Lumbimi" src="/userfiles/images/cs8%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 321px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<strong>Lumbimi</strong></div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Premium Tourism Product Defined</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Keeping these parameters in mind, it is suggested that the proposed product should be for couples only, of any age, to make it truly experiential and personal, and should be an all-planned well-packaged fortnight-long visit incorporating the best elements of Nepal.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		For example, a very personal aspect is ensured the moment the visiting couple immediately after landing at Kathmandu airport or on reaching the pre-chosen five-star or boutique hotel is traditionally welcomed and given a set of traditional Nepali wear (based on personal information given while booking the trip). The visit to the five most known heritage points of Kathmandu-- blending heritage, royalty and spiritualism in good measures-- must surely be done along with a broad understanding of the valley over the next two full days in the country, land-travel served with the best of tourist cars available.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The visit in Kathmandu on the fourth day can be customized to each couple&rsquo;s needs: cuisine, shopping, social entrepreneurship or educational initiative, any theatre or cultural activity, the NTB archaeological museum or any other specific spot. Hour-long flight above Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga can be another sure winner on the morning of this day.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Nagarkot" src="/userfiles/images/cs10%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Nagarkot</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The fifth day can be at Nagarkot with the sunset and sunrise covered soaking in the beauty of natural landscapes. Subsequent two days can be spent at Chitwan, with lake, park, rural life, festivities (season specific),etc., all planned well.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eighth to tenth days can be at Pokhara, ensuring all aspects of the valued hill-destination rated among top ten by Lonely Planet - a bit of trekking, rafting and para-gliding, depending on the couple&rsquo;s interest, age and health. Celebrations like anniversary or birthday or even the marriage of the couple in a few cases could be another &lsquo;personal&rsquo; winner either in Kathmandu or Chitwan or Pokhara depending upon the date.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eleventh and twelfth days could be a visit to busy Terai city of business: Birganj or Nepalgunj to bring home other aspects of Nepali life and economy, with shopping, handicrafts, etc., thrown in.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Last two days can be used for a visit to Lumbini and Buddhist heritage sites or, for those who want it otherwise, to Muktinath and more lakes, hills and forests.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		And, as each couple bids adieu, they should be given an exquisitely packaged album of best moments of their visit, their blogs and comments taken for social media use, and take-away souvenirs also given for their closest family members based on the information shared while booking the trip.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Patan Durbar Square" src="/userfiles/images/cs9%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Patan Durbar Square</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Integrated Marketing Communications:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		For such a concept to click at the market there has to be a focused high-decibel concerted IMC campaign integrating all four channels of communication: online, offline, on-air and on-ground and across ten to twelve selected markets of the world from where most tourists come to Nepal, as understood through research conducted by professionals.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 12px;">An experiential tourism product needs an experiential video that documents actual experience of say, three distinctly different couples -an Indian, a Chinese/Japanese, and an European/American- who go through the entire &lsquo;product&rsquo; and share their views online and on camera. Such a video needs to be used in every marketing meet, aired in selected channels across the globe in the target nations, and clippings promoted through YouTube. Such experiential videos without any explicit marketing commentary, speak volumes more than guided narrative documentaries of hills and rivers made usually from the government stable.</span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Social Media and the internet make the most powerful channel to reach to an audience scattered across the globe. Hence, a very high-end interactive portal, ideally on third generation internet platform that&rsquo;s &nbsp;being customized to each individual user, on the concept and product of Premium Nepal, incorporating blogs, photo albums, do&rsquo;s and don&rsquo;ts at every level of the experience will also serve the purpose well. Along with the portal, intense and creative use of Facebook, MySpace, Google+, Dig, Youtube, Twitter, Blogs in e-groups, and other social media platforms need to be used with the single-minded purpose of creating a premium positioning of the said high-end tourism product of Nepal. Online booking of this product should also be facilitated through the right mix of technology options.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		A Premium Nepal Tour Plan Book can be an effective offline (printed) tool of communication. The book will interestingly present possible experiences and options for each day of the visit on one side and provide space for documenting personal experiences, cuisine, culture, visits, and people befriended in the process and small anecdotes on the other side. Still pictures of various events can also be placed and preserved. This book will eventually have an immense personal nostalgia value and will also serve to market the &lsquo;product&rsquo; to future customers spreading a positive buzz or word of mouth. Each customer in the process becomes an advocate realizing thus the life-time value of the premium customers.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PR &amp; Sales Driven High Decibel Road-Shows</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		However, closing the deal will largely happen through an intensive PR driven high-end road-show in at least ten to twelve of the leading sources of tourism to Nepal. This road-show must combine the said film, tour plan-book, and interactive session by the organizing partners and must lead to a plethora of writing on Nepal and on this uniquely positioned tourism product. The road-show must bring together the premier tour operators to South Asian destinations, adventure or heritage tourism operators, leadership of selected chambers of commerce, entertainment industry and travel journalism biggies, including the lead travel writers. The cities where the road-shows can be held may be selected from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, among others. These road-shows must ensure immediate or follow-up bookings of couples coming to Nepal in the subsequent season.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PPP Model with a Consortium Approach:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;This project can only succeed if it is done on private-public-partnership in which Nepal Tourism Board representing the government and a consortium of private tourism players join hands to first build a brand of Premium Nepal and then execute the product immaculately (execution largely being in private hands). The Consortium can be of a few five star and boutique or heritage hotels with properties in all the places covered in the tour, domestic airlines, premium road transport providers, adventure tourism organizers and may be helicopter-services providers, apart from selected handicrafts-cuisine-apparel-souvenir providers.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Revenue Output</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Even if 3,000 couples, with per couple investment within Nepal being USD 5,000 for a fortnight of Premium Nepal tourism experience, come in a year, Nepali Tourism industry stands to gain a minimum of 15 million USD minus the marketing communications expenses and tour operator commission of a maximum of 20 percent. Some 12 million USD means an additional Rs. 10,000 million infused into the economy by just one new concept implemented creatively and aggressively! Are the government and the industry listening?</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<em>(The author, the Consulting Editor of the NBA, is the former Dean of Symbiosis International University, Pune, Mumbai, and Whistling Woods International, Mumbai.)</em></div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-27',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'new business age cover story news & articles, cover story news & articles from new business age nepal, cover story headlines from nepal,  current and latest cover story news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali cover story economic news and events,  ongoing  cover story news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion.',
			'sortorder' => '2156',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2226',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse On Four-year-high',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Last weeks surge is interpreted as continuation of the upward trend that started in the capital market some weeks back with the &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; sweeping the election result. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index went up all the tradings days last week. &nbsp;The circuit breaker was used twice on Wednesday and Thursday due to the feverish transactions that sent the index surging with almost all the companies gaining share price hike.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stock market analysts, however, caution that the decision to invest in a company without any analysis could prove risky. &nbsp;In recent days, shares price of even those companies that are incurring loss is also rising unusually. In order to avoid the risks, analysts suggest the investors to assess the company&rsquo;s financial position before deciding to buy the shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The market registered a total of Rs 2.40 billion turnover last week. 6,732,794 units of shares were traded in the market floor through 14,821 transactions. The turnover, number of transactions and units of shares are 49.18 per cent, 12.12 per cent &nbsp;and 47.98 per cent higher respectively in comparison to those of last week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NIC Asia witnessed the largest turnover in the share market last week, while Nabil Balance Fund-1 witnessed the highest transaction. It was Nepal Telecom which remained at the top of the market in terms of the market capitalisation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index gained 8.03 points on the first day (Sunday) closing at 651.98. The index continued to surge in the initial trading hour on the second day (Monday) &nbsp;but eventually declined 9.82 points closing at 661.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index witnessed a double-digit rise by 16 points on Tuesday closing at 677.8 points. The double-digit upward movement continued on Wednesday with Nepse index surging 25 points to settle at 700.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	All the sub-groups, except Trading and Manufacturing, witnessed an impressive gain during the week. Insurance group gained the highest by whopping 105.18 points. It was followed by Hydropower (up by 82.48 points), Banks (up by 60.26 points) and Development Bank (up by 57.19 points). Likewise, sub-indices of Other, Finance and Hotel groups have also gained by 55.21, 16.19 and 11.3 points. Sub-indices of Trading and Manufacturing remained unchanged.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Out of 138 listed companies, 116 observed a gain, while shares price of 5 companies declined during the week. Shares price of 17 other companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/1indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 424px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Nepse on Sunday</strong></span></p>
</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which was on upward trend for past few weeks, however, dropped 4.73 points on Sunday closing at 702.68.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sub-indices of Hotels, Hyrdropower and Finance groups observed a surge. The highest gainer was Hotels group with its index up by 24.26 points settling at 1125.14. Hydropower and Finance groups also rose 19.35 points and 1.11 points respectively. Sub-indices of Banking, Development Banks and Insurance groups&rsquo; sub-indices went down by 3.69 points, 3.46 points and 38.81 points respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 389,214 units of shares of 97 companies worth Rs 152.58 million were traded through 1174 transactions.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.',
			'sortorder' => '2155',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2293',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Domestic Footwear Brands Dominate Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A corresponding growth has been seen in footwear factories too. There are presently around 10 medium-scale footwear factories across the country. Nepali customers are gradually getting attracted towards shoes produced in Nepal for design, and durability of the shoes.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;There has been a healthy growth in the number of &nbsp;buyers for locally manufactured footwear,&rdquo; Ram Krishna Prashain, said Managing Director of Shikhar Shoes, one of the prominent names in the domestic footwear market,. &ldquo;This has been possible due to adaptation of advanced manufacturing technologies, delivery of quality products and keeping up with the expectation of customers,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Present Status of the Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Prashain, the domestic market is witnessing a change in the buying pattern of customers. &ldquo;Slowly and steadily, we are seeing more and more people who used to prefer branded products from foreign countries coming to us. And once they use our products, they become regular customers,&rdquo; said Prashain. He added that the company is planning to roll out a new premium brand targeting high-end customers in the near future. &ldquo;Currently, we are carrying out a feasibility study. If we get positive results, we will install a new plant,&rdquo; he said. Products from Shikhar Shoes are priced between &nbsp;Rs 350 andRs 4,000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Base Footwear, manufacturer of &lsquo;BF dear hill&rsquo; brand of footwear and another prominent player in the domestic market, has also been witnessing enormous success. &ldquo;Almost all the multi-branded footwear stores across the country now feature products from at least one of the domestic brands,&rdquo; said Hom Nath Upadhyay, Managing Director of Base Footwear. He added that the company&rsquo;s annual production comes to 150,000-200,000 pairs. Its products are priced in the range of Rs 450 - Rs 3,500. Base Footwear products range from school and college shoes to party shoes, casual shoes and sports shoes. The company has recently started manufacturing football boots also.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When asked about the raw material, Upadhyay informs that polyvinyl chloride, and thermoylae rubbers around 80 per cent of Nepal&rsquo;s leather requirement is fulfilled by imports from Thailand, China and India, while 20 per cent is produced in Nepal itself. The other major raw material such as polyurifine, polyvinyl chloride, and thermopoly rubbers too are imported. Upadhyay said that domestic products presently occupy 55 per cent of the Nepali leather goods and footwear market. He is optimistic that the domestic brands will occupy more share of the market in the days ahead as demand for these products continues to surge due to comparatively affordable prices than imported products while the quality of the domestic products is comparable with the imported ones. In fact, while the leather used in the Nepal-made shoes is genuine, the imported shoes may be using imitate on leather which is difficult for the ordinary people to identify. He said, &ldquo;In terms of price, our competition is with those imports that use fake international brand names.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	People usually buy the Chinese-made &ldquo;international brands&rdquo; which are not as good as the authentic brands. They bear the logos of popular international brands, but they are counterfeit products. Claiming that the domestic footwear manufacturers are offering better affordability, better quality and better designs than the Chinese imitations, Upadhyay encourages consumers to buy domestic products instead of running behind so called branded and designers&rsquo; products. He said, &ldquo;People have to understand that they can have Nepali genuine products for the same price that they pay for those fake products.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The domestic footwear makers has started manufacturing sports and casual shoes as well while till recently they were producing mainly for school children. Manufacturers say that increasing buyer confidence had inspired them to try their hand at new products. &ldquo;We are now planning to expand the product line-up in the casual and sports series,&rdquo; said Prashain. &ldquo;We are about to install a new plant to manufacture ladies footwear. We are in the final stages of our preparation to produce rubber boots.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Imported Raw Materials</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Eighty percent of the raw material is imported. And 40 per cent of it comes from China, 30 per cent from India and the remaining from other nations. At present, Nepal produces only 20 per cent of the raw material the industry needs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to a survey conducted by Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers&rsquo; Association Nepal (LFGMAN) an average single Nepali spends Rs 2500 annually on shoes. Hom Nath Upadhyay, also the President of LFGMAN said, &ldquo;That means, when you think about the entire population, the annual spending of Nepali population on shoes is huge. If Nepali products are promoted, we can prevent that money from going outside the country.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;&ldquo;We are looking forward to be self-dependent in leather goods and footwear. If we can achieve that, it will be very helpful to the economy. Besides, this will create more employment opportunities in Nepal itself,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/fc1%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 318px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems &amp; Challenges&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite having deeper penetration in the domestic footwear market, Nepali shoe manufacturers claim that they could do even better if their concerns are addressed properly. Unfair customs duty on raw materials and unavailability of skilled manpower are their major concerns, which if addressed by the government, they say, could enable them to outshine foreign products in the domestic market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Upadhyay said that shortage of skilled and efficient manpower has been the major problem in this sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Energy crisis is another challenge for us. We don&rsquo;t have local industries that produce raw material for our industry. Even in case of imported raw material, we do not have sufficient supply,&rdquo; &nbsp; he said. Moreover, &nbsp;some of these raw material are heavily taxed making the final products expensive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating further on their concerns, he said undeterred huge import of Chinese counterfeit products is another major problem. &ldquo;If such import is discouraged, Nepali brands will have a better market,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sharing his experience of retaining the market, he said &ldquo;We have to look for new designs and trends continuously. Shoes go out of fashion very soon and we have to tap trending designs to retain our customers. This includes updating our manufacturing technology and marketing patterns. We just have to be moving, and we cannot rest. This makes it a tough job,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stressing on the role of government for the promotion of the footwear market in Nepal, Upadhyay said, &ldquo;The government should give more priority to this sector and create favourable environment for it. This sector makes use of Nepali skill and labour. There is no foreign investment here, so we can say we are a true Nepali business sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;People should show their love to domestic products by giving them a try. We need more support and feedback from our customers to serve them better products in the days to come.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.',
			'sortorder' => '2154',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2302',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Joyful Achiever',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Angila Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. &ldquo;Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,&rdquo; he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari balances his professional and personal life perfectly, and manages his time for both. &ldquo;My family is my pride. I always save time for my family,&rdquo; says Bhandari.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari is a very high-spirited person. He wakes up early in the morning and updates himself on current affairs. He plays badminton as a creative leisure activity for keeping his mind and body healthy. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Besides that, he loves old Hindi songs and has deep fascination for music and dance. He believes in enjoying life to the fullest and hates nothing in particular.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He considers vacations as an important aspect of life. Vacation, for him, is an escape from the daily hustles of life and manages to go on vacation, once a year. He loves to visit new places and thus his vacation destinations vary every year. Last year, he went to America. He has visited India, China, among other nations.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He loves interacting with new people and is always amazed by people&rsquo;s opinions and their personal characteristics. His love for interacting with people has taken him to Facebook. However, due to his busy schedules he is not very active there. &nbsp;&ldquo;I check my Facebook only once a day. Other than that, I don&rsquo;t use other networking sites,&rdquo; says Bhandari.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Reading book is another of his personal interests but he rarely gets opportunity to fulfill it because of his hectic professional schedules. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He has a strong dislike for wasting time unnecessarily and thinks that time should be used in creative purposes that foster individual and national growth.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-24',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers’ Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. “Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,” he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.',
			'sortorder' => '2153',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2309',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contact Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><br />
<strong>Address</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>New Business Age Pvt. Ltd<br />
Panchayan Marga, Thapathali<br />
Kathmandu<br />
Nepal<br />
<br />
Tel: 977-1-5367717<br />
Email: info@newbusinessage.com, editorial@newbusinessage.com</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/map.jpg" style="height:372px; margin:10px; width:616px" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2022-01-18',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2152',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2012-01-01 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2308',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'About Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><strong>New Business Age (P) Ltd.</strong> has been publishing New Business Age (monthly business magazine in English) and Aarthik Abhiyan (national business daily in Nepali).</p>

<h3><strong>History</strong></h3>

<p>The first issue of New Business Age magazine was published in April 2001. In 2005, it started publishing Aarthik Abhiyan weekly (initially called Aajako Abhiyan). This is upgraded since September 2010 into a national daily.</p>

<p>Because of all these, NBA boasts of having the longest institutional history and experience in business journalism in Nepal.</p>

<h3><strong>Vision, Mission and Value Statement</strong></h3>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20180724100938_20170426035214_mvv.jpg" /></strong></p>

<h3><strong>Affiliates</strong></h3>

<p>New Business Age (P) Ltd. has set up one fully owned subsidiary Minds Nepal (P) Ltd. which functions in the fields of consultancy, research and training.</p>

<h3><strong>Products</strong></h3>

<p>The company NBA at present has following products:</p>

<p><strong>Arthik Abhiyan :</strong> &nbsp;It is Nepali Language daily business newspaper published days of the week (Sunday to Friday) &nbsp;and it has 12-16 pages in broadsheet. On all the other six days of week, it has one or more special&nbsp; pages dedicated to different sectors such as Investments &amp; Capital Market, Technology, Transport, Jobs, Education, Development and Housing &amp; Real Estate with the broad title &#39;&#39; Product&quot; . It selects one product, service or business for a day and tries to give 360 degree coverage on that product on that day. Arthik &nbsp;Abhiyan is printed on normal newsprint.</p>

<p><strong>Key Timeline</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Established in 2001 as New Business Age Pvt. Ltd.</li>
	<li>Started the New Business Age monthly magazine in May 2001</li>
	<li>Started Aajako Abhiyan (later Aarthik Abhiyan) as a business weekly in (August 2005)</li>
	<li>Started the Aarthik Abhiyan as a national daily in Bhadra 18, 2067 (Sept 3, 2010)</li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2023-05-04',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2151',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2023-05-04 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2303',
			'article_category_id' => '198',
			'title' => 'Quality Rice At Affordable Price',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director, New Om Khadya Udyog" src="/userfiles/images/min1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 206px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Bishwamitra Kalwar</strong></div>
						<div>
							Managing Director</div>
						<div>
							New Om Khadya Udyog</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company targets customers from all classes by supplying low to high price range rice. &ldquo;The price range&rsquo;s gap seems high but we target to reach customers from every class&rdquo;, Kalwar shares, &ldquo;We do not compromise on quality in any of our products of any price range.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Om Khadya&rsquo;s rice is available in market in three varieties: Jeera Basmati (steam\non-steam), Sona Mansuli (steam and non-steam), and Sona Mansuli (graded\non graded). Price of a kg of these rices ranges between Rs34 to Rs62.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Its three products are marketed across major cities of the country including in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Nuwakot, Sindhuli, Makawanpur, Chitawan and Ramechhap. Kalwar said that the company is planning to expand its market reach to other regions too.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Remembering initial days in the food industry business, Kalwar said that the company had to struggle hard to establish its name in the market. &ldquo;We have always focused on quality and this has established us as a household brand in Nepal&rsquo;s rice market,&rdquo; he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Commenting on existing market conditions, Kalwar says that any rice in Nepal has to compete with low-priced rice imported from India. He said that Indian rice mills receive subsidy from the government that enables them to produce rice at cheaper rates in comparison to the unsubsidized rice industry of Nepal. &ldquo;Thus, it is very difficult for Nepali rice to compete with the imports from India,&rdquo; he shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kalwar said that along with continuing its commitment to provide quality rice, the company has plans to promote and advertise the brand in the future. He says, &ldquo;We are looking forward to expand our reach and market through advertising also.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with that he said that the company is working to strengthen presence in the existing market niche. The company has an annual turnover of around 40-45 crores of rupees.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.',
			'sortorder' => '2150',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2307',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Choices Of Handbags For Men',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1212.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 551px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman&rsquo;s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men&rsquo;s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe. However, choosing the right bag can often be perplexing as there are plenty of options to choose from that come in a numerous colours, materials and sizes all at varying price ranges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Briefcase</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1(5).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 88px;" />A briefcase is the most admired of all bags because of its classic shape, strong build, and sophisticated looks. It helps its possessor stand apart in the crowd. For more conventional guy, a rectangular briefcase with short handles is a nice and stylish selection. Do not go for the hard-shelled briefcases as they are out-dated. Choose briefcases with buckles, leather exterior, and realistic interior cubicles as they are evergreen or forever in fashion.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Messenger Bag</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1a.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 70px;" />The messenger bags are often made from canvas and hung across the shoulder. It is very spacious and comfortable. Laptops, ipads and other daily necessities can be easily fitted in It can hold as many documents and its shoulder strap gives stylish look to your personality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Tote</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1b.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;height: 115px; width: 100px;" />Totes are the perfect weekend bags. It is more convenient option for short trips. A tote is the advance replica to typical briefcases. &nbsp;It can be used both casually as well as for professional purposes. If it has leather exterior then it gives you a classic status. A Tote can be referred as portable pocket as you can pack much stuff inside it like work papers, some clothes, accessories, umbrella and lunch etc.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Backpack</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1c.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 121px;" />Bagpacks are the most suitable option if you constantly have to carry much stuff along with you. If your office hours demand suit and tie then a backpack will be too casual. But if your office atmosphere is casual, it the best alternative. It&rsquo;s easy to fling over your shoulder and pursue your busy schedule. Backpack gives you a more youthful look.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Duffle/Holdall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1d.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 77px;" />&nbsp;Duffle is medium sized and multi-purpose bag. It is useful for versatile man who has to manage work, home, the gym and weekends away. Shun those glittery leather or sporty fabrics and acquire a bag which is more decent in colour like gray, brown, black or dark green.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-18',
			'modified' => '2013-12-18',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman’s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men’s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe.',
			'sortorder' => '2149',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	)
)
$current_user = null
$logged_in = false
include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224
View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418
include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117

Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity &quot;&quot; [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60]
Code Context
//    $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/indexdata.xml';



    if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){
$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp'
$dataForView = array(
	'articles' => array(
		(int) 0 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 1 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 2 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 3 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 4 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 5 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 6 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 7 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 8 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 9 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 10 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 11 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 12 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 13 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 14 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		)
	),
	'current_user' => null,
	'logged_in' => false
)
$articles = array(
	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2267',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'Lack Of Directive Puts Rs 28 Billion Housing Investment At Risk',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sujan Oli</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government&rsquo;s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers&rsquo; Association (NLHDA). &ldquo;The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,&rdquo; Tamang told The Corporate.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As a measure to address the woes of the realty sector, the government had announced, through the budget of FY 2010/11, to allow foreigners &ndash; both individuals and companies - to purchase flats and apartments in Nepal. However this announcement has not been implemented because of the lack of a directive. According to the announcement, foreigners can purchase flats and apartments costing USD 200,000 or more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is because of the lack of the directive that hundreds of foreigners and non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) have been deprived of the opportunity to buy flats and apartments in Nepal,&rdquo; Tamang explains, &ldquo;This is the reason why there has not been the expected improvement in the realty sector.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Realty sector entrepreneurs reveal that more that 50 per cent of the apartments and housing units built so far are yet to find buyers. Tamang claims that at least a hundred foreigners will buy apartments and housing units a year once the directive is issued. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Bhesh Raj Lohani, NLHDA secretary, there are 6000 housing units in the apartment buildings constructed so far and that nearly 3,500 units are yet to find buyers. The cost of these units ranges fron Rs 5 million to 20 million. If the average cost of one housing unit is considered to be Rs 7 million, then a whopping Rs 42 billion has already been invested in the housing sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Out of this huge investment, housing units worth Rs 28 billion are yet to be sold,&rdquo; said Tamang, &ldquo;Even if a hundred foreigners bought apartments and housing units a year, Rs 1.96 billion of foreign money would come to Nepal annually.&rdquo; He further said that scores of foreigners working in big projects of foreign investment are willing to buy flats and apartments in Nepal. &ldquo;Many NRNs, too, are keen about purchasing apartments and housing units in Nepal,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the developed countries in the world have allowed foreigners to buy apartments, according to Tamang. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>&lsquo;Draft of directive ready&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, Krishna Raj BC claimed that a draft of the directive is ready. &ldquo;However, the home, foreign and law ministries have advised us to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal only after formulating a relevant Act,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a situation where such an Act could be enacted immediately.&rdquo; The government, however, is positive about allowing foreigners to purchase apartments in the country, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-15',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government’s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers’ Association (NLHDA). “The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,” Tamang told The Corporate.',
			'sortorder' => '2163',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2317',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Fishtail Air Focus On Adventure & Rescue',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/spt%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 222px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Suman Pandey</strong></div>
						<div>
							Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company has never compromised on serving Nepalis either for bringing them from remote areas to the cities for medication, or in bringing pregnant women to hospitals in Kathmandu. And interestingly, three babies &nbsp;were delivered while the mothers were on board the Fishtail Air.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Fishtail Air was closed down in 2004 because of the insurgency hitting hard in the tourism industry. However the company was re-established in 2007 under a new management team and new way of working that has taken the company to a new height.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Leadership for Growth</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Pandey has been heading the company since 2007. It was the same year the company started its second innings. Pandey says that he is the first manager of the company who came from a non technical background. Pilots and engineers were the directors and promoters of the company. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey, for the last 25 years has been working in the field of adventure tourism. His company Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure is one of the top adventure tour operators in Nepal. &ldquo;In terms of diversification, it is considered number one among other tour operators,&rdquo; claims Pandey. Working for an adventure tour operator, he had an experience of utilising helicopters quite often and it gave him the confidence of managing a helicopter company.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey feels that the need of adventure tourism has always been there in the tourism market. And, he saw the need of a helicopter operator to partner in this unique service offering. He says that during that time helicopter companies were not satisfying the need of adventure tourism. &ldquo;There were certain areas that were unexplored. I thought I could be helpful in bridging the gap and bringing new ideas and innovations as an adventure tour operator,&rdquo; adds Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He shares that helicopters were serving only up to the altitude of 14,000 feet. After his involvement with Fishtail, he and his team came up with an idea to serve also in the higher altitudes. Then the company started serving into the thin air of high mountains. Recently, a rescue operation was carried out at the elevation of 7,800 metres at Mt Everest that saved the life of a Nepali mountaineer from Canada who was also disabled.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Serving High Altitudes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company has been serving its clients up to the elevation of 23,000 feet. In the company&rsquo;s initial days, Mi-17 helicopters were serving Indian pilgrims visiting Mt Kailash and Mansarovar. Being a big helicopter, operations were not smooth as it required at least 100 passengers for one operation. So, Pandey says he came up with an idea of using small helicopter that have good high altitude performance.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Accordingly, the company signed for two AS B3 helicopters from Eurocopter, a French company that had best service records in high altitude. Based in Simikot, these helicopters started serving Indian pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar. Pandey says that Mi-17s have been completely displaced. With the new high altitude performance of new helicopters, the company has gained the strength as a company that serves in high altitudes of the Himalayas.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Rescue Operations</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;In the last 4-5 years, the company has carried out numerous rescue operations and saved many lives in the mountains that were usually impossible without the use of helicopters. Pandey says that today, helicopters can even land at the second base camp of Mt Everest, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Pandey, a Swiss technology for rescue operations has been used by the company in collaboration with Air Zermatt. Since 2009, sling operations are being performed in Nepali Himalayas. He says that Air Zermatt has helped Nepali pilots by providing trainings both in Nepal and Switzerland.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rescue operations soar during the peak tourist seasons for rescuing people injured in accidents and as well as stuck with altitude sickness. Pandey says that the company sets its priorities according to the nature of the case and seriousness, and carries out its operations accordingly.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Apart from these operations, the company also performs mountain flights, transport flights and sightseeing flights to both foreigners and Nepalis. However, Pandey says that the priority is set on rescue operations as the company believes in saving lives first. Fishtail Air carried out a significant role in rescuing hundreds of tourists stranded in Lukla because of bad weather in 2011.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Safety Concerns</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company feels that the recent embargo by the European Union on Nepali airlines is a sad incident. The company has geared up &nbsp;to comply with the highest safety standards, whereby it is planning to review its safety aspects and take all the necessary &nbsp;improvement measures. &ldquo;We will try to prove that our operations are already up to the standards to European community. We will show the quality and reliability of our services both in operations and on paper,&rdquo; promises Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey says that a company can do extra than the listed safety concerns for adding value to the company&rsquo;s services. &ldquo;We are looking at adding some extra security features like bringing expert trainers from Europe and training our pilots and engineers and providing extra measures to support our safety standards to prove that Fishtail Air is a safe carrier.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Ventures</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Looking at the latest safety concern, Pandey says that the company has decided to go slow because things look quite uncertain at the moment. He says that this strategy will prevail for the next six months to one year. He says that the situation during that time will decide how and where the future steps of the company will lead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, the company is planning to go into the hospitality industry from the current area of working- aviation. Pandey reveals that land has already been acquired in Lamatar of Lalitpur that overlooks the entire Kathmandu Valley and a range of mountains in the north. He says that the company is going to start a 100 room luxury eco-resort, a new concept in Nepal targeting high-end clients. He says that the resort will come into operation within three years.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/sptlght%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 182px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Tale of Fishtail Air</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd is a helicopter charter company operating within Nepal, with its base in Kathmandu. Established in the year 1997 the company has been involved in operation throughout the country with occasional Trans-border flights to Bhutan and India. With a fleet of four helicopters, which includes two AS 350 B3 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, one AS 350 B2 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, and one Bell 206B III Jet Ranger helicopter, the company claims itself to be the largest helicopter operator in Nepal.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air operates flights for sightseeing, rescue, medical evacuation, business travels, project support, expedition works or any other purposes that need the services of a Helicopter. The company also operates support flights for trekking, which is getting really popular these days in the name of &ldquo;Heli-Trekking&rdquo;. Aerial sightseeing flights over the heritage and tourist spots is being quite popular these days &nbsp;to have a glimpse of tourist spots within the Kathmandu Valley in a short time and from different angle.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Partnering Everest Skydive 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air has been operating flights for Everest Skydive from Syangboche Airport this year continuing the trend that has been in operations for seven years. &nbsp;AS350B3 Helicopter 9N-AJI of Fishtail Air is operating at least three flight loads for the Skydive every day. Exclusive partner for this extreme event since its launch in 2007, Fishtail Air also made the flight load with French national Marc Kopp who set a record for being the first disable person to skydive in the shadow of Everest from the ceiling altitude of above 22000 ft on 27 October 2013. Fishtail Air, has also been involved in carrying the skydivers back to Kathmandu after their successful dives.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Spring of 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											The company says that the spring season of 2013 ended with a productive spell. From the beginning of the season in March, Fishtail Air carried out more than 200 rescue flights as well as cargo shipments of over 1,00,000 kilograms. A handful number of mountain flights and search flights were conducted specially in the Everest and Dhaulagiri regions. During this season, one of the highest helicopter rescue operation was carried out at the altitude of 7,800 metre between Camp III and Camp IV of Mt. Everest. During those few months, B3 Helicopter was stationed in Lukla to provide quick services to the foreigners as well as Nepalis. Similarly, one of the helicopters was stationed in Simikot to assist and support pilgrimage tours to Mount Kailash during emergencies.</div>
									</div>
								</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-30',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.',
			'sortorder' => '2162',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2318',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Don’t Believe In Transactional Selling, We Believe In Relationship Building”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world&rsquo;s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT). In an interview with The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Rashika Pokharel</strong>, TE Connectivity&rsquo;s <strong>R Murugesan</strong>, Country Sales Manager, India and SAARC, talked about TE&rsquo;s journey around the world and its plans in Nepal. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tell us about TE Connectivity&rsquo;s history</strong></span>.</div>
<div>
	We are the global leaders in terms of connectivity and computer networking products. The company was started in 1945 and it was originally known as AMP net connectivity. In the year 1999, TYCO International took over the company and then, was known as Tyco Electronics. However, after couple of years, the company was renamed as TE Connectivity. We make connectivity products irrespective of the industries. We produce consumer appliances such as mobile phones and other household appliances. We are focusing on computer networking products and cabling products which is a lifeline for all other cabling networks. We provide cabling for office networks, data centers and large campuses. We mainly focus on Local Area Networks (LAN) though we also have wireless services. We have complete product range for telecommunication networks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Briefly describe about TE&rsquo;s operation globally.</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We manage companies in India and other SAARC countries. We have good operation in Srilanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan. We make our selling through distributors and system integrated partners. Some of our integrated partners in India are: HP, IBM, Wipro Infotech. They buy our cabling products and other networking instruments and install in customer premises. Our head quarter is in USA and have office in India also. We manage business from India. We have got 36% of market share in India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the reason for choosing Nepal in particular for business expansion?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is very potential market because the telecommunication market is rising here. This is the reason we see Nepal as an important market. Future prospect is good for our company here. Since the last one year, we are focusing on Nepal&rsquo;s market. We have identified SAT as our business partner. SAT will be funding our business in Nepal. The reason for our visit is to educate and inform our partner as well as the people of Nepal about our products and their usage. We have planned to focus on office networks in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal is widely known for its tourism and hospitality. They need wide networking services and we provide that. We have planned to focus on office networks and data cabling here. As offices require LAN and use fiber optic products, we are trying to supply it in Nepal. Though we officially launched TE Connectivity on 20th December this year, we have been studying the market since last year. We are doing Surya Nepal project here which is also an ICT company. Basically, we will be focusing on Banking and Financial Institutions, along with hospitality and tourism industry clients. We will be working on government projects also. We are planning to establish a connection between various districts, as part of our government project.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the idea behind your success? How is it different from other companies?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The first thing is that our organization is committed. Secondly, we have got right people to manage the business. Finally, it is our products. These three factors have helped our company to become successful. We understand technology very well and it is definitely a plus point for us. Moreover, we don&rsquo;t believe in transactional selling, we believe in relationship building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The tech market has been suffering from fast changes. As such, how is TE Connectivity keeping its &nbsp;pace with the pace of change?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The TE Connectivity team is a part of Standard Committee and so, whenever a new technology comes in, our company is updated about it. Our company has been investing much amount on R&amp;DT (Research and Development Test). Our team is working on finding out new technologies and we are also trying to cope with that. We are an innovative company with global recognition for our services and products. The demand for our products in the global market justifies that our products are unique and good. 24 per cent of our business globally comes from the products that we have produced in the last three years. This clearly states that we are ahead in the market and we are proud of that. Our diversity in the products is helping us to handle the market situation. Of course, there are turbulences, but we are not suffering from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business strategies for Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Our main strategy in Nepal will be educating the people about technology. We are planning to conduct more workshops to acquaint the people with new technology. We are committed towards this aim, rather than only selling our products. We have different levels of training programs. Our strategy is that once people understand our technology, it will be easier for us to sell. We want to educate the customers so that they understand technology well before investing in it. This way they will invest in the right product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>As the head of TE-SAARC, what are TE&rsquo;s future prospects in South Asia?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Product sales is good in South Asia. If we see whole South Asia, communication era started some time back. There are still more advancements to happen regarding automation. If we look at South Asia in terms of automation, only 10 percent achievement has been made. We have huge potentials to harness in the years to come. There are so many government and educational institutions that have to be automatised. &nbsp;5 or10 years down the lane, Nepal and India will have automatised infrastructures. In Nepal, the telecommunication industry has already started using such technology. Therefore, Nepal has huge potential and it will definitely grow ahead.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-31',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT).',
			'sortorder' => '2161',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2270',
			'article_category_id' => '137',
			'title' => 'Nepal Edges Up In Energy Ranking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By TC Correspondent</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices -- Economic Growth and Development basket, Environmental Sustainability basket and Energy Access and Security basket. Last year Nepal with a score of 0.39 ranked 101st out of 105 countries in the index. Neighboring India and China were placed at 69th and 85th position, respectively. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were ranked at 70th and 96th position. In the South Asia region, Nepal was only ahead of Bangladesh (114th).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal scored 0.31 in the Economic Growth and Development Basket which measures GDP per unit of energy use, fuel imports/exports and electricity prices for industry. According to the WEF report, Nepal&rsquo;s GDP per unit of energy is priced at USD 3.66. Whereas, fuel imports of the country accounted 6 per cent of the GDP in 2013. Nepal fared particularly well in Environmental Sustainability basket with a score of 0.63. India scored 0.41 and China achieved 0.35 in the sub-index. The sub-index reveals the rising trend of the use of alternative energy sources such as the biomass in Nepal. WEF reported that the use of alternative energy in the country increased by 87 per cent in 2013 compared to last year. Meanwhile, use of alternative energy sources in India rose just by 28 per cent. Nepal&rsquo;s pollution level was also seen lower as it scored 27 in PM10, country level (micrograms per cubic meter) sub-index. In India, the PM10 level was recorded 52. Similarly, the air pollution marred China received 59 in the sub-index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the Energy Access and Security basket, Nepal performed lower with a score of 0.33. According to the sub-index, 82 per cent of the Nepalis rely on solid fuels (timber, animal dung and coal etc.) for cooking purposes. However, electrification rate in the country was recorded higher at 76 per cent. India&rsquo;s electrification rate was 75 per cent in the sub-index. China&rsquo;s electrification rate, meanwhile, was seen at staggering 100 per cent. The EAPI 2014 revealed the poor state of energy security and access in Nepal. It further stressed that the country need to speed up its energy development projects and deploy effective energy management policies to ramp up the efforts. The Report finds that many developing countries still struggle to supply citizens with basic energy needs, providing electricity to less than 50 per cent of their total population. It also highlights the over-dependence of many energy systems, with 32 per cent of countries dependent on imports to meet more than half of their energy needs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Norway was the top listed country in the index followed by New Zealand, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Colombia, Spain, Costa Rica and Latvia. The world&rsquo;s industrial giants, United States and Japan were ranked 37th and 38th respectively. Cambodia (120th), Tanzania (121st), Benin (122nd), Lebanon (123rd) and Yemen (124th) were the bottom ranking countries in the index.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices',
			'sortorder' => '2160',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2313',
			'article_category_id' => '39',
			'title' => 'Saurabh Group Leading Strong',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishnu Prasad Neupane Chairman, Saurabh Group" src="/userfiles/images/CF1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 238px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div>
						<strong>Bishnu Prasad Neupane</strong></div>
					<div>
						Chairman, Saurabh Group</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This factory has been established with an authorised capital of Rs 4000 million. It is one of the largest cement factories of Nepal that produce their own clinker. The factory has 45 per cent shareholding of a Hong Kong based company, Krishna Holdings Limited. &nbsp;The factory is spread over 30 bighas of land and the mine is spread over an area of 20 square kilometres for extracting limestone.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that this factory uses the latest technology that is not only efficient but also energy saving. He adds the technology installed in the factory is different than those used in Nepal and consumes 50 per cent less energy. All machineries for this project are imported from Denmark and manufactured by FLSmidth Private Limited.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Expansion Drive</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has always been prioritising the expansion of its factories. Last year, the group had a major expansion on its laminated sacks factory, Jagdamba Synthetics Pvt Ltd. New technology was installed and all upgraded machineries were imported from Austria. The factory has an installed production capacity of 1.5 million metres of fabrics per day. Neupane claims that it is the largest woven sacks factory in South East Asia. He adds, &ldquo;We are proud to say that we are the largest producer and exporter of woven sacks in Nepal.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Jagdamba Synthetics was established around 13 years ago and the latest addition is the new process of producing laminated bags. Neupane claims that this company has the capacity to produce the thinnest fibres in the entire South Asian region with quality consistency. He says that quality consistency has helped the company export 90 per cent of its production to India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the group has plans to convert its 15 storey building in Bhaktapur into a hotel as a part of its plan to move into the tourism industry. This three-star hotel will come into operation in a few years tying up with an international chain. Neupane says that it will be a unique hotel that utilises green technology.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Manufacturing Focus<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group in its initial days was involved in trading business. &nbsp;When Neupane separated from his family business and started his own, he had little experience in the manufacturing sector. He partnered with Shanker Lal Agrawal who was also in the trading business then. It was around 1996 when he and his partner Agrawal thought about entering into the manufacturing industry. Agrawal had the experience of running Jagdamba Steel and Neupane, who is also an engineer, had thoughts of establishing a cement factory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2001, the group started the construction of a woven sacks factory that produces bags for cement packaging. Construction was completed in 2003 and production began in the same year. Similarly, the group moved into spinning and tea gardening and processing. It was followed by the establishment of Jagdamba Roto Packaging factory. Likewise, the group also moved into pashmina, steels and other construction material production. Sarbottam Cement would be the latest addition to the construction material production business of the group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I always had a desire to go for production based industries especially on construction material rather than the service industry,&rdquo; Neupane says. He was often suggested to venture into more profitable sectors such as real estate and gold trading but they never lured him. Though the group is still involved in trading, it is the manufacturing sector that gives Neupane an immense pleasure. He says that the manufacturing sector creates employment for a good number of people and benefits society with both backward and forward linkages. The Saurabh group has been employing 2600 people at the moment in all of its companies.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Turning Point</strong></span></div>
<div>
	When democracy was restored in the country in 1990, it was a new beginning for the Saurabh Group as well. The group&rsquo;s major industries were established in the 1990s. The liberal policies of the government encouraged industrialists like Neupane to establish new companies. The easier licensing policies and laws were a sort of relief for them. In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, the group came up with its major companies. This was the same period when the armed insurgency was escalating and businessmen were realizing that the situation is unfavourable for making investments.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says his companies were least affected by the armed conflict being located in urban areas of the Tarai region. However, when the conflict ended and the country was moving towards conflict resolution, the political events of 2005-2006 took its toll on companies in the Tarai by disrupting the operation of factories. Neupane says that bandhs and strikes are a part of life and industrialists must be immune to such incidents.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cement factory was one of the major establishments of the group in the early 1990s. The group&rsquo;s course changed when Neupane thought of establishing his own cement bags factory while the general trend was to import bags from abroad as local production was insufficient. This very move led the group to be the largest producer of woven sacks in the South East Asian region at present.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane considers the group&rsquo;s move to establish a cement factory that totally depends on local raw materials as another turning point. The group came up with the idea of producing cement by manufacturing clinker using local limestone when a majority of industries were importing clinker. This gave the company the benefit to get a strong foothold in the market as one of the producers of cement in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Saurabh Group of Companies" src="/userfiles/images/CF2%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 184px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Market Coverage</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Neupane, 90 per cent of the total production of Jagdamba Spinning Mills is exported to India while the remaining 10 per cent is supplied to local textile manufacturers. Similarly, products of Jagdamba Roto Packaging are supplied to confectioneries, biscuits and noodles producer for packaging and wrappers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that the largest market of cement is Kathmandu Valley and its periphery where 40 per cent of the group&rsquo;s production is consumed. Out of around 1 billion sacks of cement produced by the group, 40 million sacks are consumed in Kathmandu Valley alone, says Neupane. He expects the groups&rsquo; market share on cement to increase to 20 per cent once Sarbottam Cement&rsquo;s production enters the market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When offering products to the market, the group abides by three fundamentals: quantity, quality and consistency. Neupane says that producing larger quantities helps to achieve economies of scale and also gives an edge to competition. Similarly, quality is the prime focus of the group and he says that any complaints on quality are taken seriously.</div>
<div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>History of Saurabh Group</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh Group&rsquo;s journey began from Myanmar. Till the 1960&rsquo;s, Bishnu Prasad Neupane&rsquo;s father, Lila Ram Neupane, was doing retail business alongside running a butter processing factory in Lashio town in the Shan state of Myanmar. After Buddhism was made the state religion in the 1960s, people of Nepali and Indian origin were forced to leave the country. Lila Ram Neupane made a decision to leave Myanmar and resettle in Nepal and started his own business with a wholesale store of textiles in Bhairahawa. During that time, textiles were brought from Kathmandu and distributed there. Later, he also took dealership of the National Trading and Salt Trading Limited.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							It was in 1964 when the business took shape of a group and was further diversified. Bishnu Prasad Neupane took up responsibility in 1986 and started the Jagadamba Cement Industries, his first manufacturing venture, in the early 1990s.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							Saurabh Photo International, the authorized distributor of Konka products, was in the agency trading business since 1990 and has a strong presence in the market. Currently, the group is mainly involved in the production of cement, steel, tea, spun yarn, PP Woven fabrics, calcium carbonates and other such products. The group&rsquo;s trading activities continue with imports of Konka products, Citizen watch components and other Chinese products. There are 14 companies under the group and some companies are operating under a joint venture with Shanker Group, another business house of Nepal. Today, the Saurabh Group registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion, Rs 4 billion, and Rs 2 billion from its cement, spinning and synthetic production, respectively.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>CSR</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh group and the Neupane family have a good reputation in Rupandehi district not only for business but also for their contribution to society. The business house has contributed over Rs 100 million for social work in the area. Along with institutional corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, the Neupane family has been carrying out philanthropic activities on a personal scale. A separate trust has been established and run by the family. This trust was established by Neupane&rsquo;s father and every year, at least Rs 2.5 million is donated by the family for social work. According to Neupane, donations amounted to Rs 2.7 million last year. He modestly says, &ldquo;This is not our CSR activity and is not for any commercial benefit. Within our family, there are three business groups and all of them contribute to the trust to make it an independent social entity.&rdquo; Neupane says that the group does not take any credit for the trust&rsquo;s activities.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							The trust supports government hospitals, schools and government organisations. Neupane says that most schools in Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts have received support from the trust. Similarly, Jagdamba Cement has recently initiated ambulance services. It also carries out social training programmes for various activities such as cancer relief activity. Likewise, the group also awards people and their social and non-profit organisations that have made good contributions to society. The company has been providing cement to construct buildings of such organisations at cost price.</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-22',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'new business age corporate focus news & articles, corporate focus news & articles from new business age nepal, corporate focus headlines from nepal,  current and latest corporate focus news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali corporate focus economic news and events,  ongoing  corporate foc',
			'description' => 'Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.',
			'sortorder' => '2159',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2269',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Are Trying To Employ Nepalis  In Our International Projects”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Angila Sharma</strong>, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company&rsquo;s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, <strong>Bijay Rajbhandary</strong>. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the business scenario of Nepal&rsquo;s construction sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is a developing nation and so, it is much occupied in the construction sector to meet its development infrastructural needs. We have contributed a lot to the development of the nation and still have a lot to do. Our priority is to set benchmark for building infrastructures in various development sectors. We believe that construction business has an important role in taking Nepal&rsquo;s development agenda to the next level. But, matters like political instability obstruct our vision. Basically, construction sector is doing well in Nepal. It is a sector with no limitation for growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>How is the business scenario after the CA elections?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As far as I have seen and known, it is good. We can assess the whole scenario only through economic indicators. Presently the scenario is positive and progressive. We are yet to see the changes that have been promised. For now, I believe that we can expect economic growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Kathmandu is squeezing at a fast pace. How can the industry expand beyond it?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Construction is not limited to constructing buildings only. Kathmandu may have the problem of space. But, that makes no difference to the construction sector because it is beyond constructing buildings. Kathmandu is a congested place that faces traffic problems every day. As such, we can invest in constructing roads and flyovers. Construction is not limited to a specific area, it can cover a community or a country. It can also be understood in terms of hydro-electricity production, construction of transmission lines, bridges, health institutions and other infrastructural setup. It is firstly very essential to understand that construction does not simply mean building of houses. Secondly, there is a wide scope for construction business in Nepal which is yet to be explored and utilized.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business expansion plans?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We are planning to take our projects to other cities in Nepal. Along with that, we also have a project named &lsquo;Beyond the Boundaries&rsquo; under which we are currently working in Qatar. We are trying to expand our reach in Bhutan and Tibet. Our expansion strategy includes using latest construction technologies that are permitted by the law of that land. As far as the host nation&rsquo;s policy allows, we are trying to employ Nepali human resources in our international projects. We have pioneered in using latest construction technologies and this, we think, will assist the nation in gaining expertise in construction business sector too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What new construction technologies are you using?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Across the world, one of the major technologies used in the construction project cycle is project management. It is important to apply project management tools to complete projects on time. Project completion in Nepal is complex due to demand for quality services within a very limited time period. Project Completion generally consists of planning tools, monitoring tools, methodologies and the application of equipment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Are the existing real estate policies conducive? What changes would your recommend?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Policies should be changed periodically corresponding to the needs and demands of time. Recently, government has come up with a policy of 45-days approval of land. Previously, there was no time frame for land approval and transfers and that burdened buyers with interest. This policy has helped in minimizing the burden of interest on the buyers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Government, however, has to come up with new policies which can foster the growth of the construction sector. Government has to pass laws that allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal. Apartments and real estate is an unavoidable solution to organize the cities here in Nepal. It has to facilitate us with proper policies for developing essential infrastructure. It should be able to provide subsidies and security to the private sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, government land should also be used for infrastructural development. Through active participation of private and public sector, we can build well-organized residential areas that are facilitated with recreational areas and essential services. Existing crowded city areas could be transformed into modern business centres. This needs government&rsquo;s active participation in dealing with stakeholders and in managing their relocation in new residential areas. This can be achieved only when there is political stability in the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your ongoing projects?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Right now, our projects include hotels, shopping complexes, institutional projects and apartments. Similarly, we are working on 15 real estate projects. We are expecting some big projects in the near future.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is your future strategy for the growth of this sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We believe that major volume of construction business should be conducted by Nepali people themselves rather than depending upon foreign constructors. For this, we have to prepare them. This requires establishment of training institutes, project management workshops and other practical means of learning. If we train these people properly, we will be able to deliver quality services at minimum prices and that too within a very short span of time. We will be role models in the construction sectors all over the world if we can provide quality training to the manpower in our nation.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate’s Angila Sharma, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company’s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, Bijay Rajbhandary. Excerpts:',
			'sortorder' => '2158',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2275',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Quick Selling Affects Trading At Nepali Stock Market NEPSE Went Up 11.43 Points Last Week',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country&rsquo;s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week&rsquo;s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered &nbsp;a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and &lsquo;Others&rsquo;. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points). The total turnover of the day was Rs. 560 million and the total market capitalization registered at Rs 744 billion. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse Index gained 11.43 points last week (Dec 8 to 12). Nepse, which opened at 702.49 points on the week&rsquo;s first day (Sunday), closed its trading at 713.92 points on Friday. By analyzing the stock market&rsquo;s recent movement, analysts say that the quick profit booking strategy of investors is likely to cause volatility in the coming days. They predict that Nepse trading may edge up for some days while it may slide down again for some days. According to them, many investors are currently busy in selling the shares, which they have bought recently. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Over the period of 8th December to 13th December, the number of trading at Nepse totaled to 14,283 with 641.5 million shares worth Rs 1.98 billion of turnover. Last week, the transaction volume increased by 17.31 per cent compared to the previous week. However, the number of transaction declined by 4.03 whereas the number of shares bought and sold came down by 4.72 per cent. The increase in transaction volume followed by the decrease in number of shares and transactions indicates the imbalance between demand and supply of shares in the stock market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In terms of turnover and the numbers of shares bought and sold, Kist Bank topped the week. Nepal Telecom, meanwhile, maintained its top spot in terms of market capitalization. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which recorded a 4-year high on 6th December, corrected on the first day (Sunday) closing down 4.92 points at 702.49. However, the index surged on the second day (Monday) by 1.67 points closing at 704.16. On Tuesday, the benchmark index declined by 4.32 points closing at 699.84. The volatility continued in the index as it rose by 10.91 points on Wednesday to settle at 710.75. On the last day of the week (Thursday), NEPSE again gained 3.71 points to close at 713.92. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the sub-groups of the Nepse witnessed a shrink in their share trading during the week. Commercial banks and finance companies were the only gainers who stood firmly on the index. The sub-indices of commercial banks and finance companies gained 31 and 5.68 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the other sub-indices recorded a decline. Insurance sub-index was the biggest looser---down by 61.33 points--- followed by Hotel (58.25 points), &lsquo;Others&rsquo; (8.22 points) Hydropower (4.75 points), Development Bank (2.27 points). Also, the Sensitive Index which represents the class &lsquo;A&rsquo; listed companies of Nepse came down by 2.76 points. Manufacturing and Trading sub-indices remained unchanged. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 71 companies out of 148 listed companies observed a gain, while the price of 58 companies declined during the week. The price of 19 companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/in.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 303px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country’s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week’s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered  a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and ‘Others’. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points).',
			'sortorder' => '2157',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2178',
			'article_category_id' => '40',
			'title' => 'Tourism Next In Nepal Vision Ahead',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em><span style="font-size:14px;">Premium positioning for higher revenues, advanced infra-structure &amp; larger domestic and foreign direct investment are the mainstay of Nepali Tourism Next, whereas Nepal already excels in authentic and ethnic route to tourism, notes <strong>Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury.</strong></span></em></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion. One out of every seven persons travelled to another nation in 2012 and 1 out of every 11 adults of the world is engaged in tourism industry. Emergence of new travel destinations and innovative approaches for catering to the needs of the industry, provides it with the potential to be an important component of the national economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In light of these facts, the New Business Age reviewed the present standing and potential sectors of Nepali Tourism industry and the lessons that the industry could learn from countries including India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Middle East, et al.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	An international symposium entitled &ldquo;Understanding Tourism and Aviation Next in Nepal&rdquo;, participated by niche experts from India, Malaysia and Nepal itself, was organized in Kathmandu in September this year. This symposium jointly organized by New Business age and Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna and sponsored by Qatar Airways and Ace Travels, &nbsp;focused on: raising service standards; creating premium brand of experiential tourism apart from the existing largely value-for-money backpackers&rsquo; tourism; positioning of exotic Nepal; upgrading the tourism and hospitality infra-structure: adding new international airport, additional terminals and new air-routes; and increasing domestic and foreign investments in tourism services.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Tourism Next Inaugration" src="/userfiles/images/cs1%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 336px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<div style="text-align: center;">
							<strong>Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire,inaugurating Tourism and Aviation Next 2013. (From left) New Business Age Pvt Ltd Chairman Madan Lamsal, Incredible India pioneer Amitabh Kant and South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia Amran Abdul Rahman.</strong></div>
					</div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Goal: 5% of GDP by 2080 BS</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As the opening speaker, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire elaborated on how Nepal aims to achieve tourism turnover equal to 5% of the GDP by 2080 BS. Presently the turnover is less than 2%. Secondly, Ghimire focused on strengthening the capacity of national flag bearer, Nepal Airlines and claimed that the ministry is working towards that end. &nbsp;He laid stress on accessing all major stake-holders&rsquo; views while preparing a long-term future course for a private sector driven domain like that of tourism &amp; aviation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Ghimire, key participants from India and Malaysia shared their experience and case studies on how their respective nations took their tourism industry to next level. Key giveaways of their presentations follow:&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Case-studies: India &amp; Malaysia</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>INDIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The former Tourism Secretary of India and of Kerala state, and the man behind &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; and &ldquo;God&rsquo;s Own Country Kerala&rdquo; branding, Amitabh Kant, lamented that the positioning, branding and pricing of an otherwise high-end premium exotic destination like Nepal has been actually very low. He rued that the focus has been on low-end mass tourism in Nepal (however the arrival number has not yet touched a million), while it now needs to be on niche high-end tourism promotion with a clear positioning.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Noting that more than 1 billion people are travelling and almost 9% of the global GDP has been in tourism across the world, he said, Nepal needs to catch up with this burgeoning industry. Moving from sun-sand-sea focused tourism, globally travelers are looking at authentic experience now and Nepal has a huge advantage in it. Referring to the lessons learned from &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, he noted that to take Nepal to the next level in this sector, unique positioning and integrated marketing communication strategy and plan are a must.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kant ended expounding 6Cs for a holistic tourism development approach: civic governance, capacity building, communication strategy, convergence, community participation, and civil aviation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He expanded the concept that in every crisis there is an opportunity. During the onset of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, there were several crises going through India and the world. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre (WTC), the Gujarat earthquake, the coalition force war in Afghanistan, attack on the Indian Parliament, etc, were the stories of the day. India was then very low in several aspects of the travel trade competitive index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these setbacks, the unique positioning of &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; was taken up, and international consumers were reached directly through exhaustive campaigns, consistent communication, public relations in travel media, and documentaries in television channels. The results started showing up. During this phase, India strategically positioned tourism as a major engine of economic growth, harnessed the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, focused on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth (India being a large nation), positioned India as a global brand, acknowledged the critical role of the private sector, and, finally, created and developed integrated tourism circuits based on India&rsquo;s unique civilization (like the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, the Buddhist circuit of Gaya-Ajanta-Ellora, the sun-sand-sea tourism of Goa-Pondicherry, etc).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Kerala, India" src="/userfiles/images/cs2%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Kerala, India</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Some key strategies and actions taken during the last ten years for increasing the expansion and impact of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign are:</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Integrated communication strategy with the aim of promoting India as a destination of choice for travelling from 2002.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Showcasing different aspects of Indian culture and history like yoga, spirituality, etc.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2008, the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign targeted at the local population. Aamir Khan endorsed the campaign &lsquo;Atithidevo Bhava&lsquo; (Guests are like God).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2009, Minister of Tourism, Kumari Selja further extended the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign at the domestic level. Of the total USD 200 million budget, USD 12 million was allocated for promoting domestic tourism that year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Result</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2000 India&rsquo;s share of the world&rsquo;s tourism income was 0.5% but by March 2013 the share soared to 1.7%.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>MALAYSIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia, Amran Abdul Rahman, elaborated on how Malaysia moved away from &lsquo;Coca-Cola tourism&rsquo; and how it became a major tourist destination from an &lsquo;add-on&rsquo; tourist destination for Singaporean tourists, two decades earlier.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The nation received 13 million visitors in 2003 and 25 million visitors in 2012. The target of 2014, declared as the Visit Malaysia Year, is now 36 million visitors with USD 44 billion income.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating on the key factors that assisted in gaining such results, Rahman said, Malaysia could achieve this success due to infrastructure growth including the remarkable makeover of Kuala Lumpur Airport, changing mindset of the people and government with tourism coming under direct special supervision of the Prime Minister, heavy promotion of rural Malaysia while ensuring ethnic amity, and focusing on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention and Exhibitions) tourism events heavily.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Malaysia" src="/userfiles/images/cs3%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Malaysia</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Next: Branding&nbsp;and Capacity-building are Key Drivers</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Tourism Next panel, a panel comprising some key stakeholders and industry experts on different facets from the private sector, elaborated on key areas where the private and public sector should focus to alleviate the existing condition of the industry. &nbsp;Moderator of the panel, Upaul Majumdar, CEO of Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna laid focus on developing a &lsquo;can-do&rsquo; attitude, instead of just talking about challenges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nalin Mandiratta, General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza, focused on the need of constructing a large Convention Centre for MICE activities to grow; organizing more sports tournaments in Nepal, preparing and implementing dynamic and integrated destination marketing, preparing an integrated One Nepal concept by uniting efforts of various sections of the industry, and focusing on China and India more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Madhusudan Acharya, the Vice President of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, explained the benefits of unique positioning by referring to the success of Apple and said that to establish Nepal as a unique tourism destination, it needs similar positioning based on green initiatives and its ethnicity. He emphatically noted that tourism is both a cause and an effect of more holistic socio-economic growth. He noted that Nepal-China roads and Kathmandu&rsquo;s direct air connectivity with Chennai and Bengaluru are much needed pending measures.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nandini Lahe Thapa, the Senior Director of the Nepal Tourism Board and International Marketing In Charge, noted relative maturity of Nepal as a tourism destination However, she noted that it has been quite low at the high-end of the price-service spectrum. &ldquo;We have lowered our rates for other tourism services, but the cost of travel to and from Nepal has been exponentially costly. Hotels have already set the bar higher, but travel trade still needs to come together and raise the standards with rational pricing,&rdquo; she noted. Promotion of new destinations is possible, she told, if concrete proposals come to NTB from entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sumit Baral, the Senior Consultant with the International Finance Corporation of The World Bank Group, working for its investment climate programmes, with key focus on tourism programmes, recalled how Lufthansa dropped Kathmandu sector to protest the rampant child labor in the carpet industry and how it adversely affected German tourists&rsquo; travel to Nepal. Also, a diagnostic study categorically has shown that service standards decline has been the major factor behind lower per day spending by tourists. Noting that Nepal does not feature in luxury travel, he illustrated how Peru since 2000 has positioned itself as high-end destination, and how Maldives with almost same number of tourists like Nepal (little less than a million a year), actually has been earning double the income that Nepal has been earning from this sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Talking from the tourism technology perspective, Prerna Mimani, the Country Head of Amadeus (a global leader in travel trade distribution and marketing), noted that the e-commerce route to promote Nepal is must while stating that presently it is still at a rudimentary level. Mimani elaborated on the potential of collaborating with global travel portals with ethnicity focus for Nepal through efficient use of e-commerce.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Suman Pandey , Chairman of PATA Nepal and an entrepreneur, defended budget tourism noting it as an important part of the Nepali tourism eco-system and saying that it is different a way of travelling to experience the country. He poignantly noted, &ldquo;The seven days Golden Triangle plan is over-done and new tourism products are now necessary, as seen in the case of trekking tours being re-packaged as photography tours.&rdquo; Next to that Pandey suggested on organizing events replete with potentials to gain global media visibility, as seen in the case of the earlier Nepali cabinet meeting at Everest base-camp.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Aviation Next: Start Small, But Act in Unison</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Civil aviation has an important role in tourism industry. A separate discussion panel, &ldquo;Aviation Next&rdquo;, forwarded areas in which Nepal has to improvise in the days ahead to gain its tourism promotion objectives. Valentino Bagatsing, the Country Head of International Finance Corporation (IFC) of The World Bank group and moderator of the session, raised the issue air safety standards in Nepal. He noted, that there have been 70 accidents in 60 years, 3 of them being in the last two years and informed that IFC is presently tasked with safety management systems research and planning.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhola Bikram Thapa, the MD of President Travels, emphasized that the &ldquo;Government should make stronger policies and facilitate processes, and not do business directly.&rdquo; &nbsp;He lamented that the government has been unable to add more aircrafts to the existing fleet of the national carrier, Nepal Airlines.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ghanshyam Acharya, Chief of Corporate Affairs, Simrik Airlines, noted that three out of every four international traveler to Nepal is airborne and said IATA&rsquo;s Outlook for 2013 that looks forward positively at $711 billion global tourism turnover, has huge potential for Nepal&rsquo;s tourism sector too. Adding to it, he said that blacktopping of many airports in Nepal has increased air safety and air-travel is now available to middle class as well. However, he pointed the need for better regulatory support from policy-makers and rued that no domestic carrier has flown new aircraft since 1998.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Representing the government voice, Buddhisagar Lamichchane, the Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation, and Roshan Chitrakar, the Deputy Director General of the Air Navigation Services of CAAN, shared the government&rsquo;s initiatives in addressing the needs of the industry. Chitrakar informed that blacktopping and expansion of airports is going on in a high speed and the hurdles in fleet expansion of the national airlines are now almost removed. He also informed that one year compulsory Air Traffic Controllers&rsquo; training is now split into two parts - six-months in the first phase and then after some work experience another six months of second phase. This will address the problem of human resource crunch in the industry, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Lamichchane shed light on the installation of navigational safety equipment, and emphasized that the air safety standards in Nepal is reasonably strong by global standards. Further, he said, &ldquo;Nepali air-routes integration with more global air-routes is underway. And the construction of a second international airport at Bara which will create an East-West air corridor, is also taking off soon. Lamichhane further informed that &ldquo;the regulator and service provider functions of government with regards to aviation are being separated soon and a global consultancy is looking into this.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Air India Country Head, TK Saha, defended the pricing strategy of his carrier noting that only 10-15 percent seats go vacant. He advocated for new small aircraft routes and services for various potential sectors like Gaya-Lumbini, Patna-Kathmandu, and Varanasi-Pokhara.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ramdas Shivram, the Qatar Airways Country Head, brought in a basic issue and presented with emphasis. &ldquo;Garbage management is poor in Kathmandu airport&rdquo; he said calling for &ldquo;a blended approach that includes raising awareness in passengers, training airport staff, and implementing strong punitive regulation.&rdquo; &nbsp;He also advocated for more efficient and faster immigration services, quest for quality tourism instead of stressing only on volume-based tourism, and focus on finding and investing in new markets to expand Nepal&rsquo;s tourism and aviation base.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Bhutan Tourism Info" src="/userfiles/images/cs4%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 426px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smaller Cases: Bhutan and Sikkim</strong></span></div>
<div>
	BHUTAN has positioned itself as a &lsquo;high-value, low-impact&rsquo; tourism, with USD 250 as average on season spending per day by a tourist, and minimum of USD 200 any time of the year. Bhutan claims to have the Highest Gross National Happiness, and the slogan of Bhutan Tourism is &ldquo;Happiness is a Place&rdquo;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan" src="/userfiles/images/cs5%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 395px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Tiger&rsquo;s Nest Monastery, Bhutan</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>SIKKIM</strong></span></div>
<div>
	What should be the agenda for Sikkim in 2013 if it plans to be anywhere close to Switzerland? It&rsquo;s the oomph factor, about Switzerland, Dubai, and even backdoor ASEAN countries like Singapore and to some extent Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia that make them a most sought after destination. Switzerland received more than 10 million tourists in 2010. Even Goa received nearly 3 million tourists in 2010. The highest number of foreign tourists who visit Sikkim never crossed the 5000 mark in a month ever till now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim would need to emerge as a shopping and fun destination; a destination which film makers and market executives like. Sikkim hence, has introduced para-gliding, trekking, and bike riding in recent years, a few world class universities, a few niche products with enviable reputation, a highly educated libertarian civil society.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It&rsquo;s empowering every Sikkimese to figure out where Sikkim should need to focus on rather than a top to bottom approach&rdquo; has been Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling&rsquo;s Approach in developing the Indian state.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim came out with an integrated vision that brought together and synergized Nature &amp; Trekking Tourism, Eco-tourism &amp; Wilderness Tourism, Village/Rural &amp; Home stay Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Wellness Tourism: Meditation, Yoga, Spa &amp; Herbal medicine etc, Pilgrimage &amp; Buddhist Tourism, Culture &amp; Heritage Tourism, Conference Tourism (MICE destination), Tea Tourism, and Snow Travel and Hydro Tourism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the last decade, Sikkim has also pro-actively developed these niche aspects of tourism industry there: Flori-Tourism, Geo-Tourism (fossil study), Fairs-Festivals Tourism, Wedding/Honeymoon Tourism, Peace /Health Rejuvenation Tourism, Heli Tourism, Monsoon Tourism, Cave Tourism, Ekant Vas &amp; Agyat Van Vas, Developments of lakes and wetlands, Wayside Amenities- at every 10 Kms distance, Arts Crafts and Souvenir and some premium destinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Sikkim" src="/userfiles/images/cs6%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 413px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Sikkim</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong><img alt="Nepal Vs Switzerland" src="/userfiles/images/nepalvzswitz%20(Copy).jpg" style="
float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 378px;" />Premium Positioning for Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism: Possible Road-map</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal, the 36th largest nation of the world by land-area, and enriched with most of the world&rsquo;s tallest mountain peaks, huge fresh water-resource and glaciers, &nbsp;home to some of the best lakes and forests in South Asia, and a nation rich in centuries-old civilization heritages and cultures, has often been under-valued in tourism. The recent Travel &amp; Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 places Nepal at 112th position out of 140 nations surveyed, while Switzerland retained its position at the top of the chart.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Situation Analysis:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While Nepal is the preferred Himalayan destination globally, it is one of the cheapest travel destinations. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation study shows that the average daily spending of an airborne tourist in Nepal skidded down to USD 35 from USD 79 in 2003. Some 700,000 foreign tourists (including some 530,000 by air) came to Nepal in 2012 (as per Nepal Tourism Board estimates). But the image of Nepal has been that of the backpackers&rsquo; paradise, value-for-money tourism, and often a glorious destination for the run-away tourists. The image of Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism has been further tarnished in the last decade by the insurgency followed by political instability.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, things can take turn for the better. This piece throws open the discussion on the paradigm shift in Nepal Tourism. Without harming the current flow of tourists to Nepal every year with an average per head daily spending of USD 48, we can still look at creating a new crop of premium tourists who will hopefully spend a fortnight minimum in this Himalayan nation with a daily expense of at least USD 200 (four times higher than the current average). Even if there are 5,000 such tourists in a year to begin with, the national average and the total income of all stake-holders of tourism economy will have a qualitative leap ahead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Mt Everest" src="/userfiles/images/cs7%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Mt Everest</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Positioning of the Premium Tourism Product</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Let us look at what the premium tourists look for and what &lsquo;tourism product&rsquo; can be dovetailed for them. Then, we can look at what channels and process of marketing communications should be taken to ensure that 5,000 or more such premium tourists actually come for their date with the Himalayas and spend a daily average of USD 200 or stay in Nepal for more than 14 days.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The possible product must have a distinct positioning with a clear and creative packaging. The positioning that can be suggested is &lsquo;Pristine, Priceless &amp; Personal&rsquo;. The pristine beauty of nature and culture of Nepal needs no further elucidation. The experience of the &lsquo;product&rsquo; has to be made priceless incorporating a wide variety of the best expectations fulfilled - the Wow-effect of which should out-price the costs. And, surely, the entire experience has to be very personal, to be treasured for long, with an immense nostalgia-value.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Lumbimi" src="/userfiles/images/cs8%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 321px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<strong>Lumbimi</strong></div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Premium Tourism Product Defined</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Keeping these parameters in mind, it is suggested that the proposed product should be for couples only, of any age, to make it truly experiential and personal, and should be an all-planned well-packaged fortnight-long visit incorporating the best elements of Nepal.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		For example, a very personal aspect is ensured the moment the visiting couple immediately after landing at Kathmandu airport or on reaching the pre-chosen five-star or boutique hotel is traditionally welcomed and given a set of traditional Nepali wear (based on personal information given while booking the trip). The visit to the five most known heritage points of Kathmandu-- blending heritage, royalty and spiritualism in good measures-- must surely be done along with a broad understanding of the valley over the next two full days in the country, land-travel served with the best of tourist cars available.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The visit in Kathmandu on the fourth day can be customized to each couple&rsquo;s needs: cuisine, shopping, social entrepreneurship or educational initiative, any theatre or cultural activity, the NTB archaeological museum or any other specific spot. Hour-long flight above Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga can be another sure winner on the morning of this day.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Nagarkot" src="/userfiles/images/cs10%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Nagarkot</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The fifth day can be at Nagarkot with the sunset and sunrise covered soaking in the beauty of natural landscapes. Subsequent two days can be spent at Chitwan, with lake, park, rural life, festivities (season specific),etc., all planned well.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eighth to tenth days can be at Pokhara, ensuring all aspects of the valued hill-destination rated among top ten by Lonely Planet - a bit of trekking, rafting and para-gliding, depending on the couple&rsquo;s interest, age and health. Celebrations like anniversary or birthday or even the marriage of the couple in a few cases could be another &lsquo;personal&rsquo; winner either in Kathmandu or Chitwan or Pokhara depending upon the date.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eleventh and twelfth days could be a visit to busy Terai city of business: Birganj or Nepalgunj to bring home other aspects of Nepali life and economy, with shopping, handicrafts, etc., thrown in.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Last two days can be used for a visit to Lumbini and Buddhist heritage sites or, for those who want it otherwise, to Muktinath and more lakes, hills and forests.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		And, as each couple bids adieu, they should be given an exquisitely packaged album of best moments of their visit, their blogs and comments taken for social media use, and take-away souvenirs also given for their closest family members based on the information shared while booking the trip.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Patan Durbar Square" src="/userfiles/images/cs9%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Patan Durbar Square</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Integrated Marketing Communications:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		For such a concept to click at the market there has to be a focused high-decibel concerted IMC campaign integrating all four channels of communication: online, offline, on-air and on-ground and across ten to twelve selected markets of the world from where most tourists come to Nepal, as understood through research conducted by professionals.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 12px;">An experiential tourism product needs an experiential video that documents actual experience of say, three distinctly different couples -an Indian, a Chinese/Japanese, and an European/American- who go through the entire &lsquo;product&rsquo; and share their views online and on camera. Such a video needs to be used in every marketing meet, aired in selected channels across the globe in the target nations, and clippings promoted through YouTube. Such experiential videos without any explicit marketing commentary, speak volumes more than guided narrative documentaries of hills and rivers made usually from the government stable.</span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Social Media and the internet make the most powerful channel to reach to an audience scattered across the globe. Hence, a very high-end interactive portal, ideally on third generation internet platform that&rsquo;s &nbsp;being customized to each individual user, on the concept and product of Premium Nepal, incorporating blogs, photo albums, do&rsquo;s and don&rsquo;ts at every level of the experience will also serve the purpose well. Along with the portal, intense and creative use of Facebook, MySpace, Google+, Dig, Youtube, Twitter, Blogs in e-groups, and other social media platforms need to be used with the single-minded purpose of creating a premium positioning of the said high-end tourism product of Nepal. Online booking of this product should also be facilitated through the right mix of technology options.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		A Premium Nepal Tour Plan Book can be an effective offline (printed) tool of communication. The book will interestingly present possible experiences and options for each day of the visit on one side and provide space for documenting personal experiences, cuisine, culture, visits, and people befriended in the process and small anecdotes on the other side. Still pictures of various events can also be placed and preserved. This book will eventually have an immense personal nostalgia value and will also serve to market the &lsquo;product&rsquo; to future customers spreading a positive buzz or word of mouth. Each customer in the process becomes an advocate realizing thus the life-time value of the premium customers.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PR &amp; Sales Driven High Decibel Road-Shows</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		However, closing the deal will largely happen through an intensive PR driven high-end road-show in at least ten to twelve of the leading sources of tourism to Nepal. This road-show must combine the said film, tour plan-book, and interactive session by the organizing partners and must lead to a plethora of writing on Nepal and on this uniquely positioned tourism product. The road-show must bring together the premier tour operators to South Asian destinations, adventure or heritage tourism operators, leadership of selected chambers of commerce, entertainment industry and travel journalism biggies, including the lead travel writers. The cities where the road-shows can be held may be selected from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, among others. These road-shows must ensure immediate or follow-up bookings of couples coming to Nepal in the subsequent season.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PPP Model with a Consortium Approach:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;This project can only succeed if it is done on private-public-partnership in which Nepal Tourism Board representing the government and a consortium of private tourism players join hands to first build a brand of Premium Nepal and then execute the product immaculately (execution largely being in private hands). The Consortium can be of a few five star and boutique or heritage hotels with properties in all the places covered in the tour, domestic airlines, premium road transport providers, adventure tourism organizers and may be helicopter-services providers, apart from selected handicrafts-cuisine-apparel-souvenir providers.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Revenue Output</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Even if 3,000 couples, with per couple investment within Nepal being USD 5,000 for a fortnight of Premium Nepal tourism experience, come in a year, Nepali Tourism industry stands to gain a minimum of 15 million USD minus the marketing communications expenses and tour operator commission of a maximum of 20 percent. Some 12 million USD means an additional Rs. 10,000 million infused into the economy by just one new concept implemented creatively and aggressively! Are the government and the industry listening?</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<em>(The author, the Consulting Editor of the NBA, is the former Dean of Symbiosis International University, Pune, Mumbai, and Whistling Woods International, Mumbai.)</em></div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-27',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'new business age cover story news & articles, cover story news & articles from new business age nepal, cover story headlines from nepal,  current and latest cover story news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali cover story economic news and events,  ongoing  cover story news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion.',
			'sortorder' => '2156',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2226',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse On Four-year-high',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Last weeks surge is interpreted as continuation of the upward trend that started in the capital market some weeks back with the &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; sweeping the election result. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index went up all the tradings days last week. &nbsp;The circuit breaker was used twice on Wednesday and Thursday due to the feverish transactions that sent the index surging with almost all the companies gaining share price hike.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stock market analysts, however, caution that the decision to invest in a company without any analysis could prove risky. &nbsp;In recent days, shares price of even those companies that are incurring loss is also rising unusually. In order to avoid the risks, analysts suggest the investors to assess the company&rsquo;s financial position before deciding to buy the shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The market registered a total of Rs 2.40 billion turnover last week. 6,732,794 units of shares were traded in the market floor through 14,821 transactions. The turnover, number of transactions and units of shares are 49.18 per cent, 12.12 per cent &nbsp;and 47.98 per cent higher respectively in comparison to those of last week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NIC Asia witnessed the largest turnover in the share market last week, while Nabil Balance Fund-1 witnessed the highest transaction. It was Nepal Telecom which remained at the top of the market in terms of the market capitalisation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index gained 8.03 points on the first day (Sunday) closing at 651.98. The index continued to surge in the initial trading hour on the second day (Monday) &nbsp;but eventually declined 9.82 points closing at 661.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index witnessed a double-digit rise by 16 points on Tuesday closing at 677.8 points. The double-digit upward movement continued on Wednesday with Nepse index surging 25 points to settle at 700.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	All the sub-groups, except Trading and Manufacturing, witnessed an impressive gain during the week. Insurance group gained the highest by whopping 105.18 points. It was followed by Hydropower (up by 82.48 points), Banks (up by 60.26 points) and Development Bank (up by 57.19 points). Likewise, sub-indices of Other, Finance and Hotel groups have also gained by 55.21, 16.19 and 11.3 points. Sub-indices of Trading and Manufacturing remained unchanged.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Out of 138 listed companies, 116 observed a gain, while shares price of 5 companies declined during the week. Shares price of 17 other companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/1indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 424px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Nepse on Sunday</strong></span></p>
</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which was on upward trend for past few weeks, however, dropped 4.73 points on Sunday closing at 702.68.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sub-indices of Hotels, Hyrdropower and Finance groups observed a surge. The highest gainer was Hotels group with its index up by 24.26 points settling at 1125.14. Hydropower and Finance groups also rose 19.35 points and 1.11 points respectively. Sub-indices of Banking, Development Banks and Insurance groups&rsquo; sub-indices went down by 3.69 points, 3.46 points and 38.81 points respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 389,214 units of shares of 97 companies worth Rs 152.58 million were traded through 1174 transactions.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.',
			'sortorder' => '2155',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2293',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Domestic Footwear Brands Dominate Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A corresponding growth has been seen in footwear factories too. There are presently around 10 medium-scale footwear factories across the country. Nepali customers are gradually getting attracted towards shoes produced in Nepal for design, and durability of the shoes.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;There has been a healthy growth in the number of &nbsp;buyers for locally manufactured footwear,&rdquo; Ram Krishna Prashain, said Managing Director of Shikhar Shoes, one of the prominent names in the domestic footwear market,. &ldquo;This has been possible due to adaptation of advanced manufacturing technologies, delivery of quality products and keeping up with the expectation of customers,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Present Status of the Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Prashain, the domestic market is witnessing a change in the buying pattern of customers. &ldquo;Slowly and steadily, we are seeing more and more people who used to prefer branded products from foreign countries coming to us. And once they use our products, they become regular customers,&rdquo; said Prashain. He added that the company is planning to roll out a new premium brand targeting high-end customers in the near future. &ldquo;Currently, we are carrying out a feasibility study. If we get positive results, we will install a new plant,&rdquo; he said. Products from Shikhar Shoes are priced between &nbsp;Rs 350 andRs 4,000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Base Footwear, manufacturer of &lsquo;BF dear hill&rsquo; brand of footwear and another prominent player in the domestic market, has also been witnessing enormous success. &ldquo;Almost all the multi-branded footwear stores across the country now feature products from at least one of the domestic brands,&rdquo; said Hom Nath Upadhyay, Managing Director of Base Footwear. He added that the company&rsquo;s annual production comes to 150,000-200,000 pairs. Its products are priced in the range of Rs 450 - Rs 3,500. Base Footwear products range from school and college shoes to party shoes, casual shoes and sports shoes. The company has recently started manufacturing football boots also.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When asked about the raw material, Upadhyay informs that polyvinyl chloride, and thermoylae rubbers around 80 per cent of Nepal&rsquo;s leather requirement is fulfilled by imports from Thailand, China and India, while 20 per cent is produced in Nepal itself. The other major raw material such as polyurifine, polyvinyl chloride, and thermopoly rubbers too are imported. Upadhyay said that domestic products presently occupy 55 per cent of the Nepali leather goods and footwear market. He is optimistic that the domestic brands will occupy more share of the market in the days ahead as demand for these products continues to surge due to comparatively affordable prices than imported products while the quality of the domestic products is comparable with the imported ones. In fact, while the leather used in the Nepal-made shoes is genuine, the imported shoes may be using imitate on leather which is difficult for the ordinary people to identify. He said, &ldquo;In terms of price, our competition is with those imports that use fake international brand names.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	People usually buy the Chinese-made &ldquo;international brands&rdquo; which are not as good as the authentic brands. They bear the logos of popular international brands, but they are counterfeit products. Claiming that the domestic footwear manufacturers are offering better affordability, better quality and better designs than the Chinese imitations, Upadhyay encourages consumers to buy domestic products instead of running behind so called branded and designers&rsquo; products. He said, &ldquo;People have to understand that they can have Nepali genuine products for the same price that they pay for those fake products.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The domestic footwear makers has started manufacturing sports and casual shoes as well while till recently they were producing mainly for school children. Manufacturers say that increasing buyer confidence had inspired them to try their hand at new products. &ldquo;We are now planning to expand the product line-up in the casual and sports series,&rdquo; said Prashain. &ldquo;We are about to install a new plant to manufacture ladies footwear. We are in the final stages of our preparation to produce rubber boots.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Imported Raw Materials</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Eighty percent of the raw material is imported. And 40 per cent of it comes from China, 30 per cent from India and the remaining from other nations. At present, Nepal produces only 20 per cent of the raw material the industry needs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to a survey conducted by Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers&rsquo; Association Nepal (LFGMAN) an average single Nepali spends Rs 2500 annually on shoes. Hom Nath Upadhyay, also the President of LFGMAN said, &ldquo;That means, when you think about the entire population, the annual spending of Nepali population on shoes is huge. If Nepali products are promoted, we can prevent that money from going outside the country.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;&ldquo;We are looking forward to be self-dependent in leather goods and footwear. If we can achieve that, it will be very helpful to the economy. Besides, this will create more employment opportunities in Nepal itself,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/fc1%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 318px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems &amp; Challenges&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite having deeper penetration in the domestic footwear market, Nepali shoe manufacturers claim that they could do even better if their concerns are addressed properly. Unfair customs duty on raw materials and unavailability of skilled manpower are their major concerns, which if addressed by the government, they say, could enable them to outshine foreign products in the domestic market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Upadhyay said that shortage of skilled and efficient manpower has been the major problem in this sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Energy crisis is another challenge for us. We don&rsquo;t have local industries that produce raw material for our industry. Even in case of imported raw material, we do not have sufficient supply,&rdquo; &nbsp; he said. Moreover, &nbsp;some of these raw material are heavily taxed making the final products expensive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating further on their concerns, he said undeterred huge import of Chinese counterfeit products is another major problem. &ldquo;If such import is discouraged, Nepali brands will have a better market,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sharing his experience of retaining the market, he said &ldquo;We have to look for new designs and trends continuously. Shoes go out of fashion very soon and we have to tap trending designs to retain our customers. This includes updating our manufacturing technology and marketing patterns. We just have to be moving, and we cannot rest. This makes it a tough job,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stressing on the role of government for the promotion of the footwear market in Nepal, Upadhyay said, &ldquo;The government should give more priority to this sector and create favourable environment for it. This sector makes use of Nepali skill and labour. There is no foreign investment here, so we can say we are a true Nepali business sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;People should show their love to domestic products by giving them a try. We need more support and feedback from our customers to serve them better products in the days to come.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.',
			'sortorder' => '2154',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2302',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Joyful Achiever',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Angila Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. &ldquo;Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,&rdquo; he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari balances his professional and personal life perfectly, and manages his time for both. &ldquo;My family is my pride. I always save time for my family,&rdquo; says Bhandari.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari is a very high-spirited person. He wakes up early in the morning and updates himself on current affairs. He plays badminton as a creative leisure activity for keeping his mind and body healthy. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Besides that, he loves old Hindi songs and has deep fascination for music and dance. He believes in enjoying life to the fullest and hates nothing in particular.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He considers vacations as an important aspect of life. Vacation, for him, is an escape from the daily hustles of life and manages to go on vacation, once a year. He loves to visit new places and thus his vacation destinations vary every year. Last year, he went to America. He has visited India, China, among other nations.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He loves interacting with new people and is always amazed by people&rsquo;s opinions and their personal characteristics. His love for interacting with people has taken him to Facebook. However, due to his busy schedules he is not very active there. &nbsp;&ldquo;I check my Facebook only once a day. Other than that, I don&rsquo;t use other networking sites,&rdquo; says Bhandari.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Reading book is another of his personal interests but he rarely gets opportunity to fulfill it because of his hectic professional schedules. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He has a strong dislike for wasting time unnecessarily and thinks that time should be used in creative purposes that foster individual and national growth.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-24',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers’ Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. “Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,” he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.',
			'sortorder' => '2153',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2309',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contact Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><br />
<strong>Address</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>New Business Age Pvt. Ltd<br />
Panchayan Marga, Thapathali<br />
Kathmandu<br />
Nepal<br />
<br />
Tel: 977-1-5367717<br />
Email: info@newbusinessage.com, editorial@newbusinessage.com</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/map.jpg" style="height:372px; margin:10px; width:616px" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2022-01-18',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2152',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2012-01-01 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2308',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'About Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><strong>New Business Age (P) Ltd.</strong> has been publishing New Business Age (monthly business magazine in English) and Aarthik Abhiyan (national business daily in Nepali).</p>

<h3><strong>History</strong></h3>

<p>The first issue of New Business Age magazine was published in April 2001. In 2005, it started publishing Aarthik Abhiyan weekly (initially called Aajako Abhiyan). This is upgraded since September 2010 into a national daily.</p>

<p>Because of all these, NBA boasts of having the longest institutional history and experience in business journalism in Nepal.</p>

<h3><strong>Vision, Mission and Value Statement</strong></h3>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20180724100938_20170426035214_mvv.jpg" /></strong></p>

<h3><strong>Affiliates</strong></h3>

<p>New Business Age (P) Ltd. has set up one fully owned subsidiary Minds Nepal (P) Ltd. which functions in the fields of consultancy, research and training.</p>

<h3><strong>Products</strong></h3>

<p>The company NBA at present has following products:</p>

<p><strong>Arthik Abhiyan :</strong> &nbsp;It is Nepali Language daily business newspaper published days of the week (Sunday to Friday) &nbsp;and it has 12-16 pages in broadsheet. On all the other six days of week, it has one or more special&nbsp; pages dedicated to different sectors such as Investments &amp; Capital Market, Technology, Transport, Jobs, Education, Development and Housing &amp; Real Estate with the broad title &#39;&#39; Product&quot; . It selects one product, service or business for a day and tries to give 360 degree coverage on that product on that day. Arthik &nbsp;Abhiyan is printed on normal newsprint.</p>

<p><strong>Key Timeline</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Established in 2001 as New Business Age Pvt. Ltd.</li>
	<li>Started the New Business Age monthly magazine in May 2001</li>
	<li>Started Aajako Abhiyan (later Aarthik Abhiyan) as a business weekly in (August 2005)</li>
	<li>Started the Aarthik Abhiyan as a national daily in Bhadra 18, 2067 (Sept 3, 2010)</li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2023-05-04',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2151',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2023-05-04 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2303',
			'article_category_id' => '198',
			'title' => 'Quality Rice At Affordable Price',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director, New Om Khadya Udyog" src="/userfiles/images/min1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 206px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Bishwamitra Kalwar</strong></div>
						<div>
							Managing Director</div>
						<div>
							New Om Khadya Udyog</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company targets customers from all classes by supplying low to high price range rice. &ldquo;The price range&rsquo;s gap seems high but we target to reach customers from every class&rdquo;, Kalwar shares, &ldquo;We do not compromise on quality in any of our products of any price range.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Om Khadya&rsquo;s rice is available in market in three varieties: Jeera Basmati (steam\non-steam), Sona Mansuli (steam and non-steam), and Sona Mansuli (graded\non graded). Price of a kg of these rices ranges between Rs34 to Rs62.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Its three products are marketed across major cities of the country including in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Nuwakot, Sindhuli, Makawanpur, Chitawan and Ramechhap. Kalwar said that the company is planning to expand its market reach to other regions too.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Remembering initial days in the food industry business, Kalwar said that the company had to struggle hard to establish its name in the market. &ldquo;We have always focused on quality and this has established us as a household brand in Nepal&rsquo;s rice market,&rdquo; he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Commenting on existing market conditions, Kalwar says that any rice in Nepal has to compete with low-priced rice imported from India. He said that Indian rice mills receive subsidy from the government that enables them to produce rice at cheaper rates in comparison to the unsubsidized rice industry of Nepal. &ldquo;Thus, it is very difficult for Nepali rice to compete with the imports from India,&rdquo; he shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kalwar said that along with continuing its commitment to provide quality rice, the company has plans to promote and advertise the brand in the future. He says, &ldquo;We are looking forward to expand our reach and market through advertising also.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with that he said that the company is working to strengthen presence in the existing market niche. The company has an annual turnover of around 40-45 crores of rupees.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.',
			'sortorder' => '2150',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2307',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Choices Of Handbags For Men',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1212.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 551px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman&rsquo;s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men&rsquo;s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe. However, choosing the right bag can often be perplexing as there are plenty of options to choose from that come in a numerous colours, materials and sizes all at varying price ranges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Briefcase</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1(5).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 88px;" />A briefcase is the most admired of all bags because of its classic shape, strong build, and sophisticated looks. It helps its possessor stand apart in the crowd. For more conventional guy, a rectangular briefcase with short handles is a nice and stylish selection. Do not go for the hard-shelled briefcases as they are out-dated. Choose briefcases with buckles, leather exterior, and realistic interior cubicles as they are evergreen or forever in fashion.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Messenger Bag</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1a.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 70px;" />The messenger bags are often made from canvas and hung across the shoulder. It is very spacious and comfortable. Laptops, ipads and other daily necessities can be easily fitted in It can hold as many documents and its shoulder strap gives stylish look to your personality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Tote</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1b.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;height: 115px; width: 100px;" />Totes are the perfect weekend bags. It is more convenient option for short trips. A tote is the advance replica to typical briefcases. &nbsp;It can be used both casually as well as for professional purposes. If it has leather exterior then it gives you a classic status. A Tote can be referred as portable pocket as you can pack much stuff inside it like work papers, some clothes, accessories, umbrella and lunch etc.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Backpack</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1c.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 121px;" />Bagpacks are the most suitable option if you constantly have to carry much stuff along with you. If your office hours demand suit and tie then a backpack will be too casual. But if your office atmosphere is casual, it the best alternative. It&rsquo;s easy to fling over your shoulder and pursue your busy schedule. Backpack gives you a more youthful look.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Duffle/Holdall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1d.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 77px;" />&nbsp;Duffle is medium sized and multi-purpose bag. It is useful for versatile man who has to manage work, home, the gym and weekends away. Shun those glittery leather or sporty fabrics and acquire a bag which is more decent in colour like gray, brown, black or dark green.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-18',
			'modified' => '2013-12-18',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman’s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men’s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe.',
			'sortorder' => '2149',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	)
)
$current_user = null
$logged_in = false
simplexml_load_file - [internal], line ??
include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224
View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418
include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117

Notice (8): Undefined variable: file [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]
Code Context
  //  $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';



    if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){
$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp'
$dataForView = array(
	'articles' => array(
		(int) 0 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 1 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 2 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 3 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 4 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 5 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 6 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 7 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 8 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 9 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 10 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 11 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 12 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 13 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 14 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		)
	),
	'current_user' => null,
	'logged_in' => false
)
$articles = array(
	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2267',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'Lack Of Directive Puts Rs 28 Billion Housing Investment At Risk',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sujan Oli</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government&rsquo;s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers&rsquo; Association (NLHDA). &ldquo;The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,&rdquo; Tamang told The Corporate.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As a measure to address the woes of the realty sector, the government had announced, through the budget of FY 2010/11, to allow foreigners &ndash; both individuals and companies - to purchase flats and apartments in Nepal. However this announcement has not been implemented because of the lack of a directive. According to the announcement, foreigners can purchase flats and apartments costing USD 200,000 or more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is because of the lack of the directive that hundreds of foreigners and non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) have been deprived of the opportunity to buy flats and apartments in Nepal,&rdquo; Tamang explains, &ldquo;This is the reason why there has not been the expected improvement in the realty sector.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Realty sector entrepreneurs reveal that more that 50 per cent of the apartments and housing units built so far are yet to find buyers. Tamang claims that at least a hundred foreigners will buy apartments and housing units a year once the directive is issued. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Bhesh Raj Lohani, NLHDA secretary, there are 6000 housing units in the apartment buildings constructed so far and that nearly 3,500 units are yet to find buyers. The cost of these units ranges fron Rs 5 million to 20 million. If the average cost of one housing unit is considered to be Rs 7 million, then a whopping Rs 42 billion has already been invested in the housing sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Out of this huge investment, housing units worth Rs 28 billion are yet to be sold,&rdquo; said Tamang, &ldquo;Even if a hundred foreigners bought apartments and housing units a year, Rs 1.96 billion of foreign money would come to Nepal annually.&rdquo; He further said that scores of foreigners working in big projects of foreign investment are willing to buy flats and apartments in Nepal. &ldquo;Many NRNs, too, are keen about purchasing apartments and housing units in Nepal,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the developed countries in the world have allowed foreigners to buy apartments, according to Tamang. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>&lsquo;Draft of directive ready&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, Krishna Raj BC claimed that a draft of the directive is ready. &ldquo;However, the home, foreign and law ministries have advised us to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal only after formulating a relevant Act,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a situation where such an Act could be enacted immediately.&rdquo; The government, however, is positive about allowing foreigners to purchase apartments in the country, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-15',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government’s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers’ Association (NLHDA). “The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,” Tamang told The Corporate.',
			'sortorder' => '2163',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2317',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Fishtail Air Focus On Adventure & Rescue',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/spt%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 222px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Suman Pandey</strong></div>
						<div>
							Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company has never compromised on serving Nepalis either for bringing them from remote areas to the cities for medication, or in bringing pregnant women to hospitals in Kathmandu. And interestingly, three babies &nbsp;were delivered while the mothers were on board the Fishtail Air.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Fishtail Air was closed down in 2004 because of the insurgency hitting hard in the tourism industry. However the company was re-established in 2007 under a new management team and new way of working that has taken the company to a new height.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Leadership for Growth</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Pandey has been heading the company since 2007. It was the same year the company started its second innings. Pandey says that he is the first manager of the company who came from a non technical background. Pilots and engineers were the directors and promoters of the company. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey, for the last 25 years has been working in the field of adventure tourism. His company Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure is one of the top adventure tour operators in Nepal. &ldquo;In terms of diversification, it is considered number one among other tour operators,&rdquo; claims Pandey. Working for an adventure tour operator, he had an experience of utilising helicopters quite often and it gave him the confidence of managing a helicopter company.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey feels that the need of adventure tourism has always been there in the tourism market. And, he saw the need of a helicopter operator to partner in this unique service offering. He says that during that time helicopter companies were not satisfying the need of adventure tourism. &ldquo;There were certain areas that were unexplored. I thought I could be helpful in bridging the gap and bringing new ideas and innovations as an adventure tour operator,&rdquo; adds Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He shares that helicopters were serving only up to the altitude of 14,000 feet. After his involvement with Fishtail, he and his team came up with an idea to serve also in the higher altitudes. Then the company started serving into the thin air of high mountains. Recently, a rescue operation was carried out at the elevation of 7,800 metres at Mt Everest that saved the life of a Nepali mountaineer from Canada who was also disabled.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Serving High Altitudes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company has been serving its clients up to the elevation of 23,000 feet. In the company&rsquo;s initial days, Mi-17 helicopters were serving Indian pilgrims visiting Mt Kailash and Mansarovar. Being a big helicopter, operations were not smooth as it required at least 100 passengers for one operation. So, Pandey says he came up with an idea of using small helicopter that have good high altitude performance.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Accordingly, the company signed for two AS B3 helicopters from Eurocopter, a French company that had best service records in high altitude. Based in Simikot, these helicopters started serving Indian pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar. Pandey says that Mi-17s have been completely displaced. With the new high altitude performance of new helicopters, the company has gained the strength as a company that serves in high altitudes of the Himalayas.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Rescue Operations</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;In the last 4-5 years, the company has carried out numerous rescue operations and saved many lives in the mountains that were usually impossible without the use of helicopters. Pandey says that today, helicopters can even land at the second base camp of Mt Everest, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Pandey, a Swiss technology for rescue operations has been used by the company in collaboration with Air Zermatt. Since 2009, sling operations are being performed in Nepali Himalayas. He says that Air Zermatt has helped Nepali pilots by providing trainings both in Nepal and Switzerland.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rescue operations soar during the peak tourist seasons for rescuing people injured in accidents and as well as stuck with altitude sickness. Pandey says that the company sets its priorities according to the nature of the case and seriousness, and carries out its operations accordingly.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Apart from these operations, the company also performs mountain flights, transport flights and sightseeing flights to both foreigners and Nepalis. However, Pandey says that the priority is set on rescue operations as the company believes in saving lives first. Fishtail Air carried out a significant role in rescuing hundreds of tourists stranded in Lukla because of bad weather in 2011.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Safety Concerns</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company feels that the recent embargo by the European Union on Nepali airlines is a sad incident. The company has geared up &nbsp;to comply with the highest safety standards, whereby it is planning to review its safety aspects and take all the necessary &nbsp;improvement measures. &ldquo;We will try to prove that our operations are already up to the standards to European community. We will show the quality and reliability of our services both in operations and on paper,&rdquo; promises Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey says that a company can do extra than the listed safety concerns for adding value to the company&rsquo;s services. &ldquo;We are looking at adding some extra security features like bringing expert trainers from Europe and training our pilots and engineers and providing extra measures to support our safety standards to prove that Fishtail Air is a safe carrier.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Ventures</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Looking at the latest safety concern, Pandey says that the company has decided to go slow because things look quite uncertain at the moment. He says that this strategy will prevail for the next six months to one year. He says that the situation during that time will decide how and where the future steps of the company will lead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, the company is planning to go into the hospitality industry from the current area of working- aviation. Pandey reveals that land has already been acquired in Lamatar of Lalitpur that overlooks the entire Kathmandu Valley and a range of mountains in the north. He says that the company is going to start a 100 room luxury eco-resort, a new concept in Nepal targeting high-end clients. He says that the resort will come into operation within three years.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/sptlght%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 182px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Tale of Fishtail Air</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd is a helicopter charter company operating within Nepal, with its base in Kathmandu. Established in the year 1997 the company has been involved in operation throughout the country with occasional Trans-border flights to Bhutan and India. With a fleet of four helicopters, which includes two AS 350 B3 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, one AS 350 B2 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, and one Bell 206B III Jet Ranger helicopter, the company claims itself to be the largest helicopter operator in Nepal.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air operates flights for sightseeing, rescue, medical evacuation, business travels, project support, expedition works or any other purposes that need the services of a Helicopter. The company also operates support flights for trekking, which is getting really popular these days in the name of &ldquo;Heli-Trekking&rdquo;. Aerial sightseeing flights over the heritage and tourist spots is being quite popular these days &nbsp;to have a glimpse of tourist spots within the Kathmandu Valley in a short time and from different angle.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Partnering Everest Skydive 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air has been operating flights for Everest Skydive from Syangboche Airport this year continuing the trend that has been in operations for seven years. &nbsp;AS350B3 Helicopter 9N-AJI of Fishtail Air is operating at least three flight loads for the Skydive every day. Exclusive partner for this extreme event since its launch in 2007, Fishtail Air also made the flight load with French national Marc Kopp who set a record for being the first disable person to skydive in the shadow of Everest from the ceiling altitude of above 22000 ft on 27 October 2013. Fishtail Air, has also been involved in carrying the skydivers back to Kathmandu after their successful dives.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Spring of 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											The company says that the spring season of 2013 ended with a productive spell. From the beginning of the season in March, Fishtail Air carried out more than 200 rescue flights as well as cargo shipments of over 1,00,000 kilograms. A handful number of mountain flights and search flights were conducted specially in the Everest and Dhaulagiri regions. During this season, one of the highest helicopter rescue operation was carried out at the altitude of 7,800 metre between Camp III and Camp IV of Mt. Everest. During those few months, B3 Helicopter was stationed in Lukla to provide quick services to the foreigners as well as Nepalis. Similarly, one of the helicopters was stationed in Simikot to assist and support pilgrimage tours to Mount Kailash during emergencies.</div>
									</div>
								</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-30',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.',
			'sortorder' => '2162',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2318',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Don’t Believe In Transactional Selling, We Believe In Relationship Building”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world&rsquo;s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT). In an interview with The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Rashika Pokharel</strong>, TE Connectivity&rsquo;s <strong>R Murugesan</strong>, Country Sales Manager, India and SAARC, talked about TE&rsquo;s journey around the world and its plans in Nepal. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tell us about TE Connectivity&rsquo;s history</strong></span>.</div>
<div>
	We are the global leaders in terms of connectivity and computer networking products. The company was started in 1945 and it was originally known as AMP net connectivity. In the year 1999, TYCO International took over the company and then, was known as Tyco Electronics. However, after couple of years, the company was renamed as TE Connectivity. We make connectivity products irrespective of the industries. We produce consumer appliances such as mobile phones and other household appliances. We are focusing on computer networking products and cabling products which is a lifeline for all other cabling networks. We provide cabling for office networks, data centers and large campuses. We mainly focus on Local Area Networks (LAN) though we also have wireless services. We have complete product range for telecommunication networks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Briefly describe about TE&rsquo;s operation globally.</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We manage companies in India and other SAARC countries. We have good operation in Srilanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan. We make our selling through distributors and system integrated partners. Some of our integrated partners in India are: HP, IBM, Wipro Infotech. They buy our cabling products and other networking instruments and install in customer premises. Our head quarter is in USA and have office in India also. We manage business from India. We have got 36% of market share in India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the reason for choosing Nepal in particular for business expansion?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is very potential market because the telecommunication market is rising here. This is the reason we see Nepal as an important market. Future prospect is good for our company here. Since the last one year, we are focusing on Nepal&rsquo;s market. We have identified SAT as our business partner. SAT will be funding our business in Nepal. The reason for our visit is to educate and inform our partner as well as the people of Nepal about our products and their usage. We have planned to focus on office networks in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal is widely known for its tourism and hospitality. They need wide networking services and we provide that. We have planned to focus on office networks and data cabling here. As offices require LAN and use fiber optic products, we are trying to supply it in Nepal. Though we officially launched TE Connectivity on 20th December this year, we have been studying the market since last year. We are doing Surya Nepal project here which is also an ICT company. Basically, we will be focusing on Banking and Financial Institutions, along with hospitality and tourism industry clients. We will be working on government projects also. We are planning to establish a connection between various districts, as part of our government project.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the idea behind your success? How is it different from other companies?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The first thing is that our organization is committed. Secondly, we have got right people to manage the business. Finally, it is our products. These three factors have helped our company to become successful. We understand technology very well and it is definitely a plus point for us. Moreover, we don&rsquo;t believe in transactional selling, we believe in relationship building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The tech market has been suffering from fast changes. As such, how is TE Connectivity keeping its &nbsp;pace with the pace of change?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The TE Connectivity team is a part of Standard Committee and so, whenever a new technology comes in, our company is updated about it. Our company has been investing much amount on R&amp;DT (Research and Development Test). Our team is working on finding out new technologies and we are also trying to cope with that. We are an innovative company with global recognition for our services and products. The demand for our products in the global market justifies that our products are unique and good. 24 per cent of our business globally comes from the products that we have produced in the last three years. This clearly states that we are ahead in the market and we are proud of that. Our diversity in the products is helping us to handle the market situation. Of course, there are turbulences, but we are not suffering from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business strategies for Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Our main strategy in Nepal will be educating the people about technology. We are planning to conduct more workshops to acquaint the people with new technology. We are committed towards this aim, rather than only selling our products. We have different levels of training programs. Our strategy is that once people understand our technology, it will be easier for us to sell. We want to educate the customers so that they understand technology well before investing in it. This way they will invest in the right product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>As the head of TE-SAARC, what are TE&rsquo;s future prospects in South Asia?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Product sales is good in South Asia. If we see whole South Asia, communication era started some time back. There are still more advancements to happen regarding automation. If we look at South Asia in terms of automation, only 10 percent achievement has been made. We have huge potentials to harness in the years to come. There are so many government and educational institutions that have to be automatised. &nbsp;5 or10 years down the lane, Nepal and India will have automatised infrastructures. In Nepal, the telecommunication industry has already started using such technology. Therefore, Nepal has huge potential and it will definitely grow ahead.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-31',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT).',
			'sortorder' => '2161',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2270',
			'article_category_id' => '137',
			'title' => 'Nepal Edges Up In Energy Ranking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By TC Correspondent</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices -- Economic Growth and Development basket, Environmental Sustainability basket and Energy Access and Security basket. Last year Nepal with a score of 0.39 ranked 101st out of 105 countries in the index. Neighboring India and China were placed at 69th and 85th position, respectively. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were ranked at 70th and 96th position. In the South Asia region, Nepal was only ahead of Bangladesh (114th).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal scored 0.31 in the Economic Growth and Development Basket which measures GDP per unit of energy use, fuel imports/exports and electricity prices for industry. According to the WEF report, Nepal&rsquo;s GDP per unit of energy is priced at USD 3.66. Whereas, fuel imports of the country accounted 6 per cent of the GDP in 2013. Nepal fared particularly well in Environmental Sustainability basket with a score of 0.63. India scored 0.41 and China achieved 0.35 in the sub-index. The sub-index reveals the rising trend of the use of alternative energy sources such as the biomass in Nepal. WEF reported that the use of alternative energy in the country increased by 87 per cent in 2013 compared to last year. Meanwhile, use of alternative energy sources in India rose just by 28 per cent. Nepal&rsquo;s pollution level was also seen lower as it scored 27 in PM10, country level (micrograms per cubic meter) sub-index. In India, the PM10 level was recorded 52. Similarly, the air pollution marred China received 59 in the sub-index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the Energy Access and Security basket, Nepal performed lower with a score of 0.33. According to the sub-index, 82 per cent of the Nepalis rely on solid fuels (timber, animal dung and coal etc.) for cooking purposes. However, electrification rate in the country was recorded higher at 76 per cent. India&rsquo;s electrification rate was 75 per cent in the sub-index. China&rsquo;s electrification rate, meanwhile, was seen at staggering 100 per cent. The EAPI 2014 revealed the poor state of energy security and access in Nepal. It further stressed that the country need to speed up its energy development projects and deploy effective energy management policies to ramp up the efforts. The Report finds that many developing countries still struggle to supply citizens with basic energy needs, providing electricity to less than 50 per cent of their total population. It also highlights the over-dependence of many energy systems, with 32 per cent of countries dependent on imports to meet more than half of their energy needs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Norway was the top listed country in the index followed by New Zealand, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Colombia, Spain, Costa Rica and Latvia. The world&rsquo;s industrial giants, United States and Japan were ranked 37th and 38th respectively. Cambodia (120th), Tanzania (121st), Benin (122nd), Lebanon (123rd) and Yemen (124th) were the bottom ranking countries in the index.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices',
			'sortorder' => '2160',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2313',
			'article_category_id' => '39',
			'title' => 'Saurabh Group Leading Strong',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishnu Prasad Neupane Chairman, Saurabh Group" src="/userfiles/images/CF1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 238px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div>
						<strong>Bishnu Prasad Neupane</strong></div>
					<div>
						Chairman, Saurabh Group</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This factory has been established with an authorised capital of Rs 4000 million. It is one of the largest cement factories of Nepal that produce their own clinker. The factory has 45 per cent shareholding of a Hong Kong based company, Krishna Holdings Limited. &nbsp;The factory is spread over 30 bighas of land and the mine is spread over an area of 20 square kilometres for extracting limestone.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that this factory uses the latest technology that is not only efficient but also energy saving. He adds the technology installed in the factory is different than those used in Nepal and consumes 50 per cent less energy. All machineries for this project are imported from Denmark and manufactured by FLSmidth Private Limited.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Expansion Drive</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has always been prioritising the expansion of its factories. Last year, the group had a major expansion on its laminated sacks factory, Jagdamba Synthetics Pvt Ltd. New technology was installed and all upgraded machineries were imported from Austria. The factory has an installed production capacity of 1.5 million metres of fabrics per day. Neupane claims that it is the largest woven sacks factory in South East Asia. He adds, &ldquo;We are proud to say that we are the largest producer and exporter of woven sacks in Nepal.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Jagdamba Synthetics was established around 13 years ago and the latest addition is the new process of producing laminated bags. Neupane claims that this company has the capacity to produce the thinnest fibres in the entire South Asian region with quality consistency. He says that quality consistency has helped the company export 90 per cent of its production to India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the group has plans to convert its 15 storey building in Bhaktapur into a hotel as a part of its plan to move into the tourism industry. This three-star hotel will come into operation in a few years tying up with an international chain. Neupane says that it will be a unique hotel that utilises green technology.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Manufacturing Focus<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group in its initial days was involved in trading business. &nbsp;When Neupane separated from his family business and started his own, he had little experience in the manufacturing sector. He partnered with Shanker Lal Agrawal who was also in the trading business then. It was around 1996 when he and his partner Agrawal thought about entering into the manufacturing industry. Agrawal had the experience of running Jagdamba Steel and Neupane, who is also an engineer, had thoughts of establishing a cement factory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2001, the group started the construction of a woven sacks factory that produces bags for cement packaging. Construction was completed in 2003 and production began in the same year. Similarly, the group moved into spinning and tea gardening and processing. It was followed by the establishment of Jagdamba Roto Packaging factory. Likewise, the group also moved into pashmina, steels and other construction material production. Sarbottam Cement would be the latest addition to the construction material production business of the group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I always had a desire to go for production based industries especially on construction material rather than the service industry,&rdquo; Neupane says. He was often suggested to venture into more profitable sectors such as real estate and gold trading but they never lured him. Though the group is still involved in trading, it is the manufacturing sector that gives Neupane an immense pleasure. He says that the manufacturing sector creates employment for a good number of people and benefits society with both backward and forward linkages. The Saurabh group has been employing 2600 people at the moment in all of its companies.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Turning Point</strong></span></div>
<div>
	When democracy was restored in the country in 1990, it was a new beginning for the Saurabh Group as well. The group&rsquo;s major industries were established in the 1990s. The liberal policies of the government encouraged industrialists like Neupane to establish new companies. The easier licensing policies and laws were a sort of relief for them. In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, the group came up with its major companies. This was the same period when the armed insurgency was escalating and businessmen were realizing that the situation is unfavourable for making investments.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says his companies were least affected by the armed conflict being located in urban areas of the Tarai region. However, when the conflict ended and the country was moving towards conflict resolution, the political events of 2005-2006 took its toll on companies in the Tarai by disrupting the operation of factories. Neupane says that bandhs and strikes are a part of life and industrialists must be immune to such incidents.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cement factory was one of the major establishments of the group in the early 1990s. The group&rsquo;s course changed when Neupane thought of establishing his own cement bags factory while the general trend was to import bags from abroad as local production was insufficient. This very move led the group to be the largest producer of woven sacks in the South East Asian region at present.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane considers the group&rsquo;s move to establish a cement factory that totally depends on local raw materials as another turning point. The group came up with the idea of producing cement by manufacturing clinker using local limestone when a majority of industries were importing clinker. This gave the company the benefit to get a strong foothold in the market as one of the producers of cement in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Saurabh Group of Companies" src="/userfiles/images/CF2%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 184px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Market Coverage</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Neupane, 90 per cent of the total production of Jagdamba Spinning Mills is exported to India while the remaining 10 per cent is supplied to local textile manufacturers. Similarly, products of Jagdamba Roto Packaging are supplied to confectioneries, biscuits and noodles producer for packaging and wrappers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that the largest market of cement is Kathmandu Valley and its periphery where 40 per cent of the group&rsquo;s production is consumed. Out of around 1 billion sacks of cement produced by the group, 40 million sacks are consumed in Kathmandu Valley alone, says Neupane. He expects the groups&rsquo; market share on cement to increase to 20 per cent once Sarbottam Cement&rsquo;s production enters the market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When offering products to the market, the group abides by three fundamentals: quantity, quality and consistency. Neupane says that producing larger quantities helps to achieve economies of scale and also gives an edge to competition. Similarly, quality is the prime focus of the group and he says that any complaints on quality are taken seriously.</div>
<div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>History of Saurabh Group</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh Group&rsquo;s journey began from Myanmar. Till the 1960&rsquo;s, Bishnu Prasad Neupane&rsquo;s father, Lila Ram Neupane, was doing retail business alongside running a butter processing factory in Lashio town in the Shan state of Myanmar. After Buddhism was made the state religion in the 1960s, people of Nepali and Indian origin were forced to leave the country. Lila Ram Neupane made a decision to leave Myanmar and resettle in Nepal and started his own business with a wholesale store of textiles in Bhairahawa. During that time, textiles were brought from Kathmandu and distributed there. Later, he also took dealership of the National Trading and Salt Trading Limited.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							It was in 1964 when the business took shape of a group and was further diversified. Bishnu Prasad Neupane took up responsibility in 1986 and started the Jagadamba Cement Industries, his first manufacturing venture, in the early 1990s.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							Saurabh Photo International, the authorized distributor of Konka products, was in the agency trading business since 1990 and has a strong presence in the market. Currently, the group is mainly involved in the production of cement, steel, tea, spun yarn, PP Woven fabrics, calcium carbonates and other such products. The group&rsquo;s trading activities continue with imports of Konka products, Citizen watch components and other Chinese products. There are 14 companies under the group and some companies are operating under a joint venture with Shanker Group, another business house of Nepal. Today, the Saurabh Group registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion, Rs 4 billion, and Rs 2 billion from its cement, spinning and synthetic production, respectively.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>CSR</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh group and the Neupane family have a good reputation in Rupandehi district not only for business but also for their contribution to society. The business house has contributed over Rs 100 million for social work in the area. Along with institutional corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, the Neupane family has been carrying out philanthropic activities on a personal scale. A separate trust has been established and run by the family. This trust was established by Neupane&rsquo;s father and every year, at least Rs 2.5 million is donated by the family for social work. According to Neupane, donations amounted to Rs 2.7 million last year. He modestly says, &ldquo;This is not our CSR activity and is not for any commercial benefit. Within our family, there are three business groups and all of them contribute to the trust to make it an independent social entity.&rdquo; Neupane says that the group does not take any credit for the trust&rsquo;s activities.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							The trust supports government hospitals, schools and government organisations. Neupane says that most schools in Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts have received support from the trust. Similarly, Jagdamba Cement has recently initiated ambulance services. It also carries out social training programmes for various activities such as cancer relief activity. Likewise, the group also awards people and their social and non-profit organisations that have made good contributions to society. The company has been providing cement to construct buildings of such organisations at cost price.</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-22',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'new business age corporate focus news & articles, corporate focus news & articles from new business age nepal, corporate focus headlines from nepal,  current and latest corporate focus news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali corporate focus economic news and events,  ongoing  corporate foc',
			'description' => 'Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.',
			'sortorder' => '2159',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2269',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Are Trying To Employ Nepalis  In Our International Projects”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Angila Sharma</strong>, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company&rsquo;s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, <strong>Bijay Rajbhandary</strong>. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the business scenario of Nepal&rsquo;s construction sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is a developing nation and so, it is much occupied in the construction sector to meet its development infrastructural needs. We have contributed a lot to the development of the nation and still have a lot to do. Our priority is to set benchmark for building infrastructures in various development sectors. We believe that construction business has an important role in taking Nepal&rsquo;s development agenda to the next level. But, matters like political instability obstruct our vision. Basically, construction sector is doing well in Nepal. It is a sector with no limitation for growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>How is the business scenario after the CA elections?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As far as I have seen and known, it is good. We can assess the whole scenario only through economic indicators. Presently the scenario is positive and progressive. We are yet to see the changes that have been promised. For now, I believe that we can expect economic growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Kathmandu is squeezing at a fast pace. How can the industry expand beyond it?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Construction is not limited to constructing buildings only. Kathmandu may have the problem of space. But, that makes no difference to the construction sector because it is beyond constructing buildings. Kathmandu is a congested place that faces traffic problems every day. As such, we can invest in constructing roads and flyovers. Construction is not limited to a specific area, it can cover a community or a country. It can also be understood in terms of hydro-electricity production, construction of transmission lines, bridges, health institutions and other infrastructural setup. It is firstly very essential to understand that construction does not simply mean building of houses. Secondly, there is a wide scope for construction business in Nepal which is yet to be explored and utilized.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business expansion plans?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We are planning to take our projects to other cities in Nepal. Along with that, we also have a project named &lsquo;Beyond the Boundaries&rsquo; under which we are currently working in Qatar. We are trying to expand our reach in Bhutan and Tibet. Our expansion strategy includes using latest construction technologies that are permitted by the law of that land. As far as the host nation&rsquo;s policy allows, we are trying to employ Nepali human resources in our international projects. We have pioneered in using latest construction technologies and this, we think, will assist the nation in gaining expertise in construction business sector too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What new construction technologies are you using?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Across the world, one of the major technologies used in the construction project cycle is project management. It is important to apply project management tools to complete projects on time. Project completion in Nepal is complex due to demand for quality services within a very limited time period. Project Completion generally consists of planning tools, monitoring tools, methodologies and the application of equipment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Are the existing real estate policies conducive? What changes would your recommend?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Policies should be changed periodically corresponding to the needs and demands of time. Recently, government has come up with a policy of 45-days approval of land. Previously, there was no time frame for land approval and transfers and that burdened buyers with interest. This policy has helped in minimizing the burden of interest on the buyers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Government, however, has to come up with new policies which can foster the growth of the construction sector. Government has to pass laws that allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal. Apartments and real estate is an unavoidable solution to organize the cities here in Nepal. It has to facilitate us with proper policies for developing essential infrastructure. It should be able to provide subsidies and security to the private sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, government land should also be used for infrastructural development. Through active participation of private and public sector, we can build well-organized residential areas that are facilitated with recreational areas and essential services. Existing crowded city areas could be transformed into modern business centres. This needs government&rsquo;s active participation in dealing with stakeholders and in managing their relocation in new residential areas. This can be achieved only when there is political stability in the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your ongoing projects?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Right now, our projects include hotels, shopping complexes, institutional projects and apartments. Similarly, we are working on 15 real estate projects. We are expecting some big projects in the near future.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is your future strategy for the growth of this sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We believe that major volume of construction business should be conducted by Nepali people themselves rather than depending upon foreign constructors. For this, we have to prepare them. This requires establishment of training institutes, project management workshops and other practical means of learning. If we train these people properly, we will be able to deliver quality services at minimum prices and that too within a very short span of time. We will be role models in the construction sectors all over the world if we can provide quality training to the manpower in our nation.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate’s Angila Sharma, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company’s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, Bijay Rajbhandary. Excerpts:',
			'sortorder' => '2158',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2275',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Quick Selling Affects Trading At Nepali Stock Market NEPSE Went Up 11.43 Points Last Week',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country&rsquo;s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week&rsquo;s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered &nbsp;a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and &lsquo;Others&rsquo;. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points). The total turnover of the day was Rs. 560 million and the total market capitalization registered at Rs 744 billion. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse Index gained 11.43 points last week (Dec 8 to 12). Nepse, which opened at 702.49 points on the week&rsquo;s first day (Sunday), closed its trading at 713.92 points on Friday. By analyzing the stock market&rsquo;s recent movement, analysts say that the quick profit booking strategy of investors is likely to cause volatility in the coming days. They predict that Nepse trading may edge up for some days while it may slide down again for some days. According to them, many investors are currently busy in selling the shares, which they have bought recently. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Over the period of 8th December to 13th December, the number of trading at Nepse totaled to 14,283 with 641.5 million shares worth Rs 1.98 billion of turnover. Last week, the transaction volume increased by 17.31 per cent compared to the previous week. However, the number of transaction declined by 4.03 whereas the number of shares bought and sold came down by 4.72 per cent. The increase in transaction volume followed by the decrease in number of shares and transactions indicates the imbalance between demand and supply of shares in the stock market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In terms of turnover and the numbers of shares bought and sold, Kist Bank topped the week. Nepal Telecom, meanwhile, maintained its top spot in terms of market capitalization. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which recorded a 4-year high on 6th December, corrected on the first day (Sunday) closing down 4.92 points at 702.49. However, the index surged on the second day (Monday) by 1.67 points closing at 704.16. On Tuesday, the benchmark index declined by 4.32 points closing at 699.84. The volatility continued in the index as it rose by 10.91 points on Wednesday to settle at 710.75. On the last day of the week (Thursday), NEPSE again gained 3.71 points to close at 713.92. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the sub-groups of the Nepse witnessed a shrink in their share trading during the week. Commercial banks and finance companies were the only gainers who stood firmly on the index. The sub-indices of commercial banks and finance companies gained 31 and 5.68 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the other sub-indices recorded a decline. Insurance sub-index was the biggest looser---down by 61.33 points--- followed by Hotel (58.25 points), &lsquo;Others&rsquo; (8.22 points) Hydropower (4.75 points), Development Bank (2.27 points). Also, the Sensitive Index which represents the class &lsquo;A&rsquo; listed companies of Nepse came down by 2.76 points. Manufacturing and Trading sub-indices remained unchanged. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 71 companies out of 148 listed companies observed a gain, while the price of 58 companies declined during the week. The price of 19 companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/in.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 303px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country’s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week’s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered  a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and ‘Others’. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points).',
			'sortorder' => '2157',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2178',
			'article_category_id' => '40',
			'title' => 'Tourism Next In Nepal Vision Ahead',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em><span style="font-size:14px;">Premium positioning for higher revenues, advanced infra-structure &amp; larger domestic and foreign direct investment are the mainstay of Nepali Tourism Next, whereas Nepal already excels in authentic and ethnic route to tourism, notes <strong>Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury.</strong></span></em></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion. One out of every seven persons travelled to another nation in 2012 and 1 out of every 11 adults of the world is engaged in tourism industry. Emergence of new travel destinations and innovative approaches for catering to the needs of the industry, provides it with the potential to be an important component of the national economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In light of these facts, the New Business Age reviewed the present standing and potential sectors of Nepali Tourism industry and the lessons that the industry could learn from countries including India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Middle East, et al.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	An international symposium entitled &ldquo;Understanding Tourism and Aviation Next in Nepal&rdquo;, participated by niche experts from India, Malaysia and Nepal itself, was organized in Kathmandu in September this year. This symposium jointly organized by New Business age and Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna and sponsored by Qatar Airways and Ace Travels, &nbsp;focused on: raising service standards; creating premium brand of experiential tourism apart from the existing largely value-for-money backpackers&rsquo; tourism; positioning of exotic Nepal; upgrading the tourism and hospitality infra-structure: adding new international airport, additional terminals and new air-routes; and increasing domestic and foreign investments in tourism services.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Tourism Next Inaugration" src="/userfiles/images/cs1%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 336px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<div style="text-align: center;">
							<strong>Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire,inaugurating Tourism and Aviation Next 2013. (From left) New Business Age Pvt Ltd Chairman Madan Lamsal, Incredible India pioneer Amitabh Kant and South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia Amran Abdul Rahman.</strong></div>
					</div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Goal: 5% of GDP by 2080 BS</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As the opening speaker, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire elaborated on how Nepal aims to achieve tourism turnover equal to 5% of the GDP by 2080 BS. Presently the turnover is less than 2%. Secondly, Ghimire focused on strengthening the capacity of national flag bearer, Nepal Airlines and claimed that the ministry is working towards that end. &nbsp;He laid stress on accessing all major stake-holders&rsquo; views while preparing a long-term future course for a private sector driven domain like that of tourism &amp; aviation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Ghimire, key participants from India and Malaysia shared their experience and case studies on how their respective nations took their tourism industry to next level. Key giveaways of their presentations follow:&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Case-studies: India &amp; Malaysia</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>INDIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The former Tourism Secretary of India and of Kerala state, and the man behind &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; and &ldquo;God&rsquo;s Own Country Kerala&rdquo; branding, Amitabh Kant, lamented that the positioning, branding and pricing of an otherwise high-end premium exotic destination like Nepal has been actually very low. He rued that the focus has been on low-end mass tourism in Nepal (however the arrival number has not yet touched a million), while it now needs to be on niche high-end tourism promotion with a clear positioning.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Noting that more than 1 billion people are travelling and almost 9% of the global GDP has been in tourism across the world, he said, Nepal needs to catch up with this burgeoning industry. Moving from sun-sand-sea focused tourism, globally travelers are looking at authentic experience now and Nepal has a huge advantage in it. Referring to the lessons learned from &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, he noted that to take Nepal to the next level in this sector, unique positioning and integrated marketing communication strategy and plan are a must.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kant ended expounding 6Cs for a holistic tourism development approach: civic governance, capacity building, communication strategy, convergence, community participation, and civil aviation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He expanded the concept that in every crisis there is an opportunity. During the onset of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, there were several crises going through India and the world. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre (WTC), the Gujarat earthquake, the coalition force war in Afghanistan, attack on the Indian Parliament, etc, were the stories of the day. India was then very low in several aspects of the travel trade competitive index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these setbacks, the unique positioning of &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; was taken up, and international consumers were reached directly through exhaustive campaigns, consistent communication, public relations in travel media, and documentaries in television channels. The results started showing up. During this phase, India strategically positioned tourism as a major engine of economic growth, harnessed the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, focused on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth (India being a large nation), positioned India as a global brand, acknowledged the critical role of the private sector, and, finally, created and developed integrated tourism circuits based on India&rsquo;s unique civilization (like the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, the Buddhist circuit of Gaya-Ajanta-Ellora, the sun-sand-sea tourism of Goa-Pondicherry, etc).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Kerala, India" src="/userfiles/images/cs2%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Kerala, India</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Some key strategies and actions taken during the last ten years for increasing the expansion and impact of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign are:</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Integrated communication strategy with the aim of promoting India as a destination of choice for travelling from 2002.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Showcasing different aspects of Indian culture and history like yoga, spirituality, etc.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2008, the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign targeted at the local population. Aamir Khan endorsed the campaign &lsquo;Atithidevo Bhava&lsquo; (Guests are like God).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2009, Minister of Tourism, Kumari Selja further extended the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign at the domestic level. Of the total USD 200 million budget, USD 12 million was allocated for promoting domestic tourism that year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Result</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2000 India&rsquo;s share of the world&rsquo;s tourism income was 0.5% but by March 2013 the share soared to 1.7%.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>MALAYSIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia, Amran Abdul Rahman, elaborated on how Malaysia moved away from &lsquo;Coca-Cola tourism&rsquo; and how it became a major tourist destination from an &lsquo;add-on&rsquo; tourist destination for Singaporean tourists, two decades earlier.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The nation received 13 million visitors in 2003 and 25 million visitors in 2012. The target of 2014, declared as the Visit Malaysia Year, is now 36 million visitors with USD 44 billion income.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating on the key factors that assisted in gaining such results, Rahman said, Malaysia could achieve this success due to infrastructure growth including the remarkable makeover of Kuala Lumpur Airport, changing mindset of the people and government with tourism coming under direct special supervision of the Prime Minister, heavy promotion of rural Malaysia while ensuring ethnic amity, and focusing on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention and Exhibitions) tourism events heavily.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Malaysia" src="/userfiles/images/cs3%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Malaysia</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Next: Branding&nbsp;and Capacity-building are Key Drivers</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Tourism Next panel, a panel comprising some key stakeholders and industry experts on different facets from the private sector, elaborated on key areas where the private and public sector should focus to alleviate the existing condition of the industry. &nbsp;Moderator of the panel, Upaul Majumdar, CEO of Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna laid focus on developing a &lsquo;can-do&rsquo; attitude, instead of just talking about challenges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nalin Mandiratta, General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza, focused on the need of constructing a large Convention Centre for MICE activities to grow; organizing more sports tournaments in Nepal, preparing and implementing dynamic and integrated destination marketing, preparing an integrated One Nepal concept by uniting efforts of various sections of the industry, and focusing on China and India more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Madhusudan Acharya, the Vice President of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, explained the benefits of unique positioning by referring to the success of Apple and said that to establish Nepal as a unique tourism destination, it needs similar positioning based on green initiatives and its ethnicity. He emphatically noted that tourism is both a cause and an effect of more holistic socio-economic growth. He noted that Nepal-China roads and Kathmandu&rsquo;s direct air connectivity with Chennai and Bengaluru are much needed pending measures.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nandini Lahe Thapa, the Senior Director of the Nepal Tourism Board and International Marketing In Charge, noted relative maturity of Nepal as a tourism destination However, she noted that it has been quite low at the high-end of the price-service spectrum. &ldquo;We have lowered our rates for other tourism services, but the cost of travel to and from Nepal has been exponentially costly. Hotels have already set the bar higher, but travel trade still needs to come together and raise the standards with rational pricing,&rdquo; she noted. Promotion of new destinations is possible, she told, if concrete proposals come to NTB from entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sumit Baral, the Senior Consultant with the International Finance Corporation of The World Bank Group, working for its investment climate programmes, with key focus on tourism programmes, recalled how Lufthansa dropped Kathmandu sector to protest the rampant child labor in the carpet industry and how it adversely affected German tourists&rsquo; travel to Nepal. Also, a diagnostic study categorically has shown that service standards decline has been the major factor behind lower per day spending by tourists. Noting that Nepal does not feature in luxury travel, he illustrated how Peru since 2000 has positioned itself as high-end destination, and how Maldives with almost same number of tourists like Nepal (little less than a million a year), actually has been earning double the income that Nepal has been earning from this sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Talking from the tourism technology perspective, Prerna Mimani, the Country Head of Amadeus (a global leader in travel trade distribution and marketing), noted that the e-commerce route to promote Nepal is must while stating that presently it is still at a rudimentary level. Mimani elaborated on the potential of collaborating with global travel portals with ethnicity focus for Nepal through efficient use of e-commerce.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Suman Pandey , Chairman of PATA Nepal and an entrepreneur, defended budget tourism noting it as an important part of the Nepali tourism eco-system and saying that it is different a way of travelling to experience the country. He poignantly noted, &ldquo;The seven days Golden Triangle plan is over-done and new tourism products are now necessary, as seen in the case of trekking tours being re-packaged as photography tours.&rdquo; Next to that Pandey suggested on organizing events replete with potentials to gain global media visibility, as seen in the case of the earlier Nepali cabinet meeting at Everest base-camp.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Aviation Next: Start Small, But Act in Unison</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Civil aviation has an important role in tourism industry. A separate discussion panel, &ldquo;Aviation Next&rdquo;, forwarded areas in which Nepal has to improvise in the days ahead to gain its tourism promotion objectives. Valentino Bagatsing, the Country Head of International Finance Corporation (IFC) of The World Bank group and moderator of the session, raised the issue air safety standards in Nepal. He noted, that there have been 70 accidents in 60 years, 3 of them being in the last two years and informed that IFC is presently tasked with safety management systems research and planning.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhola Bikram Thapa, the MD of President Travels, emphasized that the &ldquo;Government should make stronger policies and facilitate processes, and not do business directly.&rdquo; &nbsp;He lamented that the government has been unable to add more aircrafts to the existing fleet of the national carrier, Nepal Airlines.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ghanshyam Acharya, Chief of Corporate Affairs, Simrik Airlines, noted that three out of every four international traveler to Nepal is airborne and said IATA&rsquo;s Outlook for 2013 that looks forward positively at $711 billion global tourism turnover, has huge potential for Nepal&rsquo;s tourism sector too. Adding to it, he said that blacktopping of many airports in Nepal has increased air safety and air-travel is now available to middle class as well. However, he pointed the need for better regulatory support from policy-makers and rued that no domestic carrier has flown new aircraft since 1998.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Representing the government voice, Buddhisagar Lamichchane, the Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation, and Roshan Chitrakar, the Deputy Director General of the Air Navigation Services of CAAN, shared the government&rsquo;s initiatives in addressing the needs of the industry. Chitrakar informed that blacktopping and expansion of airports is going on in a high speed and the hurdles in fleet expansion of the national airlines are now almost removed. He also informed that one year compulsory Air Traffic Controllers&rsquo; training is now split into two parts - six-months in the first phase and then after some work experience another six months of second phase. This will address the problem of human resource crunch in the industry, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Lamichchane shed light on the installation of navigational safety equipment, and emphasized that the air safety standards in Nepal is reasonably strong by global standards. Further, he said, &ldquo;Nepali air-routes integration with more global air-routes is underway. And the construction of a second international airport at Bara which will create an East-West air corridor, is also taking off soon. Lamichhane further informed that &ldquo;the regulator and service provider functions of government with regards to aviation are being separated soon and a global consultancy is looking into this.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Air India Country Head, TK Saha, defended the pricing strategy of his carrier noting that only 10-15 percent seats go vacant. He advocated for new small aircraft routes and services for various potential sectors like Gaya-Lumbini, Patna-Kathmandu, and Varanasi-Pokhara.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ramdas Shivram, the Qatar Airways Country Head, brought in a basic issue and presented with emphasis. &ldquo;Garbage management is poor in Kathmandu airport&rdquo; he said calling for &ldquo;a blended approach that includes raising awareness in passengers, training airport staff, and implementing strong punitive regulation.&rdquo; &nbsp;He also advocated for more efficient and faster immigration services, quest for quality tourism instead of stressing only on volume-based tourism, and focus on finding and investing in new markets to expand Nepal&rsquo;s tourism and aviation base.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Bhutan Tourism Info" src="/userfiles/images/cs4%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 426px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smaller Cases: Bhutan and Sikkim</strong></span></div>
<div>
	BHUTAN has positioned itself as a &lsquo;high-value, low-impact&rsquo; tourism, with USD 250 as average on season spending per day by a tourist, and minimum of USD 200 any time of the year. Bhutan claims to have the Highest Gross National Happiness, and the slogan of Bhutan Tourism is &ldquo;Happiness is a Place&rdquo;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan" src="/userfiles/images/cs5%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 395px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Tiger&rsquo;s Nest Monastery, Bhutan</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>SIKKIM</strong></span></div>
<div>
	What should be the agenda for Sikkim in 2013 if it plans to be anywhere close to Switzerland? It&rsquo;s the oomph factor, about Switzerland, Dubai, and even backdoor ASEAN countries like Singapore and to some extent Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia that make them a most sought after destination. Switzerland received more than 10 million tourists in 2010. Even Goa received nearly 3 million tourists in 2010. The highest number of foreign tourists who visit Sikkim never crossed the 5000 mark in a month ever till now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim would need to emerge as a shopping and fun destination; a destination which film makers and market executives like. Sikkim hence, has introduced para-gliding, trekking, and bike riding in recent years, a few world class universities, a few niche products with enviable reputation, a highly educated libertarian civil society.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It&rsquo;s empowering every Sikkimese to figure out where Sikkim should need to focus on rather than a top to bottom approach&rdquo; has been Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling&rsquo;s Approach in developing the Indian state.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim came out with an integrated vision that brought together and synergized Nature &amp; Trekking Tourism, Eco-tourism &amp; Wilderness Tourism, Village/Rural &amp; Home stay Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Wellness Tourism: Meditation, Yoga, Spa &amp; Herbal medicine etc, Pilgrimage &amp; Buddhist Tourism, Culture &amp; Heritage Tourism, Conference Tourism (MICE destination), Tea Tourism, and Snow Travel and Hydro Tourism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the last decade, Sikkim has also pro-actively developed these niche aspects of tourism industry there: Flori-Tourism, Geo-Tourism (fossil study), Fairs-Festivals Tourism, Wedding/Honeymoon Tourism, Peace /Health Rejuvenation Tourism, Heli Tourism, Monsoon Tourism, Cave Tourism, Ekant Vas &amp; Agyat Van Vas, Developments of lakes and wetlands, Wayside Amenities- at every 10 Kms distance, Arts Crafts and Souvenir and some premium destinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Sikkim" src="/userfiles/images/cs6%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 413px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Sikkim</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong><img alt="Nepal Vs Switzerland" src="/userfiles/images/nepalvzswitz%20(Copy).jpg" style="
float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 378px;" />Premium Positioning for Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism: Possible Road-map</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal, the 36th largest nation of the world by land-area, and enriched with most of the world&rsquo;s tallest mountain peaks, huge fresh water-resource and glaciers, &nbsp;home to some of the best lakes and forests in South Asia, and a nation rich in centuries-old civilization heritages and cultures, has often been under-valued in tourism. The recent Travel &amp; Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 places Nepal at 112th position out of 140 nations surveyed, while Switzerland retained its position at the top of the chart.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Situation Analysis:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While Nepal is the preferred Himalayan destination globally, it is one of the cheapest travel destinations. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation study shows that the average daily spending of an airborne tourist in Nepal skidded down to USD 35 from USD 79 in 2003. Some 700,000 foreign tourists (including some 530,000 by air) came to Nepal in 2012 (as per Nepal Tourism Board estimates). But the image of Nepal has been that of the backpackers&rsquo; paradise, value-for-money tourism, and often a glorious destination for the run-away tourists. The image of Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism has been further tarnished in the last decade by the insurgency followed by political instability.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, things can take turn for the better. This piece throws open the discussion on the paradigm shift in Nepal Tourism. Without harming the current flow of tourists to Nepal every year with an average per head daily spending of USD 48, we can still look at creating a new crop of premium tourists who will hopefully spend a fortnight minimum in this Himalayan nation with a daily expense of at least USD 200 (four times higher than the current average). Even if there are 5,000 such tourists in a year to begin with, the national average and the total income of all stake-holders of tourism economy will have a qualitative leap ahead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Mt Everest" src="/userfiles/images/cs7%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Mt Everest</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Positioning of the Premium Tourism Product</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Let us look at what the premium tourists look for and what &lsquo;tourism product&rsquo; can be dovetailed for them. Then, we can look at what channels and process of marketing communications should be taken to ensure that 5,000 or more such premium tourists actually come for their date with the Himalayas and spend a daily average of USD 200 or stay in Nepal for more than 14 days.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The possible product must have a distinct positioning with a clear and creative packaging. The positioning that can be suggested is &lsquo;Pristine, Priceless &amp; Personal&rsquo;. The pristine beauty of nature and culture of Nepal needs no further elucidation. The experience of the &lsquo;product&rsquo; has to be made priceless incorporating a wide variety of the best expectations fulfilled - the Wow-effect of which should out-price the costs. And, surely, the entire experience has to be very personal, to be treasured for long, with an immense nostalgia-value.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Lumbimi" src="/userfiles/images/cs8%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 321px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<strong>Lumbimi</strong></div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Premium Tourism Product Defined</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Keeping these parameters in mind, it is suggested that the proposed product should be for couples only, of any age, to make it truly experiential and personal, and should be an all-planned well-packaged fortnight-long visit incorporating the best elements of Nepal.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		For example, a very personal aspect is ensured the moment the visiting couple immediately after landing at Kathmandu airport or on reaching the pre-chosen five-star or boutique hotel is traditionally welcomed and given a set of traditional Nepali wear (based on personal information given while booking the trip). The visit to the five most known heritage points of Kathmandu-- blending heritage, royalty and spiritualism in good measures-- must surely be done along with a broad understanding of the valley over the next two full days in the country, land-travel served with the best of tourist cars available.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The visit in Kathmandu on the fourth day can be customized to each couple&rsquo;s needs: cuisine, shopping, social entrepreneurship or educational initiative, any theatre or cultural activity, the NTB archaeological museum or any other specific spot. Hour-long flight above Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga can be another sure winner on the morning of this day.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Nagarkot" src="/userfiles/images/cs10%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Nagarkot</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The fifth day can be at Nagarkot with the sunset and sunrise covered soaking in the beauty of natural landscapes. Subsequent two days can be spent at Chitwan, with lake, park, rural life, festivities (season specific),etc., all planned well.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eighth to tenth days can be at Pokhara, ensuring all aspects of the valued hill-destination rated among top ten by Lonely Planet - a bit of trekking, rafting and para-gliding, depending on the couple&rsquo;s interest, age and health. Celebrations like anniversary or birthday or even the marriage of the couple in a few cases could be another &lsquo;personal&rsquo; winner either in Kathmandu or Chitwan or Pokhara depending upon the date.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eleventh and twelfth days could be a visit to busy Terai city of business: Birganj or Nepalgunj to bring home other aspects of Nepali life and economy, with shopping, handicrafts, etc., thrown in.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Last two days can be used for a visit to Lumbini and Buddhist heritage sites or, for those who want it otherwise, to Muktinath and more lakes, hills and forests.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		And, as each couple bids adieu, they should be given an exquisitely packaged album of best moments of their visit, their blogs and comments taken for social media use, and take-away souvenirs also given for their closest family members based on the information shared while booking the trip.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Patan Durbar Square" src="/userfiles/images/cs9%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Patan Durbar Square</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Integrated Marketing Communications:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		For such a concept to click at the market there has to be a focused high-decibel concerted IMC campaign integrating all four channels of communication: online, offline, on-air and on-ground and across ten to twelve selected markets of the world from where most tourists come to Nepal, as understood through research conducted by professionals.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 12px;">An experiential tourism product needs an experiential video that documents actual experience of say, three distinctly different couples -an Indian, a Chinese/Japanese, and an European/American- who go through the entire &lsquo;product&rsquo; and share their views online and on camera. Such a video needs to be used in every marketing meet, aired in selected channels across the globe in the target nations, and clippings promoted through YouTube. Such experiential videos without any explicit marketing commentary, speak volumes more than guided narrative documentaries of hills and rivers made usually from the government stable.</span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Social Media and the internet make the most powerful channel to reach to an audience scattered across the globe. Hence, a very high-end interactive portal, ideally on third generation internet platform that&rsquo;s &nbsp;being customized to each individual user, on the concept and product of Premium Nepal, incorporating blogs, photo albums, do&rsquo;s and don&rsquo;ts at every level of the experience will also serve the purpose well. Along with the portal, intense and creative use of Facebook, MySpace, Google+, Dig, Youtube, Twitter, Blogs in e-groups, and other social media platforms need to be used with the single-minded purpose of creating a premium positioning of the said high-end tourism product of Nepal. Online booking of this product should also be facilitated through the right mix of technology options.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		A Premium Nepal Tour Plan Book can be an effective offline (printed) tool of communication. The book will interestingly present possible experiences and options for each day of the visit on one side and provide space for documenting personal experiences, cuisine, culture, visits, and people befriended in the process and small anecdotes on the other side. Still pictures of various events can also be placed and preserved. This book will eventually have an immense personal nostalgia value and will also serve to market the &lsquo;product&rsquo; to future customers spreading a positive buzz or word of mouth. Each customer in the process becomes an advocate realizing thus the life-time value of the premium customers.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PR &amp; Sales Driven High Decibel Road-Shows</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		However, closing the deal will largely happen through an intensive PR driven high-end road-show in at least ten to twelve of the leading sources of tourism to Nepal. This road-show must combine the said film, tour plan-book, and interactive session by the organizing partners and must lead to a plethora of writing on Nepal and on this uniquely positioned tourism product. The road-show must bring together the premier tour operators to South Asian destinations, adventure or heritage tourism operators, leadership of selected chambers of commerce, entertainment industry and travel journalism biggies, including the lead travel writers. The cities where the road-shows can be held may be selected from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, among others. These road-shows must ensure immediate or follow-up bookings of couples coming to Nepal in the subsequent season.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PPP Model with a Consortium Approach:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;This project can only succeed if it is done on private-public-partnership in which Nepal Tourism Board representing the government and a consortium of private tourism players join hands to first build a brand of Premium Nepal and then execute the product immaculately (execution largely being in private hands). The Consortium can be of a few five star and boutique or heritage hotels with properties in all the places covered in the tour, domestic airlines, premium road transport providers, adventure tourism organizers and may be helicopter-services providers, apart from selected handicrafts-cuisine-apparel-souvenir providers.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Revenue Output</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Even if 3,000 couples, with per couple investment within Nepal being USD 5,000 for a fortnight of Premium Nepal tourism experience, come in a year, Nepali Tourism industry stands to gain a minimum of 15 million USD minus the marketing communications expenses and tour operator commission of a maximum of 20 percent. Some 12 million USD means an additional Rs. 10,000 million infused into the economy by just one new concept implemented creatively and aggressively! Are the government and the industry listening?</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<em>(The author, the Consulting Editor of the NBA, is the former Dean of Symbiosis International University, Pune, Mumbai, and Whistling Woods International, Mumbai.)</em></div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-27',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'new business age cover story news & articles, cover story news & articles from new business age nepal, cover story headlines from nepal,  current and latest cover story news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali cover story economic news and events,  ongoing  cover story news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion.',
			'sortorder' => '2156',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2226',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse On Four-year-high',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Last weeks surge is interpreted as continuation of the upward trend that started in the capital market some weeks back with the &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; sweeping the election result. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index went up all the tradings days last week. &nbsp;The circuit breaker was used twice on Wednesday and Thursday due to the feverish transactions that sent the index surging with almost all the companies gaining share price hike.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stock market analysts, however, caution that the decision to invest in a company without any analysis could prove risky. &nbsp;In recent days, shares price of even those companies that are incurring loss is also rising unusually. In order to avoid the risks, analysts suggest the investors to assess the company&rsquo;s financial position before deciding to buy the shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The market registered a total of Rs 2.40 billion turnover last week. 6,732,794 units of shares were traded in the market floor through 14,821 transactions. The turnover, number of transactions and units of shares are 49.18 per cent, 12.12 per cent &nbsp;and 47.98 per cent higher respectively in comparison to those of last week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NIC Asia witnessed the largest turnover in the share market last week, while Nabil Balance Fund-1 witnessed the highest transaction. It was Nepal Telecom which remained at the top of the market in terms of the market capitalisation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index gained 8.03 points on the first day (Sunday) closing at 651.98. The index continued to surge in the initial trading hour on the second day (Monday) &nbsp;but eventually declined 9.82 points closing at 661.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index witnessed a double-digit rise by 16 points on Tuesday closing at 677.8 points. The double-digit upward movement continued on Wednesday with Nepse index surging 25 points to settle at 700.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	All the sub-groups, except Trading and Manufacturing, witnessed an impressive gain during the week. Insurance group gained the highest by whopping 105.18 points. It was followed by Hydropower (up by 82.48 points), Banks (up by 60.26 points) and Development Bank (up by 57.19 points). Likewise, sub-indices of Other, Finance and Hotel groups have also gained by 55.21, 16.19 and 11.3 points. Sub-indices of Trading and Manufacturing remained unchanged.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Out of 138 listed companies, 116 observed a gain, while shares price of 5 companies declined during the week. Shares price of 17 other companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/1indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 424px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Nepse on Sunday</strong></span></p>
</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which was on upward trend for past few weeks, however, dropped 4.73 points on Sunday closing at 702.68.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sub-indices of Hotels, Hyrdropower and Finance groups observed a surge. The highest gainer was Hotels group with its index up by 24.26 points settling at 1125.14. Hydropower and Finance groups also rose 19.35 points and 1.11 points respectively. Sub-indices of Banking, Development Banks and Insurance groups&rsquo; sub-indices went down by 3.69 points, 3.46 points and 38.81 points respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 389,214 units of shares of 97 companies worth Rs 152.58 million were traded through 1174 transactions.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.',
			'sortorder' => '2155',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2293',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Domestic Footwear Brands Dominate Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A corresponding growth has been seen in footwear factories too. There are presently around 10 medium-scale footwear factories across the country. Nepali customers are gradually getting attracted towards shoes produced in Nepal for design, and durability of the shoes.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;There has been a healthy growth in the number of &nbsp;buyers for locally manufactured footwear,&rdquo; Ram Krishna Prashain, said Managing Director of Shikhar Shoes, one of the prominent names in the domestic footwear market,. &ldquo;This has been possible due to adaptation of advanced manufacturing technologies, delivery of quality products and keeping up with the expectation of customers,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Present Status of the Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Prashain, the domestic market is witnessing a change in the buying pattern of customers. &ldquo;Slowly and steadily, we are seeing more and more people who used to prefer branded products from foreign countries coming to us. And once they use our products, they become regular customers,&rdquo; said Prashain. He added that the company is planning to roll out a new premium brand targeting high-end customers in the near future. &ldquo;Currently, we are carrying out a feasibility study. If we get positive results, we will install a new plant,&rdquo; he said. Products from Shikhar Shoes are priced between &nbsp;Rs 350 andRs 4,000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Base Footwear, manufacturer of &lsquo;BF dear hill&rsquo; brand of footwear and another prominent player in the domestic market, has also been witnessing enormous success. &ldquo;Almost all the multi-branded footwear stores across the country now feature products from at least one of the domestic brands,&rdquo; said Hom Nath Upadhyay, Managing Director of Base Footwear. He added that the company&rsquo;s annual production comes to 150,000-200,000 pairs. Its products are priced in the range of Rs 450 - Rs 3,500. Base Footwear products range from school and college shoes to party shoes, casual shoes and sports shoes. The company has recently started manufacturing football boots also.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When asked about the raw material, Upadhyay informs that polyvinyl chloride, and thermoylae rubbers around 80 per cent of Nepal&rsquo;s leather requirement is fulfilled by imports from Thailand, China and India, while 20 per cent is produced in Nepal itself. The other major raw material such as polyurifine, polyvinyl chloride, and thermopoly rubbers too are imported. Upadhyay said that domestic products presently occupy 55 per cent of the Nepali leather goods and footwear market. He is optimistic that the domestic brands will occupy more share of the market in the days ahead as demand for these products continues to surge due to comparatively affordable prices than imported products while the quality of the domestic products is comparable with the imported ones. In fact, while the leather used in the Nepal-made shoes is genuine, the imported shoes may be using imitate on leather which is difficult for the ordinary people to identify. He said, &ldquo;In terms of price, our competition is with those imports that use fake international brand names.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	People usually buy the Chinese-made &ldquo;international brands&rdquo; which are not as good as the authentic brands. They bear the logos of popular international brands, but they are counterfeit products. Claiming that the domestic footwear manufacturers are offering better affordability, better quality and better designs than the Chinese imitations, Upadhyay encourages consumers to buy domestic products instead of running behind so called branded and designers&rsquo; products. He said, &ldquo;People have to understand that they can have Nepali genuine products for the same price that they pay for those fake products.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The domestic footwear makers has started manufacturing sports and casual shoes as well while till recently they were producing mainly for school children. Manufacturers say that increasing buyer confidence had inspired them to try their hand at new products. &ldquo;We are now planning to expand the product line-up in the casual and sports series,&rdquo; said Prashain. &ldquo;We are about to install a new plant to manufacture ladies footwear. We are in the final stages of our preparation to produce rubber boots.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Imported Raw Materials</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Eighty percent of the raw material is imported. And 40 per cent of it comes from China, 30 per cent from India and the remaining from other nations. At present, Nepal produces only 20 per cent of the raw material the industry needs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to a survey conducted by Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers&rsquo; Association Nepal (LFGMAN) an average single Nepali spends Rs 2500 annually on shoes. Hom Nath Upadhyay, also the President of LFGMAN said, &ldquo;That means, when you think about the entire population, the annual spending of Nepali population on shoes is huge. If Nepali products are promoted, we can prevent that money from going outside the country.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;&ldquo;We are looking forward to be self-dependent in leather goods and footwear. If we can achieve that, it will be very helpful to the economy. Besides, this will create more employment opportunities in Nepal itself,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/fc1%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 318px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems &amp; Challenges&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite having deeper penetration in the domestic footwear market, Nepali shoe manufacturers claim that they could do even better if their concerns are addressed properly. Unfair customs duty on raw materials and unavailability of skilled manpower are their major concerns, which if addressed by the government, they say, could enable them to outshine foreign products in the domestic market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Upadhyay said that shortage of skilled and efficient manpower has been the major problem in this sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Energy crisis is another challenge for us. We don&rsquo;t have local industries that produce raw material for our industry. Even in case of imported raw material, we do not have sufficient supply,&rdquo; &nbsp; he said. Moreover, &nbsp;some of these raw material are heavily taxed making the final products expensive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating further on their concerns, he said undeterred huge import of Chinese counterfeit products is another major problem. &ldquo;If such import is discouraged, Nepali brands will have a better market,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sharing his experience of retaining the market, he said &ldquo;We have to look for new designs and trends continuously. Shoes go out of fashion very soon and we have to tap trending designs to retain our customers. This includes updating our manufacturing technology and marketing patterns. We just have to be moving, and we cannot rest. This makes it a tough job,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stressing on the role of government for the promotion of the footwear market in Nepal, Upadhyay said, &ldquo;The government should give more priority to this sector and create favourable environment for it. This sector makes use of Nepali skill and labour. There is no foreign investment here, so we can say we are a true Nepali business sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;People should show their love to domestic products by giving them a try. We need more support and feedback from our customers to serve them better products in the days to come.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.',
			'sortorder' => '2154',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2302',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Joyful Achiever',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Angila Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. &ldquo;Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,&rdquo; he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari balances his professional and personal life perfectly, and manages his time for both. &ldquo;My family is my pride. I always save time for my family,&rdquo; says Bhandari.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari is a very high-spirited person. He wakes up early in the morning and updates himself on current affairs. He plays badminton as a creative leisure activity for keeping his mind and body healthy. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Besides that, he loves old Hindi songs and has deep fascination for music and dance. He believes in enjoying life to the fullest and hates nothing in particular.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He considers vacations as an important aspect of life. Vacation, for him, is an escape from the daily hustles of life and manages to go on vacation, once a year. He loves to visit new places and thus his vacation destinations vary every year. Last year, he went to America. He has visited India, China, among other nations.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He loves interacting with new people and is always amazed by people&rsquo;s opinions and their personal characteristics. His love for interacting with people has taken him to Facebook. However, due to his busy schedules he is not very active there. &nbsp;&ldquo;I check my Facebook only once a day. Other than that, I don&rsquo;t use other networking sites,&rdquo; says Bhandari.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Reading book is another of his personal interests but he rarely gets opportunity to fulfill it because of his hectic professional schedules. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He has a strong dislike for wasting time unnecessarily and thinks that time should be used in creative purposes that foster individual and national growth.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-24',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers’ Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. “Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,” he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.',
			'sortorder' => '2153',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2309',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contact Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><br />
<strong>Address</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>New Business Age Pvt. Ltd<br />
Panchayan Marga, Thapathali<br />
Kathmandu<br />
Nepal<br />
<br />
Tel: 977-1-5367717<br />
Email: info@newbusinessage.com, editorial@newbusinessage.com</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/map.jpg" style="height:372px; margin:10px; width:616px" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2022-01-18',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2152',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2012-01-01 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2308',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'About Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><strong>New Business Age (P) Ltd.</strong> has been publishing New Business Age (monthly business magazine in English) and Aarthik Abhiyan (national business daily in Nepali).</p>

<h3><strong>History</strong></h3>

<p>The first issue of New Business Age magazine was published in April 2001. In 2005, it started publishing Aarthik Abhiyan weekly (initially called Aajako Abhiyan). This is upgraded since September 2010 into a national daily.</p>

<p>Because of all these, NBA boasts of having the longest institutional history and experience in business journalism in Nepal.</p>

<h3><strong>Vision, Mission and Value Statement</strong></h3>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20180724100938_20170426035214_mvv.jpg" /></strong></p>

<h3><strong>Affiliates</strong></h3>

<p>New Business Age (P) Ltd. has set up one fully owned subsidiary Minds Nepal (P) Ltd. which functions in the fields of consultancy, research and training.</p>

<h3><strong>Products</strong></h3>

<p>The company NBA at present has following products:</p>

<p><strong>Arthik Abhiyan :</strong> &nbsp;It is Nepali Language daily business newspaper published days of the week (Sunday to Friday) &nbsp;and it has 12-16 pages in broadsheet. On all the other six days of week, it has one or more special&nbsp; pages dedicated to different sectors such as Investments &amp; Capital Market, Technology, Transport, Jobs, Education, Development and Housing &amp; Real Estate with the broad title &#39;&#39; Product&quot; . It selects one product, service or business for a day and tries to give 360 degree coverage on that product on that day. Arthik &nbsp;Abhiyan is printed on normal newsprint.</p>

<p><strong>Key Timeline</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Established in 2001 as New Business Age Pvt. Ltd.</li>
	<li>Started the New Business Age monthly magazine in May 2001</li>
	<li>Started Aajako Abhiyan (later Aarthik Abhiyan) as a business weekly in (August 2005)</li>
	<li>Started the Aarthik Abhiyan as a national daily in Bhadra 18, 2067 (Sept 3, 2010)</li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2023-05-04',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2151',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2023-05-04 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2303',
			'article_category_id' => '198',
			'title' => 'Quality Rice At Affordable Price',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director, New Om Khadya Udyog" src="/userfiles/images/min1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 206px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Bishwamitra Kalwar</strong></div>
						<div>
							Managing Director</div>
						<div>
							New Om Khadya Udyog</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company targets customers from all classes by supplying low to high price range rice. &ldquo;The price range&rsquo;s gap seems high but we target to reach customers from every class&rdquo;, Kalwar shares, &ldquo;We do not compromise on quality in any of our products of any price range.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Om Khadya&rsquo;s rice is available in market in three varieties: Jeera Basmati (steam\non-steam), Sona Mansuli (steam and non-steam), and Sona Mansuli (graded\non graded). Price of a kg of these rices ranges between Rs34 to Rs62.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Its three products are marketed across major cities of the country including in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Nuwakot, Sindhuli, Makawanpur, Chitawan and Ramechhap. Kalwar said that the company is planning to expand its market reach to other regions too.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Remembering initial days in the food industry business, Kalwar said that the company had to struggle hard to establish its name in the market. &ldquo;We have always focused on quality and this has established us as a household brand in Nepal&rsquo;s rice market,&rdquo; he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Commenting on existing market conditions, Kalwar says that any rice in Nepal has to compete with low-priced rice imported from India. He said that Indian rice mills receive subsidy from the government that enables them to produce rice at cheaper rates in comparison to the unsubsidized rice industry of Nepal. &ldquo;Thus, it is very difficult for Nepali rice to compete with the imports from India,&rdquo; he shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kalwar said that along with continuing its commitment to provide quality rice, the company has plans to promote and advertise the brand in the future. He says, &ldquo;We are looking forward to expand our reach and market through advertising also.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with that he said that the company is working to strengthen presence in the existing market niche. The company has an annual turnover of around 40-45 crores of rupees.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.',
			'sortorder' => '2150',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2307',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Choices Of Handbags For Men',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1212.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 551px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman&rsquo;s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men&rsquo;s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe. However, choosing the right bag can often be perplexing as there are plenty of options to choose from that come in a numerous colours, materials and sizes all at varying price ranges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Briefcase</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1(5).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 88px;" />A briefcase is the most admired of all bags because of its classic shape, strong build, and sophisticated looks. It helps its possessor stand apart in the crowd. For more conventional guy, a rectangular briefcase with short handles is a nice and stylish selection. Do not go for the hard-shelled briefcases as they are out-dated. Choose briefcases with buckles, leather exterior, and realistic interior cubicles as they are evergreen or forever in fashion.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Messenger Bag</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1a.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 70px;" />The messenger bags are often made from canvas and hung across the shoulder. It is very spacious and comfortable. Laptops, ipads and other daily necessities can be easily fitted in It can hold as many documents and its shoulder strap gives stylish look to your personality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Tote</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1b.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;height: 115px; width: 100px;" />Totes are the perfect weekend bags. It is more convenient option for short trips. A tote is the advance replica to typical briefcases. &nbsp;It can be used both casually as well as for professional purposes. If it has leather exterior then it gives you a classic status. A Tote can be referred as portable pocket as you can pack much stuff inside it like work papers, some clothes, accessories, umbrella and lunch etc.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Backpack</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1c.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 121px;" />Bagpacks are the most suitable option if you constantly have to carry much stuff along with you. If your office hours demand suit and tie then a backpack will be too casual. But if your office atmosphere is casual, it the best alternative. It&rsquo;s easy to fling over your shoulder and pursue your busy schedule. Backpack gives you a more youthful look.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Duffle/Holdall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1d.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 77px;" />&nbsp;Duffle is medium sized and multi-purpose bag. It is useful for versatile man who has to manage work, home, the gym and weekends away. Shun those glittery leather or sporty fabrics and acquire a bag which is more decent in colour like gray, brown, black or dark green.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-18',
			'modified' => '2013-12-18',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman’s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men’s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe.',
			'sortorder' => '2149',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	)
)
$current_user = null
$logged_in = false
$xml = false
include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224
View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418
include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117

Warning (2): simplexml_load_file() [<a href='http://php.net/function.simplexml-load-file'>function.simplexml-load-file</a>]: I/O warning : failed to load external entity &quot;&quot; [APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133]
Code Context
  //  $file = 'http://aabhiyan:QUVLg8Wzs2F7G9N7@nepalstock.com.np/api/subindexdata.xml';



    if(!$xml = simplexml_load_file($file)){
$viewFile = '/var/www/html/newbusinessage.com/app/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp'
$dataForView = array(
	'articles' => array(
		(int) 0 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 1 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 2 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 3 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 4 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 5 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 6 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 7 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 8 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 9 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 10 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 11 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 12 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 13 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		),
		(int) 14 => array(
			'Article' => array(
				[maximum depth reached]
			)
		)
	),
	'current_user' => null,
	'logged_in' => false
)
$articles = array(
	(int) 0 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2267',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'Lack Of Directive Puts Rs 28 Billion Housing Investment At Risk',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sujan Oli</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government&rsquo;s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers&rsquo; Association (NLHDA). &ldquo;The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,&rdquo; Tamang told The Corporate.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	As a measure to address the woes of the realty sector, the government had announced, through the budget of FY 2010/11, to allow foreigners &ndash; both individuals and companies - to purchase flats and apartments in Nepal. However this announcement has not been implemented because of the lack of a directive. According to the announcement, foreigners can purchase flats and apartments costing USD 200,000 or more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is because of the lack of the directive that hundreds of foreigners and non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) have been deprived of the opportunity to buy flats and apartments in Nepal,&rdquo; Tamang explains, &ldquo;This is the reason why there has not been the expected improvement in the realty sector.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Realty sector entrepreneurs reveal that more that 50 per cent of the apartments and housing units built so far are yet to find buyers. Tamang claims that at least a hundred foreigners will buy apartments and housing units a year once the directive is issued. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Bhesh Raj Lohani, NLHDA secretary, there are 6000 housing units in the apartment buildings constructed so far and that nearly 3,500 units are yet to find buyers. The cost of these units ranges fron Rs 5 million to 20 million. If the average cost of one housing unit is considered to be Rs 7 million, then a whopping Rs 42 billion has already been invested in the housing sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Out of this huge investment, housing units worth Rs 28 billion are yet to be sold,&rdquo; said Tamang, &ldquo;Even if a hundred foreigners bought apartments and housing units a year, Rs 1.96 billion of foreign money would come to Nepal annually.&rdquo; He further said that scores of foreigners working in big projects of foreign investment are willing to buy flats and apartments in Nepal. &ldquo;Many NRNs, too, are keen about purchasing apartments and housing units in Nepal,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the developed countries in the world have allowed foreigners to buy apartments, according to Tamang. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>&lsquo;Draft of directive ready&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, Krishna Raj BC claimed that a draft of the directive is ready. &ldquo;However, the home, foreign and law ministries have advised us to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal only after formulating a relevant Act,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have a situation where such an Act could be enacted immediately.&rdquo; The government, however, is positive about allowing foreigners to purchase apartments in the country, he added. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-15',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The three-year old plan to allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal has not materialized yet because of the government’s inability to issue a directive for the same. This has put nearly Rs 28 billion of investment in the housing sector at risk, according to Ichchha Raj Tamang, president of Nepal Land and Housing Developers’ Association (NLHDA). “The lack of the directive has put a huge investment in the realty sector at risk,” Tamang told The Corporate.',
			'sortorder' => '2163',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 1 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2317',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Fishtail Air Focus On Adventure & Rescue',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/spt%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 222px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Suman Pandey</strong></div>
						<div>
							Chief Executive Officer, Fishtail Air</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company has never compromised on serving Nepalis either for bringing them from remote areas to the cities for medication, or in bringing pregnant women to hospitals in Kathmandu. And interestingly, three babies &nbsp;were delivered while the mothers were on board the Fishtail Air.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Fishtail Air was closed down in 2004 because of the insurgency hitting hard in the tourism industry. However the company was re-established in 2007 under a new management team and new way of working that has taken the company to a new height.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Leadership for Growth</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Pandey has been heading the company since 2007. It was the same year the company started its second innings. Pandey says that he is the first manager of the company who came from a non technical background. Pilots and engineers were the directors and promoters of the company. &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey, for the last 25 years has been working in the field of adventure tourism. His company Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure is one of the top adventure tour operators in Nepal. &ldquo;In terms of diversification, it is considered number one among other tour operators,&rdquo; claims Pandey. Working for an adventure tour operator, he had an experience of utilising helicopters quite often and it gave him the confidence of managing a helicopter company.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey feels that the need of adventure tourism has always been there in the tourism market. And, he saw the need of a helicopter operator to partner in this unique service offering. He says that during that time helicopter companies were not satisfying the need of adventure tourism. &ldquo;There were certain areas that were unexplored. I thought I could be helpful in bridging the gap and bringing new ideas and innovations as an adventure tour operator,&rdquo; adds Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He shares that helicopters were serving only up to the altitude of 14,000 feet. After his involvement with Fishtail, he and his team came up with an idea to serve also in the higher altitudes. Then the company started serving into the thin air of high mountains. Recently, a rescue operation was carried out at the elevation of 7,800 metres at Mt Everest that saved the life of a Nepali mountaineer from Canada who was also disabled.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Serving High Altitudes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company has been serving its clients up to the elevation of 23,000 feet. In the company&rsquo;s initial days, Mi-17 helicopters were serving Indian pilgrims visiting Mt Kailash and Mansarovar. Being a big helicopter, operations were not smooth as it required at least 100 passengers for one operation. So, Pandey says he came up with an idea of using small helicopter that have good high altitude performance.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Accordingly, the company signed for two AS B3 helicopters from Eurocopter, a French company that had best service records in high altitude. Based in Simikot, these helicopters started serving Indian pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar. Pandey says that Mi-17s have been completely displaced. With the new high altitude performance of new helicopters, the company has gained the strength as a company that serves in high altitudes of the Himalayas.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Rescue Operations</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;In the last 4-5 years, the company has carried out numerous rescue operations and saved many lives in the mountains that were usually impossible without the use of helicopters. Pandey says that today, helicopters can even land at the second base camp of Mt Everest, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to Pandey, a Swiss technology for rescue operations has been used by the company in collaboration with Air Zermatt. Since 2009, sling operations are being performed in Nepali Himalayas. He says that Air Zermatt has helped Nepali pilots by providing trainings both in Nepal and Switzerland.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rescue operations soar during the peak tourist seasons for rescuing people injured in accidents and as well as stuck with altitude sickness. Pandey says that the company sets its priorities according to the nature of the case and seriousness, and carries out its operations accordingly.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Apart from these operations, the company also performs mountain flights, transport flights and sightseeing flights to both foreigners and Nepalis. However, Pandey says that the priority is set on rescue operations as the company believes in saving lives first. Fishtail Air carried out a significant role in rescuing hundreds of tourists stranded in Lukla because of bad weather in 2011.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Safety Concerns</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The company feels that the recent embargo by the European Union on Nepali airlines is a sad incident. The company has geared up &nbsp;to comply with the highest safety standards, whereby it is planning to review its safety aspects and take all the necessary &nbsp;improvement measures. &ldquo;We will try to prove that our operations are already up to the standards to European community. We will show the quality and reliability of our services both in operations and on paper,&rdquo; promises Pandey.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Pandey says that a company can do extra than the listed safety concerns for adding value to the company&rsquo;s services. &ldquo;We are looking at adding some extra security features like bringing expert trainers from Europe and training our pilots and engineers and providing extra measures to support our safety standards to prove that Fishtail Air is a safe carrier.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>New Ventures</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Looking at the latest safety concern, Pandey says that the company has decided to go slow because things look quite uncertain at the moment. He says that this strategy will prevail for the next six months to one year. He says that the situation during that time will decide how and where the future steps of the company will lead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, the company is planning to go into the hospitality industry from the current area of working- aviation. Pandey reveals that land has already been acquired in Lamatar of Lalitpur that overlooks the entire Kathmandu Valley and a range of mountains in the north. He says that the company is going to start a 100 room luxury eco-resort, a new concept in Nepal targeting high-end clients. He says that the resort will come into operation within three years.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Fishtail Air" src="/userfiles/images/sptlght%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 182px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Tale of Fishtail Air</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd is a helicopter charter company operating within Nepal, with its base in Kathmandu. Established in the year 1997 the company has been involved in operation throughout the country with occasional Trans-border flights to Bhutan and India. With a fleet of four helicopters, which includes two AS 350 B3 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, one AS 350 B2 &ldquo;Ecureuil&rdquo;, and one Bell 206B III Jet Ranger helicopter, the company claims itself to be the largest helicopter operator in Nepal.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air operates flights for sightseeing, rescue, medical evacuation, business travels, project support, expedition works or any other purposes that need the services of a Helicopter. The company also operates support flights for trekking, which is getting really popular these days in the name of &ldquo;Heli-Trekking&rdquo;. Aerial sightseeing flights over the heritage and tourist spots is being quite popular these days &nbsp;to have a glimpse of tourist spots within the Kathmandu Valley in a short time and from different angle.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Partnering Everest Skydive 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											Fishtail Air has been operating flights for Everest Skydive from Syangboche Airport this year continuing the trend that has been in operations for seven years. &nbsp;AS350B3 Helicopter 9N-AJI of Fishtail Air is operating at least three flight loads for the Skydive every day. Exclusive partner for this extreme event since its launch in 2007, Fishtail Air also made the flight load with French national Marc Kopp who set a record for being the first disable person to skydive in the shadow of Everest from the ceiling altitude of above 22000 ft on 27 October 2013. Fishtail Air, has also been involved in carrying the skydivers back to Kathmandu after their successful dives.</div>
										<div>
											&nbsp;</div>
										<div>
											<span style="font-size: 16px;"><strong>Spring of 2013</strong></span></div>
										<div>
											The company says that the spring season of 2013 ended with a productive spell. From the beginning of the season in March, Fishtail Air carried out more than 200 rescue flights as well as cargo shipments of over 1,00,000 kilograms. A handful number of mountain flights and search flights were conducted specially in the Everest and Dhaulagiri regions. During this season, one of the highest helicopter rescue operation was carried out at the altitude of 7,800 metre between Camp III and Camp IV of Mt. Everest. During those few months, B3 Helicopter was stationed in Lukla to provide quick services to the foreigners as well as Nepalis. Similarly, one of the helicopters was stationed in Simikot to assist and support pilgrimage tours to Mount Kailash during emergencies.</div>
									</div>
								</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-30',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fishtail Air Pvt Ltd, established in 1887 has grown leaps and bounds to reach the current position of being one of the leading helicopter companies of Nepal. The company is currently operating with three helicopters and is planning to add two more for peak seasons. With the expansion of the fleet and strength of services, Suman Pandey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fishtail Air hopes to serve more customers and is quite satisfied with what the company has done so far.',
			'sortorder' => '2162',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2318',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Don’t Believe In Transactional Selling, We Believe In Relationship Building”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world&rsquo;s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT). In an interview with The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Rashika Pokharel</strong>, TE Connectivity&rsquo;s <strong>R Murugesan</strong>, Country Sales Manager, India and SAARC, talked about TE&rsquo;s journey around the world and its plans in Nepal. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tell us about TE Connectivity&rsquo;s history</strong></span>.</div>
<div>
	We are the global leaders in terms of connectivity and computer networking products. The company was started in 1945 and it was originally known as AMP net connectivity. In the year 1999, TYCO International took over the company and then, was known as Tyco Electronics. However, after couple of years, the company was renamed as TE Connectivity. We make connectivity products irrespective of the industries. We produce consumer appliances such as mobile phones and other household appliances. We are focusing on computer networking products and cabling products which is a lifeline for all other cabling networks. We provide cabling for office networks, data centers and large campuses. We mainly focus on Local Area Networks (LAN) though we also have wireless services. We have complete product range for telecommunication networks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Briefly describe about TE&rsquo;s operation globally.</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We manage companies in India and other SAARC countries. We have good operation in Srilanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan. We make our selling through distributors and system integrated partners. Some of our integrated partners in India are: HP, IBM, Wipro Infotech. They buy our cabling products and other networking instruments and install in customer premises. Our head quarter is in USA and have office in India also. We manage business from India. We have got 36% of market share in India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the reason for choosing Nepal in particular for business expansion?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is very potential market because the telecommunication market is rising here. This is the reason we see Nepal as an important market. Future prospect is good for our company here. Since the last one year, we are focusing on Nepal&rsquo;s market. We have identified SAT as our business partner. SAT will be funding our business in Nepal. The reason for our visit is to educate and inform our partner as well as the people of Nepal about our products and their usage. We have planned to focus on office networks in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal is widely known for its tourism and hospitality. They need wide networking services and we provide that. We have planned to focus on office networks and data cabling here. As offices require LAN and use fiber optic products, we are trying to supply it in Nepal. Though we officially launched TE Connectivity on 20th December this year, we have been studying the market since last year. We are doing Surya Nepal project here which is also an ICT company. Basically, we will be focusing on Banking and Financial Institutions, along with hospitality and tourism industry clients. We will be working on government projects also. We are planning to establish a connection between various districts, as part of our government project.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the idea behind your success? How is it different from other companies?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The first thing is that our organization is committed. Secondly, we have got right people to manage the business. Finally, it is our products. These three factors have helped our company to become successful. We understand technology very well and it is definitely a plus point for us. Moreover, we don&rsquo;t believe in transactional selling, we believe in relationship building.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The tech market has been suffering from fast changes. As such, how is TE Connectivity keeping its &nbsp;pace with the pace of change?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The TE Connectivity team is a part of Standard Committee and so, whenever a new technology comes in, our company is updated about it. Our company has been investing much amount on R&amp;DT (Research and Development Test). Our team is working on finding out new technologies and we are also trying to cope with that. We are an innovative company with global recognition for our services and products. The demand for our products in the global market justifies that our products are unique and good. 24 per cent of our business globally comes from the products that we have produced in the last three years. This clearly states that we are ahead in the market and we are proud of that. Our diversity in the products is helping us to handle the market situation. Of course, there are turbulences, but we are not suffering from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business strategies for Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Our main strategy in Nepal will be educating the people about technology. We are planning to conduct more workshops to acquaint the people with new technology. We are committed towards this aim, rather than only selling our products. We have different levels of training programs. Our strategy is that once people understand our technology, it will be easier for us to sell. We want to educate the customers so that they understand technology well before investing in it. This way they will invest in the right product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>As the head of TE-SAARC, what are TE&rsquo;s future prospects in South Asia?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Product sales is good in South Asia. If we see whole South Asia, communication era started some time back. There are still more advancements to happen regarding automation. If we look at South Asia in terms of automation, only 10 percent achievement has been made. We have huge potentials to harness in the years to come. There are so many government and educational institutions that have to be automatised. &nbsp;5 or10 years down the lane, Nepal and India will have automatised infrastructures. In Nepal, the telecommunication industry has already started using such technology. Therefore, Nepal has huge potential and it will definitely grow ahead.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-23',
			'modified' => '2013-12-31',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'TE Connectivity, one of the leading connectivity companies around the world, is a $13 billion world leader in the field. With nearly 90,000 employees in over 50 countries, the company designs and manufactures electronic connections for the world’s leading industries including automotive, energy and industrial, broadband communications, consumer devices, health care, aerospace and defense. On 20th December 2013, TE Connectivity officially launched itself in Nepal in a partnership with Shrestha Amrit Traders Pvt Ltd (SAT).',
			'sortorder' => '2161',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2270',
			'article_category_id' => '137',
			'title' => 'Nepal Edges Up In Energy Ranking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By TC Correspondent</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices -- Economic Growth and Development basket, Environmental Sustainability basket and Energy Access and Security basket. Last year Nepal with a score of 0.39 ranked 101st out of 105 countries in the index. Neighboring India and China were placed at 69th and 85th position, respectively. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were ranked at 70th and 96th position. In the South Asia region, Nepal was only ahead of Bangladesh (114th).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal scored 0.31 in the Economic Growth and Development Basket which measures GDP per unit of energy use, fuel imports/exports and electricity prices for industry. According to the WEF report, Nepal&rsquo;s GDP per unit of energy is priced at USD 3.66. Whereas, fuel imports of the country accounted 6 per cent of the GDP in 2013. Nepal fared particularly well in Environmental Sustainability basket with a score of 0.63. India scored 0.41 and China achieved 0.35 in the sub-index. The sub-index reveals the rising trend of the use of alternative energy sources such as the biomass in Nepal. WEF reported that the use of alternative energy in the country increased by 87 per cent in 2013 compared to last year. Meanwhile, use of alternative energy sources in India rose just by 28 per cent. Nepal&rsquo;s pollution level was also seen lower as it scored 27 in PM10, country level (micrograms per cubic meter) sub-index. In India, the PM10 level was recorded 52. Similarly, the air pollution marred China received 59 in the sub-index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the Energy Access and Security basket, Nepal performed lower with a score of 0.33. According to the sub-index, 82 per cent of the Nepalis rely on solid fuels (timber, animal dung and coal etc.) for cooking purposes. However, electrification rate in the country was recorded higher at 76 per cent. India&rsquo;s electrification rate was 75 per cent in the sub-index. China&rsquo;s electrification rate, meanwhile, was seen at staggering 100 per cent. The EAPI 2014 revealed the poor state of energy security and access in Nepal. It further stressed that the country need to speed up its energy development projects and deploy effective energy management policies to ramp up the efforts. The Report finds that many developing countries still struggle to supply citizens with basic energy needs, providing electricity to less than 50 per cent of their total population. It also highlights the over-dependence of many energy systems, with 32 per cent of countries dependent on imports to meet more than half of their energy needs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Norway was the top listed country in the index followed by New Zealand, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Colombia, Spain, Costa Rica and Latvia. The world&rsquo;s industrial giants, United States and Japan were ranked 37th and 38th respectively. Cambodia (120th), Tanzania (121st), Benin (122nd), Lebanon (123rd) and Yemen (124th) were the bottom ranking countries in the index.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal has marked a slight improvement in the use and development of modern energy resources, a latest report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows. According to the Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (EAPI) 2014, Nepal ranked 103rd out of in the index. The Geneva-based organisation in collaboration with Irish multinational firm Accenture accessed energy systems of 124 countries around the world to prepare the report. Nepal received a total score of 0.42 (out of one) in the index which is measured through three sub-indices',
			'sortorder' => '2160',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 4 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2313',
			'article_category_id' => '39',
			'title' => 'Saurabh Group Leading Strong',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishnu Prasad Neupane Chairman, Saurabh Group" src="/userfiles/images/CF1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 238px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div>
						<strong>Bishnu Prasad Neupane</strong></div>
					<div>
						Chairman, Saurabh Group</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This factory has been established with an authorised capital of Rs 4000 million. It is one of the largest cement factories of Nepal that produce their own clinker. The factory has 45 per cent shareholding of a Hong Kong based company, Krishna Holdings Limited. &nbsp;The factory is spread over 30 bighas of land and the mine is spread over an area of 20 square kilometres for extracting limestone.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that this factory uses the latest technology that is not only efficient but also energy saving. He adds the technology installed in the factory is different than those used in Nepal and consumes 50 per cent less energy. All machineries for this project are imported from Denmark and manufactured by FLSmidth Private Limited.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Expansion Drive</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has always been prioritising the expansion of its factories. Last year, the group had a major expansion on its laminated sacks factory, Jagdamba Synthetics Pvt Ltd. New technology was installed and all upgraded machineries were imported from Austria. The factory has an installed production capacity of 1.5 million metres of fabrics per day. Neupane claims that it is the largest woven sacks factory in South East Asia. He adds, &ldquo;We are proud to say that we are the largest producer and exporter of woven sacks in Nepal.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Jagdamba Synthetics was established around 13 years ago and the latest addition is the new process of producing laminated bags. Neupane claims that this company has the capacity to produce the thinnest fibres in the entire South Asian region with quality consistency. He says that quality consistency has helped the company export 90 per cent of its production to India.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, the group has plans to convert its 15 storey building in Bhaktapur into a hotel as a part of its plan to move into the tourism industry. This three-star hotel will come into operation in a few years tying up with an international chain. Neupane says that it will be a unique hotel that utilises green technology.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Manufacturing Focus<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group in its initial days was involved in trading business. &nbsp;When Neupane separated from his family business and started his own, he had little experience in the manufacturing sector. He partnered with Shanker Lal Agrawal who was also in the trading business then. It was around 1996 when he and his partner Agrawal thought about entering into the manufacturing industry. Agrawal had the experience of running Jagdamba Steel and Neupane, who is also an engineer, had thoughts of establishing a cement factory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2001, the group started the construction of a woven sacks factory that produces bags for cement packaging. Construction was completed in 2003 and production began in the same year. Similarly, the group moved into spinning and tea gardening and processing. It was followed by the establishment of Jagdamba Roto Packaging factory. Likewise, the group also moved into pashmina, steels and other construction material production. Sarbottam Cement would be the latest addition to the construction material production business of the group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I always had a desire to go for production based industries especially on construction material rather than the service industry,&rdquo; Neupane says. He was often suggested to venture into more profitable sectors such as real estate and gold trading but they never lured him. Though the group is still involved in trading, it is the manufacturing sector that gives Neupane an immense pleasure. He says that the manufacturing sector creates employment for a good number of people and benefits society with both backward and forward linkages. The Saurabh group has been employing 2600 people at the moment in all of its companies.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Turning Point</strong></span></div>
<div>
	When democracy was restored in the country in 1990, it was a new beginning for the Saurabh Group as well. The group&rsquo;s major industries were established in the 1990s. The liberal policies of the government encouraged industrialists like Neupane to establish new companies. The easier licensing policies and laws were a sort of relief for them. In the mid-1990s to early 2000s, the group came up with its major companies. This was the same period when the armed insurgency was escalating and businessmen were realizing that the situation is unfavourable for making investments.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says his companies were least affected by the armed conflict being located in urban areas of the Tarai region. However, when the conflict ended and the country was moving towards conflict resolution, the political events of 2005-2006 took its toll on companies in the Tarai by disrupting the operation of factories. Neupane says that bandhs and strikes are a part of life and industrialists must be immune to such incidents.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cement factory was one of the major establishments of the group in the early 1990s. The group&rsquo;s course changed when Neupane thought of establishing his own cement bags factory while the general trend was to import bags from abroad as local production was insufficient. This very move led the group to be the largest producer of woven sacks in the South East Asian region at present.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane considers the group&rsquo;s move to establish a cement factory that totally depends on local raw materials as another turning point. The group came up with the idea of producing cement by manufacturing clinker using local limestone when a majority of industries were importing clinker. This gave the company the benefit to get a strong foothold in the market as one of the producers of cement in Nepal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Saurabh Group of Companies" src="/userfiles/images/CF2%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 184px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Market Coverage</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Neupane, 90 per cent of the total production of Jagdamba Spinning Mills is exported to India while the remaining 10 per cent is supplied to local textile manufacturers. Similarly, products of Jagdamba Roto Packaging are supplied to confectioneries, biscuits and noodles producer for packaging and wrappers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Neupane says that the largest market of cement is Kathmandu Valley and its periphery where 40 per cent of the group&rsquo;s production is consumed. Out of around 1 billion sacks of cement produced by the group, 40 million sacks are consumed in Kathmandu Valley alone, says Neupane. He expects the groups&rsquo; market share on cement to increase to 20 per cent once Sarbottam Cement&rsquo;s production enters the market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When offering products to the market, the group abides by three fundamentals: quantity, quality and consistency. Neupane says that producing larger quantities helps to achieve economies of scale and also gives an edge to competition. Similarly, quality is the prime focus of the group and he says that any complaints on quality are taken seriously.</div>
<div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>History of Saurabh Group</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh Group&rsquo;s journey began from Myanmar. Till the 1960&rsquo;s, Bishnu Prasad Neupane&rsquo;s father, Lila Ram Neupane, was doing retail business alongside running a butter processing factory in Lashio town in the Shan state of Myanmar. After Buddhism was made the state religion in the 1960s, people of Nepali and Indian origin were forced to leave the country. Lila Ram Neupane made a decision to leave Myanmar and resettle in Nepal and started his own business with a wholesale store of textiles in Bhairahawa. During that time, textiles were brought from Kathmandu and distributed there. Later, he also took dealership of the National Trading and Salt Trading Limited.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							It was in 1964 when the business took shape of a group and was further diversified. Bishnu Prasad Neupane took up responsibility in 1986 and started the Jagadamba Cement Industries, his first manufacturing venture, in the early 1990s.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							Saurabh Photo International, the authorized distributor of Konka products, was in the agency trading business since 1990 and has a strong presence in the market. Currently, the group is mainly involved in the production of cement, steel, tea, spun yarn, PP Woven fabrics, calcium carbonates and other such products. The group&rsquo;s trading activities continue with imports of Konka products, Citizen watch components and other Chinese products. There are 14 companies under the group and some companies are operating under a joint venture with Shanker Group, another business house of Nepal. Today, the Saurabh Group registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion, Rs 4 billion, and Rs 2 billion from its cement, spinning and synthetic production, respectively.</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>CSR</strong></span></div>
						<div>
							The Saurabh group and the Neupane family have a good reputation in Rupandehi district not only for business but also for their contribution to society. The business house has contributed over Rs 100 million for social work in the area. Along with institutional corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, the Neupane family has been carrying out philanthropic activities on a personal scale. A separate trust has been established and run by the family. This trust was established by Neupane&rsquo;s father and every year, at least Rs 2.5 million is donated by the family for social work. According to Neupane, donations amounted to Rs 2.7 million last year. He modestly says, &ldquo;This is not our CSR activity and is not for any commercial benefit. Within our family, there are three business groups and all of them contribute to the trust to make it an independent social entity.&rdquo; Neupane says that the group does not take any credit for the trust&rsquo;s activities.&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							&nbsp;</div>
						<div>
							The trust supports government hospitals, schools and government organisations. Neupane says that most schools in Rupandehi and Nawalparasi districts have received support from the trust. Similarly, Jagdamba Cement has recently initiated ambulance services. It also carries out social training programmes for various activities such as cancer relief activity. Likewise, the group also awards people and their social and non-profit organisations that have made good contributions to society. The company has been providing cement to construct buildings of such organisations at cost price.</div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-22',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'new business age corporate focus news & articles, corporate focus news & articles from new business age nepal, corporate focus headlines from nepal,  current and latest corporate focus news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali corporate focus economic news and events,  ongoing  corporate foc',
			'description' => 'Saurabh Group, one of the leading industrial houses of Nepal is planning to establish a large scale cement factory in Sunawal, Nawalparasi. Bishnu Prasad Neupane, Chairman of the group says this new factory will be producing 400,000 metric tonnes of clinker in the first stage and expand it to 1 million metric tonnes of clinker at the end of 2015. The factory has set a target to begin production by February 2014.',
			'sortorder' => '2159',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2269',
			'article_category_id' => '134',
			'title' => '“We Are Trying To Employ Nepalis  In Our International Projects”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:15px;">CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate&rsquo;s <strong>Angila Sharma</strong>, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company&rsquo;s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, <strong>Bijay Rajbhandary</strong>. <strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is the business scenario of Nepal&rsquo;s construction sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal is a developing nation and so, it is much occupied in the construction sector to meet its development infrastructural needs. We have contributed a lot to the development of the nation and still have a lot to do. Our priority is to set benchmark for building infrastructures in various development sectors. We believe that construction business has an important role in taking Nepal&rsquo;s development agenda to the next level. But, matters like political instability obstruct our vision. Basically, construction sector is doing well in Nepal. It is a sector with no limitation for growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>How is the business scenario after the CA elections?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As far as I have seen and known, it is good. We can assess the whole scenario only through economic indicators. Presently the scenario is positive and progressive. We are yet to see the changes that have been promised. For now, I believe that we can expect economic growth.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Kathmandu is squeezing at a fast pace. How can the industry expand beyond it?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Construction is not limited to constructing buildings only. Kathmandu may have the problem of space. But, that makes no difference to the construction sector because it is beyond constructing buildings. Kathmandu is a congested place that faces traffic problems every day. As such, we can invest in constructing roads and flyovers. Construction is not limited to a specific area, it can cover a community or a country. It can also be understood in terms of hydro-electricity production, construction of transmission lines, bridges, health institutions and other infrastructural setup. It is firstly very essential to understand that construction does not simply mean building of houses. Secondly, there is a wide scope for construction business in Nepal which is yet to be explored and utilized.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your business expansion plans?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We are planning to take our projects to other cities in Nepal. Along with that, we also have a project named &lsquo;Beyond the Boundaries&rsquo; under which we are currently working in Qatar. We are trying to expand our reach in Bhutan and Tibet. Our expansion strategy includes using latest construction technologies that are permitted by the law of that land. As far as the host nation&rsquo;s policy allows, we are trying to employ Nepali human resources in our international projects. We have pioneered in using latest construction technologies and this, we think, will assist the nation in gaining expertise in construction business sector too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What new construction technologies are you using?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Across the world, one of the major technologies used in the construction project cycle is project management. It is important to apply project management tools to complete projects on time. Project completion in Nepal is complex due to demand for quality services within a very limited time period. Project Completion generally consists of planning tools, monitoring tools, methodologies and the application of equipment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Are the existing real estate policies conducive? What changes would your recommend?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Policies should be changed periodically corresponding to the needs and demands of time. Recently, government has come up with a policy of 45-days approval of land. Previously, there was no time frame for land approval and transfers and that burdened buyers with interest. This policy has helped in minimizing the burden of interest on the buyers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Government, however, has to come up with new policies which can foster the growth of the construction sector. Government has to pass laws that allow foreigners to buy apartments in Nepal. Apartments and real estate is an unavoidable solution to organize the cities here in Nepal. It has to facilitate us with proper policies for developing essential infrastructure. It should be able to provide subsidies and security to the private sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, government land should also be used for infrastructural development. Through active participation of private and public sector, we can build well-organized residential areas that are facilitated with recreational areas and essential services. Existing crowded city areas could be transformed into modern business centres. This needs government&rsquo;s active participation in dealing with stakeholders and in managing their relocation in new residential areas. This can be achieved only when there is political stability in the country.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What are your ongoing projects?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Right now, our projects include hotels, shopping complexes, institutional projects and apartments. Similarly, we are working on 15 real estate projects. We are expecting some big projects in the near future.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>What is your future strategy for the growth of this sector?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We believe that major volume of construction business should be conducted by Nepali people themselves rather than depending upon foreign constructors. For this, we have to prepare them. This requires establishment of training institutes, project management workshops and other practical means of learning. If we train these people properly, we will be able to deliver quality services at minimum prices and that too within a very short span of time. We will be role models in the construction sectors all over the world if we can provide quality training to the manpower in our nation.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'CE construction is one of the leading construction companies in Nepal. Established in 1992, the company has acquired tremendous experience and growth. Presently the company is expanding its foothold in the international construction market too. The Corporate’s Angila Sharma, recently discussed issues surrounding the overall construction scenario of Nepal and the company’s future plans with its Chairman and M.D, Bijay Rajbhandary. Excerpts:',
			'sortorder' => '2158',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2275',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Quick Selling Affects Trading At Nepali Stock Market NEPSE Went Up 11.43 Points Last Week',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country&rsquo;s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week&rsquo;s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered &nbsp;a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and &lsquo;Others&rsquo;. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points). The total turnover of the day was Rs. 560 million and the total market capitalization registered at Rs 744 billion. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse Index gained 11.43 points last week (Dec 8 to 12). Nepse, which opened at 702.49 points on the week&rsquo;s first day (Sunday), closed its trading at 713.92 points on Friday. By analyzing the stock market&rsquo;s recent movement, analysts say that the quick profit booking strategy of investors is likely to cause volatility in the coming days. They predict that Nepse trading may edge up for some days while it may slide down again for some days. According to them, many investors are currently busy in selling the shares, which they have bought recently. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Over the period of 8th December to 13th December, the number of trading at Nepse totaled to 14,283 with 641.5 million shares worth Rs 1.98 billion of turnover. Last week, the transaction volume increased by 17.31 per cent compared to the previous week. However, the number of transaction declined by 4.03 whereas the number of shares bought and sold came down by 4.72 per cent. The increase in transaction volume followed by the decrease in number of shares and transactions indicates the imbalance between demand and supply of shares in the stock market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In terms of turnover and the numbers of shares bought and sold, Kist Bank topped the week. Nepal Telecom, meanwhile, maintained its top spot in terms of market capitalization. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which recorded a 4-year high on 6th December, corrected on the first day (Sunday) closing down 4.92 points at 702.49. However, the index surged on the second day (Monday) by 1.67 points closing at 704.16. On Tuesday, the benchmark index declined by 4.32 points closing at 699.84. The volatility continued in the index as it rose by 10.91 points on Wednesday to settle at 710.75. On the last day of the week (Thursday), NEPSE again gained 3.71 points to close at 713.92. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Most of the sub-groups of the Nepse witnessed a shrink in their share trading during the week. Commercial banks and finance companies were the only gainers who stood firmly on the index. The sub-indices of commercial banks and finance companies gained 31 and 5.68 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the other sub-indices recorded a decline. Insurance sub-index was the biggest looser---down by 61.33 points--- followed by Hotel (58.25 points), &lsquo;Others&rsquo; (8.22 points) Hydropower (4.75 points), Development Bank (2.27 points). Also, the Sensitive Index which represents the class &lsquo;A&rsquo; listed companies of Nepse came down by 2.76 points. Manufacturing and Trading sub-indices remained unchanged. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 71 companies out of 148 listed companies observed a gain, while the price of 58 companies declined during the week. The price of 19 companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/in.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 303px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-16',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), the benchmark Index of country’s capital market increased by almost 20 points on Sunday, the first trading day of the week. Nepse settled at 733.25, 2.71 per cent higher than the last week’s closing of 713.92. All the sub-indices except Hotels listed under the Nepse platform registered  a gain. The Banking sub-index was the highest gainer (26.35 points), followed by Hydropower, Development Banks, Insurance and ‘Others’. Hotels sub-index was the biggest loser (8.74 points).',
			'sortorder' => '2157',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2178',
			'article_category_id' => '40',
			'title' => 'Tourism Next In Nepal Vision Ahead',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em><span style="font-size:14px;">Premium positioning for higher revenues, advanced infra-structure &amp; larger domestic and foreign direct investment are the mainstay of Nepali Tourism Next, whereas Nepal already excels in authentic and ethnic route to tourism, notes <strong>Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury.</strong></span></em></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion. One out of every seven persons travelled to another nation in 2012 and 1 out of every 11 adults of the world is engaged in tourism industry. Emergence of new travel destinations and innovative approaches for catering to the needs of the industry, provides it with the potential to be an important component of the national economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In light of these facts, the New Business Age reviewed the present standing and potential sectors of Nepali Tourism industry and the lessons that the industry could learn from countries including India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Middle East, et al.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	An international symposium entitled &ldquo;Understanding Tourism and Aviation Next in Nepal&rdquo;, participated by niche experts from India, Malaysia and Nepal itself, was organized in Kathmandu in September this year. This symposium jointly organized by New Business age and Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna and sponsored by Qatar Airways and Ace Travels, &nbsp;focused on: raising service standards; creating premium brand of experiential tourism apart from the existing largely value-for-money backpackers&rsquo; tourism; positioning of exotic Nepal; upgrading the tourism and hospitality infra-structure: adding new international airport, additional terminals and new air-routes; and increasing domestic and foreign investments in tourism services.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Tourism Next Inaugration" src="/userfiles/images/cs1%20(Copy)(1).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 336px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<div style="text-align: center;">
							<strong>Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire,inaugurating Tourism and Aviation Next 2013. (From left) New Business Age Pvt Ltd Chairman Madan Lamsal, Incredible India pioneer Amitabh Kant and South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia Amran Abdul Rahman.</strong></div>
					</div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Goal: 5% of GDP by 2080 BS</strong></span></div>
<div>
	As the opening speaker, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushil Ghimire elaborated on how Nepal aims to achieve tourism turnover equal to 5% of the GDP by 2080 BS. Presently the turnover is less than 2%. Secondly, Ghimire focused on strengthening the capacity of national flag bearer, Nepal Airlines and claimed that the ministry is working towards that end. &nbsp;He laid stress on accessing all major stake-holders&rsquo; views while preparing a long-term future course for a private sector driven domain like that of tourism &amp; aviation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Following Ghimire, key participants from India and Malaysia shared their experience and case studies on how their respective nations took their tourism industry to next level. Key giveaways of their presentations follow:&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Case-studies: India &amp; Malaysia</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>INDIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The former Tourism Secretary of India and of Kerala state, and the man behind &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; and &ldquo;God&rsquo;s Own Country Kerala&rdquo; branding, Amitabh Kant, lamented that the positioning, branding and pricing of an otherwise high-end premium exotic destination like Nepal has been actually very low. He rued that the focus has been on low-end mass tourism in Nepal (however the arrival number has not yet touched a million), while it now needs to be on niche high-end tourism promotion with a clear positioning.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Noting that more than 1 billion people are travelling and almost 9% of the global GDP has been in tourism across the world, he said, Nepal needs to catch up with this burgeoning industry. Moving from sun-sand-sea focused tourism, globally travelers are looking at authentic experience now and Nepal has a huge advantage in it. Referring to the lessons learned from &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, he noted that to take Nepal to the next level in this sector, unique positioning and integrated marketing communication strategy and plan are a must.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kant ended expounding 6Cs for a holistic tourism development approach: civic governance, capacity building, communication strategy, convergence, community participation, and civil aviation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He expanded the concept that in every crisis there is an opportunity. During the onset of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign, there were several crises going through India and the world. The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre (WTC), the Gujarat earthquake, the coalition force war in Afghanistan, attack on the Indian Parliament, etc, were the stories of the day. India was then very low in several aspects of the travel trade competitive index.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite these setbacks, the unique positioning of &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; was taken up, and international consumers were reached directly through exhaustive campaigns, consistent communication, public relations in travel media, and documentaries in television channels. The results started showing up. During this phase, India strategically positioned tourism as a major engine of economic growth, harnessed the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, focused on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth (India being a large nation), positioned India as a global brand, acknowledged the critical role of the private sector, and, finally, created and developed integrated tourism circuits based on India&rsquo;s unique civilization (like the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, the Buddhist circuit of Gaya-Ajanta-Ellora, the sun-sand-sea tourism of Goa-Pondicherry, etc).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Kerala, India" src="/userfiles/images/cs2%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Kerala, India</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Some key strategies and actions taken during the last ten years for increasing the expansion and impact of the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign are:</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Integrated communication strategy with the aim of promoting India as a destination of choice for travelling from 2002.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>Showcasing different aspects of Indian culture and history like yoga, spirituality, etc.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2008, the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign targeted at the local population. Aamir Khan endorsed the campaign &lsquo;Atithidevo Bhava&lsquo; (Guests are like God).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2009, Minister of Tourism, Kumari Selja further extended the &ldquo;Incredible India&rdquo; campaign at the domestic level. Of the total USD 200 million budget, USD 12 million was allocated for promoting domestic tourism that year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Result</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: segoeui; font-size: 12.727272033691406px; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">&bull;&nbsp;</span>In 2000 India&rsquo;s share of the world&rsquo;s tourism income was 0.5% but by March 2013 the share soared to 1.7%.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>MALAYSIA</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The South Asia Director of Tourism Malaysia, Amran Abdul Rahman, elaborated on how Malaysia moved away from &lsquo;Coca-Cola tourism&rsquo; and how it became a major tourist destination from an &lsquo;add-on&rsquo; tourist destination for Singaporean tourists, two decades earlier.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The nation received 13 million visitors in 2003 and 25 million visitors in 2012. The target of 2014, declared as the Visit Malaysia Year, is now 36 million visitors with USD 44 billion income.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating on the key factors that assisted in gaining such results, Rahman said, Malaysia could achieve this success due to infrastructure growth including the remarkable makeover of Kuala Lumpur Airport, changing mindset of the people and government with tourism coming under direct special supervision of the Prime Minister, heavy promotion of rural Malaysia while ensuring ethnic amity, and focusing on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Convention and Exhibitions) tourism events heavily.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Malaysia" src="/userfiles/images/cs3%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Malaysia</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Tourism Next: Branding&nbsp;and Capacity-building are Key Drivers</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Tourism Next panel, a panel comprising some key stakeholders and industry experts on different facets from the private sector, elaborated on key areas where the private and public sector should focus to alleviate the existing condition of the industry. &nbsp;Moderator of the panel, Upaul Majumdar, CEO of Hotel Del&rsquo; Annapurna laid focus on developing a &lsquo;can-do&rsquo; attitude, instead of just talking about challenges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nalin Mandiratta, General Manager of Soaltee Crowne Plaza, focused on the need of constructing a large Convention Centre for MICE activities to grow; organizing more sports tournaments in Nepal, preparing and implementing dynamic and integrated destination marketing, preparing an integrated One Nepal concept by uniting efforts of various sections of the industry, and focusing on China and India more.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Madhusudan Acharya, the Vice President of the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, explained the benefits of unique positioning by referring to the success of Apple and said that to establish Nepal as a unique tourism destination, it needs similar positioning based on green initiatives and its ethnicity. He emphatically noted that tourism is both a cause and an effect of more holistic socio-economic growth. He noted that Nepal-China roads and Kathmandu&rsquo;s direct air connectivity with Chennai and Bengaluru are much needed pending measures.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nandini Lahe Thapa, the Senior Director of the Nepal Tourism Board and International Marketing In Charge, noted relative maturity of Nepal as a tourism destination However, she noted that it has been quite low at the high-end of the price-service spectrum. &ldquo;We have lowered our rates for other tourism services, but the cost of travel to and from Nepal has been exponentially costly. Hotels have already set the bar higher, but travel trade still needs to come together and raise the standards with rational pricing,&rdquo; she noted. Promotion of new destinations is possible, she told, if concrete proposals come to NTB from entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sumit Baral, the Senior Consultant with the International Finance Corporation of The World Bank Group, working for its investment climate programmes, with key focus on tourism programmes, recalled how Lufthansa dropped Kathmandu sector to protest the rampant child labor in the carpet industry and how it adversely affected German tourists&rsquo; travel to Nepal. Also, a diagnostic study categorically has shown that service standards decline has been the major factor behind lower per day spending by tourists. Noting that Nepal does not feature in luxury travel, he illustrated how Peru since 2000 has positioned itself as high-end destination, and how Maldives with almost same number of tourists like Nepal (little less than a million a year), actually has been earning double the income that Nepal has been earning from this sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Talking from the tourism technology perspective, Prerna Mimani, the Country Head of Amadeus (a global leader in travel trade distribution and marketing), noted that the e-commerce route to promote Nepal is must while stating that presently it is still at a rudimentary level. Mimani elaborated on the potential of collaborating with global travel portals with ethnicity focus for Nepal through efficient use of e-commerce.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Suman Pandey , Chairman of PATA Nepal and an entrepreneur, defended budget tourism noting it as an important part of the Nepali tourism eco-system and saying that it is different a way of travelling to experience the country. He poignantly noted, &ldquo;The seven days Golden Triangle plan is over-done and new tourism products are now necessary, as seen in the case of trekking tours being re-packaged as photography tours.&rdquo; Next to that Pandey suggested on organizing events replete with potentials to gain global media visibility, as seen in the case of the earlier Nepali cabinet meeting at Everest base-camp.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Aviation Next: Start Small, But Act in Unison</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Civil aviation has an important role in tourism industry. A separate discussion panel, &ldquo;Aviation Next&rdquo;, forwarded areas in which Nepal has to improvise in the days ahead to gain its tourism promotion objectives. Valentino Bagatsing, the Country Head of International Finance Corporation (IFC) of The World Bank group and moderator of the session, raised the issue air safety standards in Nepal. He noted, that there have been 70 accidents in 60 years, 3 of them being in the last two years and informed that IFC is presently tasked with safety management systems research and planning.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhola Bikram Thapa, the MD of President Travels, emphasized that the &ldquo;Government should make stronger policies and facilitate processes, and not do business directly.&rdquo; &nbsp;He lamented that the government has been unable to add more aircrafts to the existing fleet of the national carrier, Nepal Airlines.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ghanshyam Acharya, Chief of Corporate Affairs, Simrik Airlines, noted that three out of every four international traveler to Nepal is airborne and said IATA&rsquo;s Outlook for 2013 that looks forward positively at $711 billion global tourism turnover, has huge potential for Nepal&rsquo;s tourism sector too. Adding to it, he said that blacktopping of many airports in Nepal has increased air safety and air-travel is now available to middle class as well. However, he pointed the need for better regulatory support from policy-makers and rued that no domestic carrier has flown new aircraft since 1998.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Representing the government voice, Buddhisagar Lamichchane, the Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation, and Roshan Chitrakar, the Deputy Director General of the Air Navigation Services of CAAN, shared the government&rsquo;s initiatives in addressing the needs of the industry. Chitrakar informed that blacktopping and expansion of airports is going on in a high speed and the hurdles in fleet expansion of the national airlines are now almost removed. He also informed that one year compulsory Air Traffic Controllers&rsquo; training is now split into two parts - six-months in the first phase and then after some work experience another six months of second phase. This will address the problem of human resource crunch in the industry, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Lamichchane shed light on the installation of navigational safety equipment, and emphasized that the air safety standards in Nepal is reasonably strong by global standards. Further, he said, &ldquo;Nepali air-routes integration with more global air-routes is underway. And the construction of a second international airport at Bara which will create an East-West air corridor, is also taking off soon. Lamichhane further informed that &ldquo;the regulator and service provider functions of government with regards to aviation are being separated soon and a global consultancy is looking into this.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Air India Country Head, TK Saha, defended the pricing strategy of his carrier noting that only 10-15 percent seats go vacant. He advocated for new small aircraft routes and services for various potential sectors like Gaya-Lumbini, Patna-Kathmandu, and Varanasi-Pokhara.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Ramdas Shivram, the Qatar Airways Country Head, brought in a basic issue and presented with emphasis. &ldquo;Garbage management is poor in Kathmandu airport&rdquo; he said calling for &ldquo;a blended approach that includes raising awareness in passengers, training airport staff, and implementing strong punitive regulation.&rdquo; &nbsp;He also advocated for more efficient and faster immigration services, quest for quality tourism instead of stressing only on volume-based tourism, and focus on finding and investing in new markets to expand Nepal&rsquo;s tourism and aviation base.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Bhutan Tourism Info" src="/userfiles/images/cs4%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 426px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smaller Cases: Bhutan and Sikkim</strong></span></div>
<div>
	BHUTAN has positioned itself as a &lsquo;high-value, low-impact&rsquo; tourism, with USD 250 as average on season spending per day by a tourist, and minimum of USD 200 any time of the year. Bhutan claims to have the Highest Gross National Happiness, and the slogan of Bhutan Tourism is &ldquo;Happiness is a Place&rdquo;.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan" src="/userfiles/images/cs5%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 395px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Tiger&rsquo;s Nest Monastery, Bhutan</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>SIKKIM</strong></span></div>
<div>
	What should be the agenda for Sikkim in 2013 if it plans to be anywhere close to Switzerland? It&rsquo;s the oomph factor, about Switzerland, Dubai, and even backdoor ASEAN countries like Singapore and to some extent Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia that make them a most sought after destination. Switzerland received more than 10 million tourists in 2010. Even Goa received nearly 3 million tourists in 2010. The highest number of foreign tourists who visit Sikkim never crossed the 5000 mark in a month ever till now.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim would need to emerge as a shopping and fun destination; a destination which film makers and market executives like. Sikkim hence, has introduced para-gliding, trekking, and bike riding in recent years, a few world class universities, a few niche products with enviable reputation, a highly educated libertarian civil society.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It&rsquo;s empowering every Sikkimese to figure out where Sikkim should need to focus on rather than a top to bottom approach&rdquo; has been Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling&rsquo;s Approach in developing the Indian state.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sikkim came out with an integrated vision that brought together and synergized Nature &amp; Trekking Tourism, Eco-tourism &amp; Wilderness Tourism, Village/Rural &amp; Home stay Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Wellness Tourism: Meditation, Yoga, Spa &amp; Herbal medicine etc, Pilgrimage &amp; Buddhist Tourism, Culture &amp; Heritage Tourism, Conference Tourism (MICE destination), Tea Tourism, and Snow Travel and Hydro Tourism.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the last decade, Sikkim has also pro-actively developed these niche aspects of tourism industry there: Flori-Tourism, Geo-Tourism (fossil study), Fairs-Festivals Tourism, Wedding/Honeymoon Tourism, Peace /Health Rejuvenation Tourism, Heli Tourism, Monsoon Tourism, Cave Tourism, Ekant Vas &amp; Agyat Van Vas, Developments of lakes and wetlands, Wayside Amenities- at every 10 Kms distance, Arts Crafts and Souvenir and some premium destinations.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Sikkim" src="/userfiles/images/cs6%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 413px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Sikkim</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong><img alt="Nepal Vs Switzerland" src="/userfiles/images/nepalvzswitz%20(Copy).jpg" style="
float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 378px;" />Premium Positioning for Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism: Possible Road-map</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Nepal, the 36th largest nation of the world by land-area, and enriched with most of the world&rsquo;s tallest mountain peaks, huge fresh water-resource and glaciers, &nbsp;home to some of the best lakes and forests in South Asia, and a nation rich in centuries-old civilization heritages and cultures, has often been under-valued in tourism. The recent Travel &amp; Tourism Competitiveness Index 2013 places Nepal at 112th position out of 140 nations surveyed, while Switzerland retained its position at the top of the chart.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Situation Analysis:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While Nepal is the preferred Himalayan destination globally, it is one of the cheapest travel destinations. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation study shows that the average daily spending of an airborne tourist in Nepal skidded down to USD 35 from USD 79 in 2003. Some 700,000 foreign tourists (including some 530,000 by air) came to Nepal in 2012 (as per Nepal Tourism Board estimates). But the image of Nepal has been that of the backpackers&rsquo; paradise, value-for-money tourism, and often a glorious destination for the run-away tourists. The image of Nepal&rsquo;s Tourism has been further tarnished in the last decade by the insurgency followed by political instability.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	However, things can take turn for the better. This piece throws open the discussion on the paradigm shift in Nepal Tourism. Without harming the current flow of tourists to Nepal every year with an average per head daily spending of USD 48, we can still look at creating a new crop of premium tourists who will hopefully spend a fortnight minimum in this Himalayan nation with a daily expense of at least USD 200 (four times higher than the current average). Even if there are 5,000 such tourists in a year to begin with, the national average and the total income of all stake-holders of tourism economy will have a qualitative leap ahead.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="center" width="100">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Mt Everest" src="/userfiles/images/cs7%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 408px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<strong>Mt Everest</strong></div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Positioning of the Premium Tourism Product</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Let us look at what the premium tourists look for and what &lsquo;tourism product&rsquo; can be dovetailed for them. Then, we can look at what channels and process of marketing communications should be taken to ensure that 5,000 or more such premium tourists actually come for their date with the Himalayas and spend a daily average of USD 200 or stay in Nepal for more than 14 days.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The possible product must have a distinct positioning with a clear and creative packaging. The positioning that can be suggested is &lsquo;Pristine, Priceless &amp; Personal&rsquo;. The pristine beauty of nature and culture of Nepal needs no further elucidation. The experience of the &lsquo;product&rsquo; has to be made priceless incorporating a wide variety of the best expectations fulfilled - the Wow-effect of which should out-price the costs. And, surely, the entire experience has to be very personal, to be treasured for long, with an immense nostalgia-value.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<table align="center" width="100">
		<tbody>
			<tr>
				<td>
					<img alt="Lumbimi" src="/userfiles/images/cs8%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 321px;" /></td>
			</tr>
			<tr>
				<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
					<div align="center">
						<strong>Lumbimi</strong></div>
				</td>
			</tr>
		</tbody>
	</table>
</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Premium Tourism Product Defined</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Keeping these parameters in mind, it is suggested that the proposed product should be for couples only, of any age, to make it truly experiential and personal, and should be an all-planned well-packaged fortnight-long visit incorporating the best elements of Nepal.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		For example, a very personal aspect is ensured the moment the visiting couple immediately after landing at Kathmandu airport or on reaching the pre-chosen five-star or boutique hotel is traditionally welcomed and given a set of traditional Nepali wear (based on personal information given while booking the trip). The visit to the five most known heritage points of Kathmandu-- blending heritage, royalty and spiritualism in good measures-- must surely be done along with a broad understanding of the valley over the next two full days in the country, land-travel served with the best of tourist cars available.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The visit in Kathmandu on the fourth day can be customized to each couple&rsquo;s needs: cuisine, shopping, social entrepreneurship or educational initiative, any theatre or cultural activity, the NTB archaeological museum or any other specific spot. Hour-long flight above Mt Everest and Mt Kanchenjunga can be another sure winner on the morning of this day.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Nagarkot" src="/userfiles/images/cs10%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Nagarkot</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		The fifth day can be at Nagarkot with the sunset and sunrise covered soaking in the beauty of natural landscapes. Subsequent two days can be spent at Chitwan, with lake, park, rural life, festivities (season specific),etc., all planned well.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eighth to tenth days can be at Pokhara, ensuring all aspects of the valued hill-destination rated among top ten by Lonely Planet - a bit of trekking, rafting and para-gliding, depending on the couple&rsquo;s interest, age and health. Celebrations like anniversary or birthday or even the marriage of the couple in a few cases could be another &lsquo;personal&rsquo; winner either in Kathmandu or Chitwan or Pokhara depending upon the date.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Eleventh and twelfth days could be a visit to busy Terai city of business: Birganj or Nepalgunj to bring home other aspects of Nepali life and economy, with shopping, handicrafts, etc., thrown in.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Last two days can be used for a visit to Lumbini and Buddhist heritage sites or, for those who want it otherwise, to Muktinath and more lakes, hills and forests.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		And, as each couple bids adieu, they should be given an exquisitely packaged album of best moments of their visit, their blogs and comments taken for social media use, and take-away souvenirs also given for their closest family members based on the information shared while booking the trip.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<table align="center" width="100">
			<tbody>
				<tr>
					<td>
						<img alt="Patan Durbar Square" src="/userfiles/images/cs9%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 550px; height: 316px;" /></td>
				</tr>
				<tr>
					<td bgcolor="#DDDDDD">
						<div align="center">
							<strong>Patan Durbar Square</strong></div>
					</td>
				</tr>
			</tbody>
		</table>
	</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Integrated Marketing Communications:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		For such a concept to click at the market there has to be a focused high-decibel concerted IMC campaign integrating all four channels of communication: online, offline, on-air and on-ground and across ten to twelve selected markets of the world from where most tourists come to Nepal, as understood through research conducted by professionals.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size: 12px;">An experiential tourism product needs an experiential video that documents actual experience of say, three distinctly different couples -an Indian, a Chinese/Japanese, and an European/American- who go through the entire &lsquo;product&rsquo; and share their views online and on camera. Such a video needs to be used in every marketing meet, aired in selected channels across the globe in the target nations, and clippings promoted through YouTube. Such experiential videos without any explicit marketing commentary, speak volumes more than guided narrative documentaries of hills and rivers made usually from the government stable.</span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		Social Media and the internet make the most powerful channel to reach to an audience scattered across the globe. Hence, a very high-end interactive portal, ideally on third generation internet platform that&rsquo;s &nbsp;being customized to each individual user, on the concept and product of Premium Nepal, incorporating blogs, photo albums, do&rsquo;s and don&rsquo;ts at every level of the experience will also serve the purpose well. Along with the portal, intense and creative use of Facebook, MySpace, Google+, Dig, Youtube, Twitter, Blogs in e-groups, and other social media platforms need to be used with the single-minded purpose of creating a premium positioning of the said high-end tourism product of Nepal. Online booking of this product should also be facilitated through the right mix of technology options.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		A Premium Nepal Tour Plan Book can be an effective offline (printed) tool of communication. The book will interestingly present possible experiences and options for each day of the visit on one side and provide space for documenting personal experiences, cuisine, culture, visits, and people befriended in the process and small anecdotes on the other side. Still pictures of various events can also be placed and preserved. This book will eventually have an immense personal nostalgia value and will also serve to market the &lsquo;product&rsquo; to future customers spreading a positive buzz or word of mouth. Each customer in the process becomes an advocate realizing thus the life-time value of the premium customers.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PR &amp; Sales Driven High Decibel Road-Shows</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		However, closing the deal will largely happen through an intensive PR driven high-end road-show in at least ten to twelve of the leading sources of tourism to Nepal. This road-show must combine the said film, tour plan-book, and interactive session by the organizing partners and must lead to a plethora of writing on Nepal and on this uniquely positioned tourism product. The road-show must bring together the premier tour operators to South Asian destinations, adventure or heritage tourism operators, leadership of selected chambers of commerce, entertainment industry and travel journalism biggies, including the lead travel writers. The cities where the road-shows can be held may be selected from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, London, New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, among others. These road-shows must ensure immediate or follow-up bookings of couples coming to Nepal in the subsequent season.</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>PPP Model with a Consortium Approach:</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;This project can only succeed if it is done on private-public-partnership in which Nepal Tourism Board representing the government and a consortium of private tourism players join hands to first build a brand of Premium Nepal and then execute the product immaculately (execution largely being in private hands). The Consortium can be of a few five star and boutique or heritage hotels with properties in all the places covered in the tour, domestic airlines, premium road transport providers, adventure tourism organizers and may be helicopter-services providers, apart from selected handicrafts-cuisine-apparel-souvenir providers.&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Revenue Output</strong></span></div>
	<div>
		Even if 3,000 couples, with per couple investment within Nepal being USD 5,000 for a fortnight of Premium Nepal tourism experience, come in a year, Nepali Tourism industry stands to gain a minimum of 15 million USD minus the marketing communications expenses and tour operator commission of a maximum of 20 percent. Some 12 million USD means an additional Rs. 10,000 million infused into the economy by just one new concept implemented creatively and aggressively! Are the government and the industry listening?</div>
	<div>
		&nbsp;</div>
	<div>
		<em>(The author, the Consulting Editor of the NBA, is the former Dean of Symbiosis International University, Pune, Mumbai, and Whistling Woods International, Mumbai.)</em></div>
</div>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-27',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'new business age cover story news & articles, cover story news & articles from new business age nepal, cover story headlines from nepal,  current and latest cover story news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali cover story economic news and events,  ongoing  cover story news of nepal',
			'description' => 'The Tourism industry is growing stronger by the day. Celebration of World Tourism Day across the world on September 27 signifies the importance that nations attach to it to achieve their economic development goals. In spite of recession, in some parts of the world, the outlook for the global tourism gross revenue of 2013 is above USD 700 billion.',
			'sortorder' => '2156',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2226',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse On Four-year-high',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Last weeks surge is interpreted as continuation of the upward trend that started in the capital market some weeks back with the &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; sweeping the election result. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index went up all the tradings days last week. &nbsp;The circuit breaker was used twice on Wednesday and Thursday due to the feverish transactions that sent the index surging with almost all the companies gaining share price hike.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stock market analysts, however, caution that the decision to invest in a company without any analysis could prove risky. &nbsp;In recent days, shares price of even those companies that are incurring loss is also rising unusually. In order to avoid the risks, analysts suggest the investors to assess the company&rsquo;s financial position before deciding to buy the shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The market registered a total of Rs 2.40 billion turnover last week. 6,732,794 units of shares were traded in the market floor through 14,821 transactions. The turnover, number of transactions and units of shares are 49.18 per cent, 12.12 per cent &nbsp;and 47.98 per cent higher respectively in comparison to those of last week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NIC Asia witnessed the largest turnover in the share market last week, while Nabil Balance Fund-1 witnessed the highest transaction. It was Nepal Telecom which remained at the top of the market in terms of the market capitalisation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index gained 8.03 points on the first day (Sunday) closing at 651.98. The index continued to surge in the initial trading hour on the second day (Monday) &nbsp;but eventually declined 9.82 points closing at 661.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse index witnessed a double-digit rise by 16 points on Tuesday closing at 677.8 points. The double-digit upward movement continued on Wednesday with Nepse index surging 25 points to settle at 700.8.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	All the sub-groups, except Trading and Manufacturing, witnessed an impressive gain during the week. Insurance group gained the highest by whopping 105.18 points. It was followed by Hydropower (up by 82.48 points), Banks (up by 60.26 points) and Development Bank (up by 57.19 points). Likewise, sub-indices of Other, Finance and Hotel groups have also gained by 55.21, 16.19 and 11.3 points. Sub-indices of Trading and Manufacturing remained unchanged.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Out of 138 listed companies, 116 observed a gain, while shares price of 5 companies declined during the week. Shares price of 17 other companies remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nepse Index" src="/userfiles/images/1indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 424px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Nepse on Sunday</strong></span></p>
</div>
<div>
	Nepse index which was on upward trend for past few weeks, however, dropped 4.73 points on Sunday closing at 702.68.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sub-indices of Hotels, Hyrdropower and Finance groups observed a surge. The highest gainer was Hotels group with its index up by 24.26 points settling at 1125.14. Hydropower and Finance groups also rose 19.35 points and 1.11 points respectively. Sub-indices of Banking, Development Banks and Insurance groups&rsquo; sub-indices went down by 3.69 points, 3.46 points and 38.81 points respectively.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 389,214 units of shares of 97 companies worth Rs 152.58 million were traded through 1174 transactions.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-22',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index witnessed a four-year record high last week surging 55.43 points and closing at 707.41. The index had last scaled to this point on August 27, 2009, when it reached 708.75 points.',
			'sortorder' => '2155',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2293',
			'article_category_id' => '153',
			'title' => 'Domestic Footwear Brands Dominate Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Suraksha Adhikari&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A corresponding growth has been seen in footwear factories too. There are presently around 10 medium-scale footwear factories across the country. Nepali customers are gradually getting attracted towards shoes produced in Nepal for design, and durability of the shoes.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;There has been a healthy growth in the number of &nbsp;buyers for locally manufactured footwear,&rdquo; Ram Krishna Prashain, said Managing Director of Shikhar Shoes, one of the prominent names in the domestic footwear market,. &ldquo;This has been possible due to adaptation of advanced manufacturing technologies, delivery of quality products and keeping up with the expectation of customers,&rdquo; he added. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Present Status of the Market</strong></span></div>
<div>
	According to Prashain, the domestic market is witnessing a change in the buying pattern of customers. &ldquo;Slowly and steadily, we are seeing more and more people who used to prefer branded products from foreign countries coming to us. And once they use our products, they become regular customers,&rdquo; said Prashain. He added that the company is planning to roll out a new premium brand targeting high-end customers in the near future. &ldquo;Currently, we are carrying out a feasibility study. If we get positive results, we will install a new plant,&rdquo; he said. Products from Shikhar Shoes are priced between &nbsp;Rs 350 andRs 4,000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Base Footwear, manufacturer of &lsquo;BF dear hill&rsquo; brand of footwear and another prominent player in the domestic market, has also been witnessing enormous success. &ldquo;Almost all the multi-branded footwear stores across the country now feature products from at least one of the domestic brands,&rdquo; said Hom Nath Upadhyay, Managing Director of Base Footwear. He added that the company&rsquo;s annual production comes to 150,000-200,000 pairs. Its products are priced in the range of Rs 450 - Rs 3,500. Base Footwear products range from school and college shoes to party shoes, casual shoes and sports shoes. The company has recently started manufacturing football boots also.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When asked about the raw material, Upadhyay informs that polyvinyl chloride, and thermoylae rubbers around 80 per cent of Nepal&rsquo;s leather requirement is fulfilled by imports from Thailand, China and India, while 20 per cent is produced in Nepal itself. The other major raw material such as polyurifine, polyvinyl chloride, and thermopoly rubbers too are imported. Upadhyay said that domestic products presently occupy 55 per cent of the Nepali leather goods and footwear market. He is optimistic that the domestic brands will occupy more share of the market in the days ahead as demand for these products continues to surge due to comparatively affordable prices than imported products while the quality of the domestic products is comparable with the imported ones. In fact, while the leather used in the Nepal-made shoes is genuine, the imported shoes may be using imitate on leather which is difficult for the ordinary people to identify. He said, &ldquo;In terms of price, our competition is with those imports that use fake international brand names.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	People usually buy the Chinese-made &ldquo;international brands&rdquo; which are not as good as the authentic brands. They bear the logos of popular international brands, but they are counterfeit products. Claiming that the domestic footwear manufacturers are offering better affordability, better quality and better designs than the Chinese imitations, Upadhyay encourages consumers to buy domestic products instead of running behind so called branded and designers&rsquo; products. He said, &ldquo;People have to understand that they can have Nepali genuine products for the same price that they pay for those fake products.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The domestic footwear makers has started manufacturing sports and casual shoes as well while till recently they were producing mainly for school children. Manufacturers say that increasing buyer confidence had inspired them to try their hand at new products. &ldquo;We are now planning to expand the product line-up in the casual and sports series,&rdquo; said Prashain. &ldquo;We are about to install a new plant to manufacture ladies footwear. We are in the final stages of our preparation to produce rubber boots.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Imported Raw Materials</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Eighty percent of the raw material is imported. And 40 per cent of it comes from China, 30 per cent from India and the remaining from other nations. At present, Nepal produces only 20 per cent of the raw material the industry needs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to a survey conducted by Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers&rsquo; Association Nepal (LFGMAN) an average single Nepali spends Rs 2500 annually on shoes. Hom Nath Upadhyay, also the President of LFGMAN said, &ldquo;That means, when you think about the entire population, the annual spending of Nepali population on shoes is huge. If Nepali products are promoted, we can prevent that money from going outside the country.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;&ldquo;We are looking forward to be self-dependent in leather goods and footwear. If we can achieve that, it will be very helpful to the economy. Besides, this will create more employment opportunities in Nepal itself,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/fc1%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 318px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Problems &amp; Challenges&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Despite having deeper penetration in the domestic footwear market, Nepali shoe manufacturers claim that they could do even better if their concerns are addressed properly. Unfair customs duty on raw materials and unavailability of skilled manpower are their major concerns, which if addressed by the government, they say, could enable them to outshine foreign products in the domestic market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Upadhyay said that shortage of skilled and efficient manpower has been the major problem in this sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Energy crisis is another challenge for us. We don&rsquo;t have local industries that produce raw material for our industry. Even in case of imported raw material, we do not have sufficient supply,&rdquo; &nbsp; he said. Moreover, &nbsp;some of these raw material are heavily taxed making the final products expensive.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Elaborating further on their concerns, he said undeterred huge import of Chinese counterfeit products is another major problem. &ldquo;If such import is discouraged, Nepali brands will have a better market,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Sharing his experience of retaining the market, he said &ldquo;We have to look for new designs and trends continuously. Shoes go out of fashion very soon and we have to tap trending designs to retain our customers. This includes updating our manufacturing technology and marketing patterns. We just have to be moving, and we cannot rest. This makes it a tough job,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Stressing on the role of government for the promotion of the footwear market in Nepal, Upadhyay said, &ldquo;The government should give more priority to this sector and create favourable environment for it. This sector makes use of Nepali skill and labour. There is no foreign investment here, so we can say we are a true Nepali business sector.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;People should show their love to domestic products by giving them a try. We need more support and feedback from our customers to serve them better products in the days to come.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepali footwear products have been dominating the domestic market in the recent years. While the consumers have shown interest in using international brand designer shoes, their interest is growing also in made-in-Nepal. Manufacturers claim that locally made shoes account for more than 50 percent of the sales.',
			'sortorder' => '2154',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2302',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Joyful Achiever',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Angila Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers&rsquo; Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. &ldquo;Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,&rdquo; he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari balances his professional and personal life perfectly, and manages his time for both. &ldquo;My family is my pride. I always save time for my family,&rdquo; says Bhandari.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Bhandari is a very high-spirited person. He wakes up early in the morning and updates himself on current affairs. He plays badminton as a creative leisure activity for keeping his mind and body healthy. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Besides that, he loves old Hindi songs and has deep fascination for music and dance. He believes in enjoying life to the fullest and hates nothing in particular.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He considers vacations as an important aspect of life. Vacation, for him, is an escape from the daily hustles of life and manages to go on vacation, once a year. He loves to visit new places and thus his vacation destinations vary every year. Last year, he went to America. He has visited India, China, among other nations.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He loves interacting with new people and is always amazed by people&rsquo;s opinions and their personal characteristics. His love for interacting with people has taken him to Facebook. However, due to his busy schedules he is not very active there. &nbsp;&ldquo;I check my Facebook only once a day. Other than that, I don&rsquo;t use other networking sites,&rdquo; says Bhandari.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Reading book is another of his personal interests but he rarely gets opportunity to fulfill it because of his hectic professional schedules. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He has a strong dislike for wasting time unnecessarily and thinks that time should be used in creative purposes that foster individual and national growth.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-24',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Rajan Singh Bhandari, President of Nepal Bankers’ Association and CEO of Citizens Bank International, is a very straightforward person and dislikes liars. “Being an honest person, I expect the same from everyone around,” he says. He remains busy in his tight professional schedules, and this makes him find single weekend holiday insufficient. He wishes to have holiday on Sundays as well.',
			'sortorder' => '2153',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2309',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'Contact Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><br />
<strong>Address</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>New Business Age Pvt. Ltd<br />
Panchayan Marga, Thapathali<br />
Kathmandu<br />
Nepal<br />
<br />
Tel: 977-1-5367717<br />
Email: info@newbusinessage.com, editorial@newbusinessage.com</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/map.jpg" style="height:372px; margin:10px; width:616px" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2022-01-18',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2152',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2012-01-01 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2308',
			'article_category_id' => '1',
			'title' => 'About Us',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => '',
			'content' => '<p><strong>New Business Age (P) Ltd.</strong> has been publishing New Business Age (monthly business magazine in English) and Aarthik Abhiyan (national business daily in Nepali).</p>

<h3><strong>History</strong></h3>

<p>The first issue of New Business Age magazine was published in April 2001. In 2005, it started publishing Aarthik Abhiyan weekly (initially called Aajako Abhiyan). This is upgraded since September 2010 into a national daily.</p>

<p>Because of all these, NBA boasts of having the longest institutional history and experience in business journalism in Nepal.</p>

<h3><strong>Vision, Mission and Value Statement</strong></h3>

<p><strong><img alt="" src="/app/webroot/userfiles/images/20180724100938_20170426035214_mvv.jpg" /></strong></p>

<h3><strong>Affiliates</strong></h3>

<p>New Business Age (P) Ltd. has set up one fully owned subsidiary Minds Nepal (P) Ltd. which functions in the fields of consultancy, research and training.</p>

<h3><strong>Products</strong></h3>

<p>The company NBA at present has following products:</p>

<p><strong>Arthik Abhiyan :</strong> &nbsp;It is Nepali Language daily business newspaper published days of the week (Sunday to Friday) &nbsp;and it has 12-16 pages in broadsheet. On all the other six days of week, it has one or more special&nbsp; pages dedicated to different sectors such as Investments &amp; Capital Market, Technology, Transport, Jobs, Education, Development and Housing &amp; Real Estate with the broad title &#39;&#39; Product&quot; . It selects one product, service or business for a day and tries to give 360 degree coverage on that product on that day. Arthik &nbsp;Abhiyan is printed on normal newsprint.</p>

<p><strong>Key Timeline</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>Established in 2001 as New Business Age Pvt. Ltd.</li>
	<li>Started the New Business Age monthly magazine in May 2001</li>
	<li>Started Aajako Abhiyan (later Aarthik Abhiyan) as a business weekly in (August 2005)</li>
	<li>Started the Aarthik Abhiyan as a national daily in Bhadra 18, 2067 (Sept 3, 2010)</li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-19',
			'modified' => '2023-05-04',
			'keywords' => '',
			'description' => '',
			'sortorder' => '2151',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '2023-05-04 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2303',
			'article_category_id' => '198',
			'title' => 'Quality Rice At Affordable Price',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director, New Om Khadya Udyog" src="/userfiles/images/min1%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 206px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<strong>Bishwamitra Kalwar</strong></div>
						<div>
							Managing Director</div>
						<div>
							New Om Khadya Udyog</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The company targets customers from all classes by supplying low to high price range rice. &ldquo;The price range&rsquo;s gap seems high but we target to reach customers from every class&rdquo;, Kalwar shares, &ldquo;We do not compromise on quality in any of our products of any price range.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Om Khadya&rsquo;s rice is available in market in three varieties: Jeera Basmati (steam\non-steam), Sona Mansuli (steam and non-steam), and Sona Mansuli (graded\non graded). Price of a kg of these rices ranges between Rs34 to Rs62.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Its three products are marketed across major cities of the country including in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, Nuwakot, Sindhuli, Makawanpur, Chitawan and Ramechhap. Kalwar said that the company is planning to expand its market reach to other regions too.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Remembering initial days in the food industry business, Kalwar said that the company had to struggle hard to establish its name in the market. &ldquo;We have always focused on quality and this has established us as a household brand in Nepal&rsquo;s rice market,&rdquo; he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Commenting on existing market conditions, Kalwar says that any rice in Nepal has to compete with low-priced rice imported from India. He said that Indian rice mills receive subsidy from the government that enables them to produce rice at cheaper rates in comparison to the unsubsidized rice industry of Nepal. &ldquo;Thus, it is very difficult for Nepali rice to compete with the imports from India,&rdquo; he shares.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Kalwar said that along with continuing its commitment to provide quality rice, the company has plans to promote and advertise the brand in the future. He says, &ldquo;We are looking forward to expand our reach and market through advertising also.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with that he said that the company is working to strengthen presence in the existing market niche. The company has an annual turnover of around 40-45 crores of rupees.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-17',
			'modified' => '2013-12-23',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'New Om Khadya Udyog has been providing quality rice to customers at affordable prices for over a decade. Established in 1998 the company produces rice in three different brand names: Rukh, Sansaar and Chaadani. Bishwamitra Kalwar, Managing Director of the company, said that brand names were picked up for their relatively frequent usage in daily conversation. He says such words are easier for the consumers to remember.',
			'sortorder' => '2150',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	),
	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2307',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Choices Of Handbags For Men',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1212.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 200px; height: 551px;" /></div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman&rsquo;s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men&rsquo;s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe. However, choosing the right bag can often be perplexing as there are plenty of options to choose from that come in a numerous colours, materials and sizes all at varying price ranges.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Briefcase</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1(5).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 88px;" />A briefcase is the most admired of all bags because of its classic shape, strong build, and sophisticated looks. It helps its possessor stand apart in the crowd. For more conventional guy, a rectangular briefcase with short handles is a nice and stylish selection. Do not go for the hard-shelled briefcases as they are out-dated. Choose briefcases with buckles, leather exterior, and realistic interior cubicles as they are evergreen or forever in fashion.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Messenger Bag</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1a.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 70px;" />The messenger bags are often made from canvas and hung across the shoulder. It is very spacious and comfortable. Laptops, ipads and other daily necessities can be easily fitted in It can hold as many documents and its shoulder strap gives stylish look to your personality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Tote</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1b.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;height: 115px; width: 100px;" />Totes are the perfect weekend bags. It is more convenient option for short trips. A tote is the advance replica to typical briefcases. &nbsp;It can be used both casually as well as for professional purposes. If it has leather exterior then it gives you a classic status. A Tote can be referred as portable pocket as you can pack much stuff inside it like work papers, some clothes, accessories, umbrella and lunch etc.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Backpack</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1c.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 121px;" />Bagpacks are the most suitable option if you constantly have to carry much stuff along with you. If your office hours demand suit and tie then a backpack will be too casual. But if your office atmosphere is casual, it the best alternative. It&rsquo;s easy to fling over your shoulder and pursue your busy schedule. Backpack gives you a more youthful look.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Duffle/Holdall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/1d.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 77px;" />&nbsp;Duffle is medium sized and multi-purpose bag. It is useful for versatile man who has to manage work, home, the gym and weekends away. Shun those glittery leather or sporty fabrics and acquire a bag which is more decent in colour like gray, brown, black or dark green.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-18',
			'modified' => '2013-12-18',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'While women have tremendous choice of handbags to decide from, contemporary men face the unique challenge of deciding something to carry all their stuff in. Bags are no longer viewed as exclusively a woman’s item. They have become appealing assets for men as well. Men’s bags are masculine, attractive and perfect add-ons to any modern wardrobe.',
			'sortorder' => '2149',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
			'homepage' => false,
			'breaking_news' => false,
			'main_news' => false,
			'in_scroller' => false,
			'user_id' => '0'
		)
	)
)
$current_user = null
$logged_in = false
$xml = false
simplexml_load_file - [internal], line ??
include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224
View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418
include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117