Sunday 6 September 2015

In four days ...

I'm heading back to Nepal.

No, I've not packed. But I have done a lot of thinking.

As you know, I have friends there and have been asked to help promote Nepal's tourism industry. It has been floundering since the earthquake. Bookings are down. Too many hotels are empty; too many restaurants quiet. Mountain guides stand around and look at maps. Yet these are hardworking people, trying to rebuild a country. For that they need money - the sort of money that tourists can bring.

I've had several people ask what they can do to help. I've had a generous donation (Tika will help find a home for that) but not everyone has money to spare. I've been given goodies to squash in my suitcase to take up to villages in the mountains (Tika will help carry them).

But the thing I really need help with is the promoting-tourism bit. I've no training in marketing. Efforts to sell my own books are a bit hit and miss. But this time the marketing matters - and I haven't the faintest idea how to do it.

At the moment, I don't even know exactly where I'll be going (Tika will ...). All I know is that I shall write about what I find - and that the writing will be slanted towards encouraging other people to visit. No doubt I'll spend time with friends, but that will not be the story. No doubt I'll sit by the lake in Pokhara and ponder, but that will not be the story. I hope I climb to the tiny coffee plantation, on the path towards Begnas Lake, to drink some of the best coffee in the world - that will only be part of the story if the lack of tourists is affecting the family.

And so please, my loyal blog-followers, can you help with the promoting-thing. If you think I'm missing something, or should emphasise something else, tell me. Ask questions (I'll have internet connections, at least some of the time). Bang on about it on Twitter and Facebook. If people get irritated that's fine - as long as they get the message.

Nepal is open for business. And it's still beautiful.

16 comments:

  1. Will do, Jo!! I'll investigate FB pages and other sites where we can put links to your blog and anything you write about Nepal. For starters, I'll post everything to my personal page, but there are bound to be other sites about travel. We can also step up the tweeting of your Hidden Tiger book. I'll dig out my old marketing thinking hat and put it on for more ideas. Keep in touch and give my/our good wishes to Tika. I almost feel I know him myself now after reading your books :)

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    1. Val - you are a star! Thanks a million.

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  2. Will do....xxx have a good trip. Your friends are lucky in you.

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    1. And I'm so very lucky to know them, Carol.

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  3. I'll do my best too Jo. Safe journey and tell Tika we all wish the people of Nepal the best .

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    1. Thank you, Anne - I'll certainly pass that on.

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  4. I have two websites/onlione publishers in my facebook feed who both specialize in feel good stories. https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy or http://www.upworthy.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/GOODHQ or http://magazine.good.is/. Both would be worth a try. Don't be afraid of them making the story about you because it will still spread the word. Also worth considering doing a photo essay because it would make the story very accessible to a whole lot more people.

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    1. Mark - this is hugely helpful. Thank you. I haven't the faintest idea how to go about a photo essay, but I suspect you do. (If I get the Chinese, please will you help me?)

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    2. I'd do anyfing for a sweet and sour pork ball.

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  5. This is a great project, Jo. I will be really interested to read what you find.You will learn a lot and I am going to be interested to hear. Advice about marketing - well, I'm utterly useless too and I wish I wasn't. But from working as a travel writer I'd say that it can be slightly dificult if you are deciding to promote the place before you go.The problem is essentially whether to address the issues which are likely to be stopping people from going there, and address them. This might people off who have not thought about the problems. Alternatively you blind-eye the problems, in which case it doesn't look as if you are addressing the issue. You are, though, doing to be acting with sincerity, and this is a huge plus becuase I know you will be acting with a good heart always. Have fun!

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    1. Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. I am aware of some of the challenges of what I'm trying to do - time will tell if I manage to do it. But I do feel I owe them - they've been so kind to me in the past, and this is a drop in the ocean compared with what they need.

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  6. I will. Have a lovely time and stay safe x

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  7. I will put your blogpost on my twitter feed tonight. I hope you have a safe journey.

    Greetings from London.

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