February 14: The Tourism Recovery Task Force (TRTF) Nepal in collaboration with GATE Foundation has concluded the first phase of the Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Health Hygiene and Sanitation (HHS) Protocols for Tourism Operators on February 12.

The 11-day workshop, which started in Butwal on February 2, was organised with technical support from GIZ, TRTF said in a statement.

According to the TRTF, which was set up by the government to revive the tourism industry post-lockdown, the training program was helpful in imparting knowledge on different facets of HHS Protocols and Sustainable Destination Management to 55 local units of 11 municipalities in 5 districts of 3 provinces in western Nepal. Those local units are now  responsible to further impart the training knowledge and their learning to 2,750 SMEs including small and medium tourism service providers in the region.

While addressing the closing remarks, TRTF Nepal Coordinator, Deepak Raj Joshi, urged the trainers to share their best knowledge and skills to inspire SMEs to embrace compliance with the HHS Protocols.

"This TOT program on HHS Protocols is a special initiation to position Nepal as one of the safest and most promising destinations in terms of compliance with health, hygienic, and food safety aspects, which would only be possible with our joint actions, common understanding, and effective collaboration in this journey,” he added.

Similarly, Suresh Singh Budal, CEO of PATA Nepal chapter, informed that the disruption by COVID-19 has compelled the tourism industry to ensure effective compliance with the HHS protocols. “With this we can win the trust, confidence, and loyalty of travelers in the source markets; and this is fundamental for rapid, robust, and responsible recovery of our tourism. This training initiative is a stride towards inspiring SMEs for effective compliance with the HHS protocols in their businesses," he informed.  

 TRTF Nepal said it is willing to collaborate with the concerned authorities and stakeholders in other emerging tourism destinations throughout the country to extend this initiative for the larger benefit of the tourism industry.