The rise of social media and interactive digital platforms have altered the ways people traditionally experience tourism. As technology became a global phenomenon, the tourism industry was one of the first sectors to embrace the digital transformation. Digitization has exposed people to new places, cultures, communities and more via digital platforms. Tourism enterprises, across the world were also quick to switch gears and sell their products such as hotel rooms, travel packages, and flights through online platforms. A similar phenomenon has been observed in Nepal with an increasing use of smartphones, social media and consumption of online content.

 

Tourism has drastically changed, from being a time-consuming exercise of physically making inquiries, bookings, and payment to transforming into a hassle free and safe process of online bookings, e-commerce platforms and social media marketing campaigns that make inquiries swift. The development process within digitization, has provided the world with a portfolio of unique products, services, and destinations, further contributing to a successful and competitive market. With an ever-growing demand for travel and more so now, the need for innovation within the tourism sector is imperative. This is more true for Nepal, as the country largely depends on the tourism sector for revenue.

 

Digitization and Tourism

 

The nature of travels across the world has evolved over the years with increasing disposable income, growing markets and more importantly, changing attitudes of people. This, coupled with a rise in digitization has provided people with a window to view tourism as a lifestyle choice and less a luxury. These travel barriers have been successfully overcome with the help of the internet and social media, where more and more people are willing to experience culture and geographies that they originally saw on screens or in print. The rise of digitization has accelerated a rise in international tourism with people being more convinced to travel out of their regions after learning about new places. This trend has become more common in Nepal as well. With an increasing immigration of Nepalis, use of smartphones/social media and ease of acquiring visa has made travelling for work and even leisure much more accessible.

 

For the longest time, the global tourism industry was based on personal connections, which meant travelers’ decisions were determined by the agency/enterprise they would seek assistance from, however, with the emergence of technology, travelers are now more competent to understand the market, survey their choices and make a decision. The world of codes and algorithms has transformed the way we consume information. With a personalized and filter-based system to choose products, a consumer can be directed to their most preferred choice by simply surfing the internet. These efficient systems that work on reviews and preference has made travel to unique and unexplored place very popular. The onset of social media platforms has further facilitated the increase of digital tourism by allowing consumers to learn, and experience new destinations from the comforts of their home.

 

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, drastically impacted tourism in Nepal. The government campaign, “Visit Nepal 2020” had received great reactions globally, however, the pandemic restricted all forms of tourism. In fact, travel restrictions and border closures led to a 95.3% decline of international arrivals across Asia. While physical tourism became almost impossible, digital tourism bridged the gap between destinations and travelers. In Asia and Pacific countries, smartphone usage increased from 54.13% in 2019 to 58.56% in 2020, and the internet penetration soared by 10% from 2019 to 2020. The mass consumption of e-tourism materials during the pandemic promoted further travel to new destinations in the post-pandemic era.

 

Tourism and Digital Transformation in Nepal

 

Even today, a large portion of tourism operations in Nepal is conducted manually as the country’s digital policies are still underway development in areas of information and communication technology (ICT). While there have been innovations within the tourism sector of Nepal from both the government and the travel industry, social media have played a key role in promoting digital tourism. The increase in travel vlogging channels on YouTube, food accounts on Instagram, online booking for hotels, activities, and services have attracted a diverse personalities of travellers to Nepal.