August 21, 2014, 4:30 pm 
There is skilled human resource deficit in the tourism industry as over half of the employees in the sector are unskilled, according to a report.
The tourism industry that could be the base for economic growth in Nepal has only 47 per cent skilled manpower, revealed the Tourism Employment Survey 2014 published by Tourism Ministry here today.
The first ever survey of the tourism industry – based on 192 tourism establishments in 10 districts – revealed that unskilled manpower in the sector stands at 53 per cent, whereas only around 19 per cent are highly skilled. “The employees in rafting are highly skilled.”
The survey of some 192 tourism establishments in Jhapa, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Kavre, Kaski, Banke, Kailali and Rupandehi districts, also revealed that 24 per cent of the total employees are only seasonal, whereas 76 per cent are regular. “Most of the employees in the industry are young,” it stated, adding that some 68 per cent of the manpower is between 20 to 40 years of age.
The survey said that more than half of the employees in the tourism industry are Janajati, some 33 per cent Brahmin/Kshetri, five per cent were Dalit and three per cent from Tarai/Madhes. “Some 58 per cent of the employees are Janajati.”
Likewise, the survey also noted that women engagement in the tourism industry is nominal. “Around 20 per cent of the employees are female, whereas some 78 per cent had secondary or a higher level of education,” it said, adding that almost 47 per cent had completed intermediate level of education.
Skill and education also is related to their earnings. “In terms of salary, 37 per cent of the workers received Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per month whereas another 37 per cent earned Rs 20,000 monthly,” the survey concluded, adding that 26 per cent of the employees were paid less than Rs 10,000 per month. “The proportion of employees earning more than Rs 20,000 per month was the highest among trekking agencies – that is 83 per cent – followed by domestic airlines and international airlines.
The employees in international airlines received not less than Rs 10,000 per month whereas none of the employees in home-stay establishments received more than Rs 20,000 per month. “The employees in the home-stay are the most unskilled too as they are not trained.”
Likewise, trekking sector is the largest employer followed by tourist standard hotels, travel agencies, star hotels and international airlines.
Some 1,636 trekking agencies provided 50,004 jobs, 625 tourist standard hotels provided 26,808 employment, 2,112 travel agencies provided 25,238 employment and 105 star-rated hotels employed 13,459.
Similarly, some 29 international employed 12,822 and 15 domestic airlines employed 5,903, respectively, it said, adding that some 226 home-stay employed 2,738, 49 rafting companies employed 735 and 60 paragliding and ultra-light companies employed 440.
The survey conducted between May and June also showed that some 797,616 tourist arrival created 138,148 employment in the country in 2013. The figure suggested that six tourists visiting Nepal created only one job, unlike the international estimation of six employment per tourist.
Meanwhile, the survey revealed some 40,000 less employment generation compared to the Economic Survey 2013 that read 178,000 employment creation.
However, the ministry claimed that the survey is the first and scientific in calculating the employment created in the tourism industry.
