Sunakhari Community Homestay awaits publicity

Birgunj, June 29: The Sunakhari Buffer Zone Community Homestay located at Subarnapur of Thori rural municipality-5 in Parsa district is under shadow for lack of publicity.     

The arrival of tourists has not increased as expected in the first community homestay of Madhes Province owing to limited publicity and branding. The homestay is being run by 15 houses since 2073 BS. One visiting the homestay can enjoy a panoramic view of Thori and watch wildlife.     

The home-cum-hotel is located 34 kilometers away from Birgunj metropolitan city. Baghmorcha Mai, a monastery, Pranami Temple, Martyrs Memorial, Sunahari Forest are some of the attractions near this facility.     

Chairperson of Sunahari Buffer Zone Community Homestay, Shambhu Ram Poudel, said "Although it is the first such facility in Madhes Province, it has not been able to welcome the visitors as expected- may be due to dearth of publicity."     

They had not been able to make good branding of locally-produced foods, he mentioned.     

Similarly, the Chief of Cottage and Small Industry Office, Parsa, Dhannanjay Kumar Singh pointed out the need of branding and making publicity of the first home-cum-hotel in an effective manner.     

He explained, "It is necessary to make effective publicity on the activities of the homestay as much as possible by using the modern information technology."     

The Office on Friday launched awareness-related programme for the market expansion.     

Chief Singh shared that a public awareness programme would be taken forward to orient the homestay proprietors on account keeping and marketing.     

Sunakhari User Groups Committee Chairperson Bhim Bahadur Pakhrin said that the community homestay that was initiated with Rs 30,000 loan provided by the Committee had brought about good changes in the construction of infrastructures in the locality.     

"The Sunakhari community homestay was launched with much difficulty. But at present, the facility have got community buildings," informed Pakhrin, adding that 15 homestays were currently running in locality.     

The provincial government had also provided some budgets for improving infrastructures for the homestay few years ago, he added.     

Madhyabarti Community Homestay's proprietor Jyoti Lama mentioned that they had been prioritizing local cuisine for the guests. "Guests have keen interest in savoring delicacies made up of locally grown maize and chicken curry," Lama said.     

According to him, their livelihood was eased though the homestay enterprise was run moderately. "We have been running this facility at a reasonable cost. If the guests come in bulk, we perform Tamang cultural programme," he said.     

Homestay Chairperson Poudel grieved that the facility had been facing problems in renewal due to outdated law. "Earlier, it was registered and renewed under the federal government's agency. But since tourism office was annexed under the jurisdiction of the federal government, there is not legislation to govern this enterprise in the province," he explained. (RSS)