Fifty mountain guides have received specialized training in digital content creation aimed at promoting Nepal’s tourism destinations and authentic mountain experiences to international audiences through digital platforms. The three-day training was organized under the Sustainable Tourism Project (STP), a joint initiative of the Nepal Tourism Board and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in coordination with the Mountain Guides Association of Nepal. The program was conducted in two phases, with the first session held from July 29 to 31 and the second from August 5 to 7. The training concluded on Tuesday at the Nepal Tourism Board’s hall in Kathmandu, where certificates were also presented to the participating guides.
Focus on Digital Storytelling and Tourism Promotion
The training focused on developing participants’ practical skills in storytelling, content structuring, visual presentation, and creative content production. Participants were introduced to ways of transforming their experiences from the mountains and tourism destinations into engaging digital content. The program emphasized practical exercises to help mountain guides create tourism-related content that is informative, authentic and attractive to potential visitors. As mountain guides regularly travel to remote and lesser-known destinations, the training aimed to equip them with the skills needed to document and promote these places through photographs, videos, stories and other forms of digital media.
Tourism Board Calls Guides ‘Digital Ambassadors’ of Nepal
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Hikmat Singh Ayer, Officiating Executive Chief of the Nepal Tourism Board, highlighted the growing importance of digital promotion amid the rapid transformation of the tourism industry. Ayer said the government, Tourism Board and private sector are increasingly focusing on digital platforms, making it essential to promote Nepal’s tourism resources through online channels and reach potential travelers around the world.
He encouraged mountain heroes to create content from the destinations they visit and use their firsthand experiences to showcase Nepal internationally. “Wherever you go, create content about Nepal’s destinations and present the beauty of Nepal to the world,” Ayer said. He also noted that it is not practical for the government alone to physically reach and promote every tourism destination in the country. Mountain guides, therefore, can serve as an important bridge between Nepal’s destinations and the global tourism market by documenting their experiences digitally. Ayer further urged the participants to produce positive, accurate, and fact-based content and emphasized the importance of creating demand for destinations alongside conventional tourism promotion.
Guides Encouraged to Showcase Authentic Experiences
Khadga Bikram Shah, Senior Manager of the Nepal Tourism Board and National Project Coordinator of the Sustainable Tourism Project, stressed the need for participants to put their newly acquired skills into practice. He encouraged guides to use their cameras and digital platforms to document tourism products and destinations encountered during their journeys and make them accessible to travelers worldwide. According to Shah, guides have the opportunity to capture experiences that may otherwise remain unseen by international audiences, particularly in remote mountain areas.
Mountain Guides as Tourism Ambassadors
STP Project Manager Dharmaraj Dawadi described mountain guides as direct representatives and ambassadors of Nepal’s tourism industry. He said the authentic experiences provided by guides can become powerful digital tourism content capable of reaching international markets. Dawadi emphasized that showcasing local lifestyles, cultures, traditions, landscapes and the uniqueness of individual destinations through authentic digital storytelling could make Nepal’s tourism promotion more effective. He added that guides are in a unique position to present tourism experiences from a firsthand perspective because they directly interact with destinations, local communities and visitors.
Practical Training in Content Creation
Trainer Samrat Adhikari said the program combined theoretical knowledge with practical exercises. Participants were taught the fundamentals of content creation, including how to develop a story, structure content, and transform personal experiences into compelling digital material. The practical approach was designed to help guides move beyond simply recording photographs and videos and instead develop meaningful stories that can engage potential tourists.
Participants Welcome the New Skills
Participating mountain guides Mingma Dolma Sherpa, Furdeni and Amrit Kumar Aryal said the training provided them with new skills to present tourism-related content in a more organized, creative and effective manner. They viewed the training as an opportunity to better communicate their experiences from Nepal’s mountains and tourism destinations through digital platforms.
Building a Stronger Digital Tourism Presence
The training was coordinated by Ram Kaji Tiwari, General Secretary of the Mountain Guides Association of Nepal. All 50 participating guides received certificates at the conclusion of the program. The training primarily focused on providing practical skills for creating and presenting tourism-related content through digital platforms.
With mountain guides reaching destinations that are often difficult for conventional tourism promoters to access, such initiatives could help expand Nepal’s digital tourism presence and introduce lesser-known destinations, authentic mountain experiences, and local cultures to international travelers. The organizers expect that strengthening the digital skills of mountain guides will create a wider network of grassroots tourism storytellers and provide an additional platform for promoting Nepal’s diverse tourism experiences in the global market.
