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FHAN emporium at Thamel receives mixed response

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KATHMANDU, Sept 11: The much-awaited Handicraft Emporium at Thamel, which was opened in the last week of August, is receiving a mixed response from handicraft makers and tourists.



Foreign tourists who make Thamel their temporary home while in Nepal are only too happy that they do not have to roam around the city to collect original Nepali handicrafts.[break]



"We believe that the emporium will be able to fulfill the needs of buyers as well as handicraft makers and sellers," said Rishi Subedi, assistant secretary of Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN).



Rojina Thapa, export and communication officer at Sana Hastakala, said a handicraft emporium in Thamel is a good idea. But the business has not picked up at the showroom in absence of adequate promotion and marketing. "If market research has been conducted before opening the emporium, we could have benefitted much more," added Thapa.



It has been easier for both the entrepreneurs and the tourists after FHAN brought together nine handicraft makers at a single outlet. FHAN has taken the initiative to make it a contact point for the handicraft sellers, buyers and exporters. At the emporium, exhibitors are rented out space for 3 months on rotation basis for a rental of Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 a month.



At present, the emporium displays handicraft products from Bhaktapur Craft Paper, Cultural Handicraft Dolls, Lalitpur Handicraft Association, MQS Enterprises, Palanchok Bhagwati Pashmina Industry, Rajib Handicraft Industry, Sana Hastakala, Swayambhu Ratna Dhakhwa and T. Muni Crafts. After three months, a new team of nine handicraft makers will get an opportunity to showcase their products.



Pashmina products, Nepali paper products, cultural dolls, metal crafts, stone dust and cotton products and silver jewelry items are available at the showroom.





COURTESY: MANA MOHAN SINGH MALLA



Man Mohan Singh Malla, proprietor of MQS that deals in silver jewelry, said though it is difficult at present to receive customers, the emporium in the long run will surely be a platform for Business-to-Business (B2B) networking rather than remaining a retail outlet.



"As this is a completely new beginning, it will take time to get noticed. However, we at FHAN have made strong marketing and promotion strategies and exporters need not worry about that," said Subedi.



FHAN is planning to promote the emporium mainly through organizations, associations and tourism outlets. Besides, it has advertized about the emporium through various media including Sky Cable Network. It is also planning to conduct events like ´Pashmina Week´ and ´Paper Craft Week´ to promote Nepali handicrafts.


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