17 October, Butwal. Before the corona epidemic, Tiras Lamtange Magar was introduced as a teacher teaching hotel management. His time was spent in various colleges, students and classrooms from morning till evening. While teaching hotel management in different colleges of Butwal, his career path was almost decided.

However, in the year 2076, the corona epidemic entered Nepal. It directly affected private educational institutions. Colleges were closed, classes were stopped and the means of income for teachers working in private sources was also closed.

Tiras also became unemployed. But that unemployment became a turning point in his life. Tiras, who studied hotel management, now thought of doing something in his own field instead of just looking for a job in other organizations. With that thought, 'The Coffee Hub' started in Butwal. His journey, which started with coffee, barista, bakery and hospitality training, has now reached the campaign to introduce Nepal's hospitality sector to the world through social media.

Today, the introduction of Tiras is not limited to hotel management teachers or businessmen. He has started to be known as a hospitality content creator.

Another feature of his campaign is that he does not take money for making and promoting hotel and restaurant video content.

"It is my hobby to make Nepal's hospitality known to the world, I did not do this work to earn money", he says, "Many hotel and restaurant businessmen see my work and try to give money by asking for salary, but I have not taken a single penny from anyone and I will not take it."

A journey that starts with a mobile

Tiras, who runs 'The Coffee Hub' in Yogikuti, Butwal, used to make videos on social media since a few years ago. He had a habit of talking to people from different fields about current affairs, making videos and posting them on social media.

At the same time, he got an opportunity to make a video of the newly opened Hyatt Palace in Butwal. There were no cameras, big teams or expensive equipment. He shot a video of about 20 minutes introducing the hotel from his own mobile phone. Made general edits and put them on Facebook. He did not think that the video would be watched by so many people and that there would be a reaction. The video got about three lakh views. That moment turned his interest in campaigning.

"Even when I gave a general introduction to the hotel, I realized that so many people were watching", he recalls, "Then I thought that the hospitality sector of Nepal should be introduced through a video as this is the field that I have studied and gained knowledge from."

Then he started looking for a new and classy hotel. The aim was the same - to convey the service, environment, food, hospitality and possibilities to the common people through video.

He says that he has reached more than 700 hotels and hospitality businesses within a year. He made a video by reaching Rupandehi, Chitwan, Kapilvastu, Kathmandu Lalitpur Palpa, Nawalparasi, Tanahun and other districts.

His journey did not stop there. From ordinary level hotels to five-star recognized hotels, he has taken them as representatives of Nepal's hospitality culture and promoted them free of charge.

Advertising cost 'Zero'

In the business world, publicity has its own value. Hotels and restaurants allocate advertising budgets for promoting on social media. Fees are paid to content creators. But the practice of Tiras is different.

He reaches the hotel at his own expense. They shoot videos with mobile phones and laptops. If necessary, a helper is with him. Then they edit the video and post it on social media. They do not charge any fees from the hotel. Sometimes when a hotelier asks, 'How much will I pay?', his answer is, 'This is my hobby and a campaign to promote Nepal's hospitality, not to earn money.'

For him, promoting the hotel is a way to convey Nepal's tourism, food, hospitality, culture and local potential to the outside world.

"We have to show the world that there is so much good hospitality in Nepal," he says. "My aim and campaign is just this."

From Palpa village to Butwal

Born in 2049 in Ribdikot rural municipality-8, Somhar, Palpa, he completed SLC from Kalika Secondary School, Batase, Palpa. After that, he studied Plus Two in Hotel Management at New Horizon in Tansen.

After his interest in hotel management increased, he reached Kathmandu. Completed BHM studies from ISD College. During his studies, he also got an opportunity to do an internship in China for one year. After completing his studies, his aim was to do something in the hotel business. At the same time, in the year 2072, in Sukkhanagar, Butwal, he started the 'Asian Village Fine Dining Restaurant' by investing more than 10 lakh rupees. But the business could not take the expected speed. Due to the effects of the earthquake and the difficulty of running a business in a new place, he could not last long. Finally, he got out of the business with a loss of around ten million rupees in investment.

Then he returned to the teaching profession. He started teaching Hotel Management from Canon English Boarding School in Butwal. After that he taught in educational institutes like New Horizon College, Glorious, Manimukunda, Paramount etc. Along with teaching, he also pursued master's level studies in hotel management. He taught hotel management in Butwal for about 12 years. His business journey, which started after the way of teaching in a private college was blocked due to the corona epidemic, has brought him back to hospitality.

Till now, Tiras has provided employment training to more than 10,000 people through The Coffee Hub. Among them, he said that he has given free training to 6000 people including financially weak, disadvantaged and backward youth and housewives and 4000 people free of cost.

In the past one year, the content creator's journey tells him that he has seen a lot of investment in the hospitality sector of Nepal, but he has not been able to get a return in proportion to the investment. He has also seen problems such as difficulty in maintaining skilled manpower, lack of tourism infrastructure and weak promotion practices.

Therefore, his content is not limited to praise. He also raises challenges in the hospitality sector through social media.

to the world market in five years

Tiras says that within the next five years, the goal is to introduce the entire hospitality sector of all 77 districts of Nepal to the world. "Nepal's tourism should not be limited to Kathmandu, Pokhara or some famous cities, village homestays, local food dishes, small hotels, resorts, religious and historical places and original hospitality are also Nepal's tourism products", says Tiras, "In the same way, within the next 5 years, I will reach all 77 districts of the country and spread Nepal's hospitality to the world for free."

He suggested that the government should also focus on easy access to religious and historical areas, tourist safety, infrastructure and international publicity.

Sharma is the Butwal Correspondent of Online Khabar.