Trends

Emerging Trend: Diversification Of Handicraft Products

Nov 30, -0001 0 5 minutes 39 seconds to read

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Kathmandu On Wheels

Nov 30, -0001 0 5 minutes 38 seconds to read

…

The Multiplex Effect

Nov 30, -0001 0 5 minutes 44 seconds to read

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	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
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<div>
	Nepali handicrafts are produced following traditional methods, passed on from generations to generations. A set of ancestral heritage passed on from ancestors to forefathers to grandfather to father and to son. It continues and this continuity provides it the essence to remain distinct while reflecting and preserving diverse cultural values, indigenous aspects and traditions of Nepali lifestyle. Along with helping in the conservation of national heritage and culture, handicraft development creates employment opportunities and thereby contributes in alleviating poverty. Export of handicraft products has been growing since the last three decades. Arts and crafts is one of the major exporting industry of Nepal, earning foreign exchange and providing employment to thousands of Nepalis craftsmen, artisans, promoters and businessmen and generating revenue for the government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Due to the increased competition in the international market, product diversification has emerged as an essentiality for business growth. Along with other business sectors, it is vital for the handicraft industry to adapt and correspond to industry and consumer trends and to take advantage of them. One way of doing this is to diversify products. Growing or relatively new businesses choose to expand their product range and diversify into new areas as a way of appealing to new customers and offering more to existing customers. This necessity has been felt, understood and well adapted by Nepali handicraft industries.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicrafts in Nepal are mainly classified in two types: textile and non- textile products. Textile products mainly include: Pashmina, woollen, felt, silk, cotton, dhaka, hemp, and allo products. The non-textile products include silver jewellery, metal craft, handmade paper products, wood crafts, glass products, bone and horn products, crystal products, ceramics products, leather goods, incense, plastic items, paubha (thanka), beads items, stone craft, and bamboo products.</div>
<div>
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<div>
	&ldquo;The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversification in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversification in these products,&rdquo; former president of Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said. &nbsp;&ldquo;The handicraft sector is responding to the product diversifying trend by expanding their product range without affecting their core business in a negative way,&rdquo; added Dhakwa.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Product diversification plays vital role in creating new markets by attracting its possible buyers,&rdquo; said Dhakwa while elaborating on the importance of the concept. He opines that handicraft producer must take time to think about the needs of the target market and try to identify new opportunities that will enable the business to stay ahead of competitors.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification is evident in the addition of new variety of handmade paper products in the local market. While accepting the benefits of the trend, Kiran Kumar Dangol, president of Handmade Paper Association of Nepal (HANDPASS) said, &ldquo;we are following the trend and this has resulted in the addition of a number of new product ranges to our existing ranges.&rdquo;He informed that the popular Nepali Lokta paper products are now being diversified further. &ldquo;We are moving ahead on diversifying Nepali Lokta paper products. Along with books and stationary products, we have moved on to produce fusion of handmade paper and cotton to develop wrapper products,&rdquo; said Dangol adding that they also have introduced new technology for using multicolour print in the handmade paper.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dangol stressed on product diversification and encouraged its growing trend in the Nepali market where handicraft products hold a great importance. According to him, the market is flooded with a number of traditional handicraft products and now it&rsquo;s time that the handicraft producers offer new designs and new products that will once again bring boom in the national and international market of Nepali handicrafts.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He pointed to the need of producing products with competitive prices through creative incorporation of new technologies as one of the major reason for diversifying product ranges. &ldquo;Our traditional products are expensive. Production of new products through the use of new technologies assist in producing cost efficient products. Through renewed and upgraded marketing strategies we can market these products,&rdquo; Dangol said while providing the introduction of handmade paper jewelleries in handicraft products range as an instance to his statement.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification has also positively impacted the industry stakeholders. Dhakwa says that the manufacturers and producers have been encouraged to hire skilled manpower from the local market to bring diversity in their product ranges. &ldquo;Now we are getting more skilled technical manpower in this field,&rdquo; he said. The field is becoming more open to innovative designers who can add their creativity to traditional handicraft products. As such the products become more competitive in the national and international market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Federation of Handicrafts Association of Nepal (FHAN) says that their members are becoming more quality conscious, upgrading their products and making product prices more competitive. In the recent years, corporate houses have started using handmade papers and even Pashmina products are being purchased at the local level compared to previous years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
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<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/t3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 466px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
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<div>
	&ldquo;Our new diversified product range now includes accessories for laptops and mobile,&rdquo; Dhakwa said and added that international buyers are also adding up new designs through their customized demands. Handicraft exporters claim that diversified products are playing an important role to increase export volume of handicraft products in the international market. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicraft has become a major source of foreign currency and is one of the major industries that have good international market. Government has been promoting this sector by recognising it as producer of competitive products for the international market. Along with existing players, new traders and producers are joining this industry and some of them are taking it online for making their products directly accessible to the international customers and market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the first six months of the current fiscal year handicraft products (paintings, sculptures and statuary) worth Rs 292.10 million were exported to the international market, which is an 34 per cent increment compared to the same period last year, the Trade and Export Promotion Centre noted. Though the woollen carpet export increased by 40.3 per cent totalling up to Rs 3.63 billion trade, export of woollen and pashmina shawls during the same period increased only by ten percent with a total export of Rs 1.20 billion.</div>',
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	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
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	When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars. Whether it is to go to work or back to home after that, family trip, romantic drives, emergencies or weekend leave, reply is car. What initially started as a luxury has now, transformed into basic necessity. Even without comprising a personal car, people are always using vehicles in one way or the other. People have become more and more reliant on vehicle. The car has become a symbol of the modern urban setting with more and more people buying cars.</div>
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	Automobile market in Nepal is gaining momentum as the cars are gaining more popularity among many Nepalis. They are getting more attracted towards cars either as luxury or as their need. &nbsp;Previously, buying a car was beyond the budget of normal Nepali families. However, today the scenario is different. &nbsp;The roads filled with new cars in the town illustrate that Nepalis desire more cars. &nbsp;One of the key reasons behind their increasing desire can be loan facilities offered by many banks which make convenient for the average Nepali to afford new cars. While buying a new car only 20 to 30 percent down payment is required while rest of the money can be paid on monthly installment basis. Moreover, the demand of imported cars is on the rise despite the customs of 240 percent. Although the fuel price is routinelyrising, this has not created a negative impact for both the car buyers as well as the car seller. Another factor which has been encouraging the people to buy cars is the road expansion activities.</div>
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<div>
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<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fuel versus cost efficient cars</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Cozy and fuel efficient cars are demanded by the customers. The customers usually go for those cars whose maintenance cost is low. &nbsp;Nepali customers prefer buying petrol cars as they have much more advantages over diesel cars. The advantages of a petrol car are that petrol engines do not create noise when being driven, maintenance of a petrol engine car is less and have a higher acceleration.&ldquo;Most of our customers buy cars for private use and they are mainly the short distanced drivers. People normally drive 15 to 20 Kms everyday. Therefore, petrol cars are really efficient and good option for that, says, Sajan Maharjan, Sales Manager at GO Ford. He further adds that diesel cars are less in demand in Nepal adding that only car rental companies use diesel cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Customers&rsquo; Preference</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The sales of smaller and spacious cars is gaining much popularity among the customers as the streets of Kathmandu are narrow, smaller cars are convenient to park and easier to drive in narrow roads&rdquo;, says Maharjan. Smaller cars are selected by the customers as they are cheaper than other SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) or Sedan Cars. The price of smaller platform cars starts from Rs15.5 million. In Nepal, the sales of small cars like Eon, Santro, Swift, i10, i20, Grand i10, Alto are high as these are suitable cars for family and offer comfort along with some smart features. One of the causes behind their high preference is that they are Indian cars and due to this their maintenance cost becomes easy and the spare parts are easily available. &nbsp;&ldquo;While buying car the things which customers search for is that whether the car offers updated feature or not, how much fuel efficient it is, itsresale value, looks, good quality and cheap price&rdquo;, says, Dipesh Man Shakya, Deputy Manager at Laxmi Inter Continental &nbsp;Pvt.Ltd.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Street Problems</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Driving a luxurious car is a tough challenge as streets of Kathmandu are battered and full of pot holes. Similarly, the problem of traffic congestion does not allow smooth driving of vehicle.Therefore, in this context choosing smaller platform cars are, lot more advantageous as they have particularly high level of ground clearance which will have less contact with the road and provide a comfortable drive. Smaller cars are also more fuel efficient as they give high mileage compared to other luxurious cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A high maintenance cost is required for the costly luxurious car as their parts and accessories are comparatively more costly than the simple smaller cars. Even fixing a small dent or a scratch in luxurious vehicles would simply mean to pour out more money. Although the main roads of Kathmandu have been expanded and still in process, the sub roads and inner streets are still smaller and this is just ideal for the smaller cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also said that more CC engine in a car leads to more fuel consumption. Smaller and cheaper cars come with a less CC engine as compared to the other luxurious cars like SUVs. The smaller and cheaper cars like Maruti comes with an 800 CC engine, Santro comes with a 1000 CC engine, Hyundai i10 comes with an 1100 CC engine and Hyundai i20 Comes with a 1200 CC engine. This fact regarding the car&rsquo;s engine CC also plays an eminent role in fuel consumption and indicates the variation in its fuel mileage.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Car Selection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	People specifically in Kathmandu opt for these smaller cars which will offer good mileage with great built-in features. These features include safety features like inbuilt security alarm, air bag safety system, power steering system for a smoother vehicular control to an overall entertainment features like great powerful music speakers with a built-in Bluetooth system attached within the steering wheel itself. This even shows that in today&rsquo;s context smaller car industries are being more competitive in terms of providing their customers with the best detailed features in their car and available at an affordable price budget.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
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	<img alt="Kathmandu On Wheels" src="/userfiles/images/tr2.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 192px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
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<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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	&nbsp;</div>
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	&nbsp;</div>
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	Nepali handicrafts are produced following traditional methods, passed on from generations to generations. A set of ancestral heritage passed on from ancestors to forefathers to grandfather to father and to son. It continues and this continuity provides it the essence to remain distinct while reflecting and preserving diverse cultural values, indigenous aspects and traditions of Nepali lifestyle. Along with helping in the conservation of national heritage and culture, handicraft development creates employment opportunities and thereby contributes in alleviating poverty. Export of handicraft products has been growing since the last three decades. Arts and crafts is one of the major exporting industry of Nepal, earning foreign exchange and providing employment to thousands of Nepalis craftsmen, artisans, promoters and businessmen and generating revenue for the government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Due to the increased competition in the international market, product diversification has emerged as an essentiality for business growth. Along with other business sectors, it is vital for the handicraft industry to adapt and correspond to industry and consumer trends and to take advantage of them. One way of doing this is to diversify products. Growing or relatively new businesses choose to expand their product range and diversify into new areas as a way of appealing to new customers and offering more to existing customers. This necessity has been felt, understood and well adapted by Nepali handicraft industries.&nbsp;</div>
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	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicrafts in Nepal are mainly classified in two types: textile and non- textile products. Textile products mainly include: Pashmina, woollen, felt, silk, cotton, dhaka, hemp, and allo products. The non-textile products include silver jewellery, metal craft, handmade paper products, wood crafts, glass products, bone and horn products, crystal products, ceramics products, leather goods, incense, plastic items, paubha (thanka), beads items, stone craft, and bamboo products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversification in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversification in these products,&rdquo; former president of Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said. &nbsp;&ldquo;The handicraft sector is responding to the product diversifying trend by expanding their product range without affecting their core business in a negative way,&rdquo; added Dhakwa.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Product diversification plays vital role in creating new markets by attracting its possible buyers,&rdquo; said Dhakwa while elaborating on the importance of the concept. He opines that handicraft producer must take time to think about the needs of the target market and try to identify new opportunities that will enable the business to stay ahead of competitors.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification is evident in the addition of new variety of handmade paper products in the local market. While accepting the benefits of the trend, Kiran Kumar Dangol, president of Handmade Paper Association of Nepal (HANDPASS) said, &ldquo;we are following the trend and this has resulted in the addition of a number of new product ranges to our existing ranges.&rdquo;He informed that the popular Nepali Lokta paper products are now being diversified further. &ldquo;We are moving ahead on diversifying Nepali Lokta paper products. Along with books and stationary products, we have moved on to produce fusion of handmade paper and cotton to develop wrapper products,&rdquo; said Dangol adding that they also have introduced new technology for using multicolour print in the handmade paper.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dangol stressed on product diversification and encouraged its growing trend in the Nepali market where handicraft products hold a great importance. According to him, the market is flooded with a number of traditional handicraft products and now it&rsquo;s time that the handicraft producers offer new designs and new products that will once again bring boom in the national and international market of Nepali handicrafts.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He pointed to the need of producing products with competitive prices through creative incorporation of new technologies as one of the major reason for diversifying product ranges. &ldquo;Our traditional products are expensive. Production of new products through the use of new technologies assist in producing cost efficient products. Through renewed and upgraded marketing strategies we can market these products,&rdquo; Dangol said while providing the introduction of handmade paper jewelleries in handicraft products range as an instance to his statement.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification has also positively impacted the industry stakeholders. Dhakwa says that the manufacturers and producers have been encouraged to hire skilled manpower from the local market to bring diversity in their product ranges. &ldquo;Now we are getting more skilled technical manpower in this field,&rdquo; he said. The field is becoming more open to innovative designers who can add their creativity to traditional handicraft products. As such the products become more competitive in the national and international market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Federation of Handicrafts Association of Nepal (FHAN) says that their members are becoming more quality conscious, upgrading their products and making product prices more competitive. In the recent years, corporate houses have started using handmade papers and even Pashmina products are being purchased at the local level compared to previous years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/t3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 466px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Our new diversified product range now includes accessories for laptops and mobile,&rdquo; Dhakwa said and added that international buyers are also adding up new designs through their customized demands. Handicraft exporters claim that diversified products are playing an important role to increase export volume of handicraft products in the international market. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicraft has become a major source of foreign currency and is one of the major industries that have good international market. Government has been promoting this sector by recognising it as producer of competitive products for the international market. Along with existing players, new traders and producers are joining this industry and some of them are taking it online for making their products directly accessible to the international customers and market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the first six months of the current fiscal year handicraft products (paintings, sculptures and statuary) worth Rs 292.10 million were exported to the international market, which is an 34 per cent increment compared to the same period last year, the Trade and Export Promotion Centre noted. Though the woollen carpet export increased by 40.3 per cent totalling up to Rs 3.63 billion trade, export of woollen and pashmina shawls during the same period increased only by ten percent with a total export of Rs 1.20 billion.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversifi cation in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversifi cation in these products.',
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			'id' => '2585',
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			'title' => 'Kathmandu On Wheels',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars. Whether it is to go to work or back to home after that, family trip, romantic drives, emergencies or weekend leave, reply is car. What initially started as a luxury has now, transformed into basic necessity. Even without comprising a personal car, people are always using vehicles in one way or the other. People have become more and more reliant on vehicle. The car has become a symbol of the modern urban setting with more and more people buying cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Automobile market in Nepal is gaining momentum as the cars are gaining more popularity among many Nepalis. They are getting more attracted towards cars either as luxury or as their need. &nbsp;Previously, buying a car was beyond the budget of normal Nepali families. However, today the scenario is different. &nbsp;The roads filled with new cars in the town illustrate that Nepalis desire more cars. &nbsp;One of the key reasons behind their increasing desire can be loan facilities offered by many banks which make convenient for the average Nepali to afford new cars. While buying a new car only 20 to 30 percent down payment is required while rest of the money can be paid on monthly installment basis. Moreover, the demand of imported cars is on the rise despite the customs of 240 percent. Although the fuel price is routinelyrising, this has not created a negative impact for both the car buyers as well as the car seller. Another factor which has been encouraging the people to buy cars is the road expansion activities.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Pooja International" src="/userfiles/images/tr1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 368px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fuel versus cost efficient cars</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Cozy and fuel efficient cars are demanded by the customers. The customers usually go for those cars whose maintenance cost is low. &nbsp;Nepali customers prefer buying petrol cars as they have much more advantages over diesel cars. The advantages of a petrol car are that petrol engines do not create noise when being driven, maintenance of a petrol engine car is less and have a higher acceleration.&ldquo;Most of our customers buy cars for private use and they are mainly the short distanced drivers. People normally drive 15 to 20 Kms everyday. Therefore, petrol cars are really efficient and good option for that, says, Sajan Maharjan, Sales Manager at GO Ford. He further adds that diesel cars are less in demand in Nepal adding that only car rental companies use diesel cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Customers&rsquo; Preference</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The sales of smaller and spacious cars is gaining much popularity among the customers as the streets of Kathmandu are narrow, smaller cars are convenient to park and easier to drive in narrow roads&rdquo;, says Maharjan. Smaller cars are selected by the customers as they are cheaper than other SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) or Sedan Cars. The price of smaller platform cars starts from Rs15.5 million. In Nepal, the sales of small cars like Eon, Santro, Swift, i10, i20, Grand i10, Alto are high as these are suitable cars for family and offer comfort along with some smart features. One of the causes behind their high preference is that they are Indian cars and due to this their maintenance cost becomes easy and the spare parts are easily available. &nbsp;&ldquo;While buying car the things which customers search for is that whether the car offers updated feature or not, how much fuel efficient it is, itsresale value, looks, good quality and cheap price&rdquo;, says, Dipesh Man Shakya, Deputy Manager at Laxmi Inter Continental &nbsp;Pvt.Ltd.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Street Problems</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Driving a luxurious car is a tough challenge as streets of Kathmandu are battered and full of pot holes. Similarly, the problem of traffic congestion does not allow smooth driving of vehicle.Therefore, in this context choosing smaller platform cars are, lot more advantageous as they have particularly high level of ground clearance which will have less contact with the road and provide a comfortable drive. Smaller cars are also more fuel efficient as they give high mileage compared to other luxurious cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A high maintenance cost is required for the costly luxurious car as their parts and accessories are comparatively more costly than the simple smaller cars. Even fixing a small dent or a scratch in luxurious vehicles would simply mean to pour out more money. Although the main roads of Kathmandu have been expanded and still in process, the sub roads and inner streets are still smaller and this is just ideal for the smaller cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also said that more CC engine in a car leads to more fuel consumption. Smaller and cheaper cars come with a less CC engine as compared to the other luxurious cars like SUVs. The smaller and cheaper cars like Maruti comes with an 800 CC engine, Santro comes with a 1000 CC engine, Hyundai i10 comes with an 1100 CC engine and Hyundai i20 Comes with a 1200 CC engine. This fact regarding the car&rsquo;s engine CC also plays an eminent role in fuel consumption and indicates the variation in its fuel mileage.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Car Selection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	People specifically in Kathmandu opt for these smaller cars which will offer good mileage with great built-in features. These features include safety features like inbuilt security alarm, air bag safety system, power steering system for a smoother vehicular control to an overall entertainment features like great powerful music speakers with a built-in Bluetooth system attached within the steering wheel itself. This even shows that in today&rsquo;s context smaller car industries are being more competitive in terms of providing their customers with the best detailed features in their car and available at an affordable price budget.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Kathmandu On Wheels" src="/userfiles/images/tr2.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 192px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2014-02-13',
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			'description' => 'When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars.',
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			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'description' => 'The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities.  The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city.',
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			'id' => '2770',
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			'title' => 'Emerging Trend: Diversification  Of Handicraft Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali handicrafts are produced following traditional methods, passed on from generations to generations. A set of ancestral heritage passed on from ancestors to forefathers to grandfather to father and to son. It continues and this continuity provides it the essence to remain distinct while reflecting and preserving diverse cultural values, indigenous aspects and traditions of Nepali lifestyle. Along with helping in the conservation of national heritage and culture, handicraft development creates employment opportunities and thereby contributes in alleviating poverty. Export of handicraft products has been growing since the last three decades. Arts and crafts is one of the major exporting industry of Nepal, earning foreign exchange and providing employment to thousands of Nepalis craftsmen, artisans, promoters and businessmen and generating revenue for the government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Due to the increased competition in the international market, product diversification has emerged as an essentiality for business growth. Along with other business sectors, it is vital for the handicraft industry to adapt and correspond to industry and consumer trends and to take advantage of them. One way of doing this is to diversify products. Growing or relatively new businesses choose to expand their product range and diversify into new areas as a way of appealing to new customers and offering more to existing customers. This necessity has been felt, understood and well adapted by Nepali handicraft industries.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicrafts in Nepal are mainly classified in two types: textile and non- textile products. Textile products mainly include: Pashmina, woollen, felt, silk, cotton, dhaka, hemp, and allo products. The non-textile products include silver jewellery, metal craft, handmade paper products, wood crafts, glass products, bone and horn products, crystal products, ceramics products, leather goods, incense, plastic items, paubha (thanka), beads items, stone craft, and bamboo products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversification in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversification in these products,&rdquo; former president of Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said. &nbsp;&ldquo;The handicraft sector is responding to the product diversifying trend by expanding their product range without affecting their core business in a negative way,&rdquo; added Dhakwa.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Product diversification plays vital role in creating new markets by attracting its possible buyers,&rdquo; said Dhakwa while elaborating on the importance of the concept. He opines that handicraft producer must take time to think about the needs of the target market and try to identify new opportunities that will enable the business to stay ahead of competitors.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification is evident in the addition of new variety of handmade paper products in the local market. While accepting the benefits of the trend, Kiran Kumar Dangol, president of Handmade Paper Association of Nepal (HANDPASS) said, &ldquo;we are following the trend and this has resulted in the addition of a number of new product ranges to our existing ranges.&rdquo;He informed that the popular Nepali Lokta paper products are now being diversified further. &ldquo;We are moving ahead on diversifying Nepali Lokta paper products. Along with books and stationary products, we have moved on to produce fusion of handmade paper and cotton to develop wrapper products,&rdquo; said Dangol adding that they also have introduced new technology for using multicolour print in the handmade paper.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dangol stressed on product diversification and encouraged its growing trend in the Nepali market where handicraft products hold a great importance. According to him, the market is flooded with a number of traditional handicraft products and now it&rsquo;s time that the handicraft producers offer new designs and new products that will once again bring boom in the national and international market of Nepali handicrafts.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He pointed to the need of producing products with competitive prices through creative incorporation of new technologies as one of the major reason for diversifying product ranges. &ldquo;Our traditional products are expensive. Production of new products through the use of new technologies assist in producing cost efficient products. Through renewed and upgraded marketing strategies we can market these products,&rdquo; Dangol said while providing the introduction of handmade paper jewelleries in handicraft products range as an instance to his statement.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification has also positively impacted the industry stakeholders. Dhakwa says that the manufacturers and producers have been encouraged to hire skilled manpower from the local market to bring diversity in their product ranges. &ldquo;Now we are getting more skilled technical manpower in this field,&rdquo; he said. The field is becoming more open to innovative designers who can add their creativity to traditional handicraft products. As such the products become more competitive in the national and international market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Federation of Handicrafts Association of Nepal (FHAN) says that their members are becoming more quality conscious, upgrading their products and making product prices more competitive. In the recent years, corporate houses have started using handmade papers and even Pashmina products are being purchased at the local level compared to previous years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/t3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 466px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Our new diversified product range now includes accessories for laptops and mobile,&rdquo; Dhakwa said and added that international buyers are also adding up new designs through their customized demands. Handicraft exporters claim that diversified products are playing an important role to increase export volume of handicraft products in the international market. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicraft has become a major source of foreign currency and is one of the major industries that have good international market. Government has been promoting this sector by recognising it as producer of competitive products for the international market. Along with existing players, new traders and producers are joining this industry and some of them are taking it online for making their products directly accessible to the international customers and market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the first six months of the current fiscal year handicraft products (paintings, sculptures and statuary) worth Rs 292.10 million were exported to the international market, which is an 34 per cent increment compared to the same period last year, the Trade and Export Promotion Centre noted. Though the woollen carpet export increased by 40.3 per cent totalling up to Rs 3.63 billion trade, export of woollen and pashmina shawls during the same period increased only by ten percent with a total export of Rs 1.20 billion.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversifi cation in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversifi cation in these products.',
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			'title' => 'Kathmandu On Wheels',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars. Whether it is to go to work or back to home after that, family trip, romantic drives, emergencies or weekend leave, reply is car. What initially started as a luxury has now, transformed into basic necessity. Even without comprising a personal car, people are always using vehicles in one way or the other. People have become more and more reliant on vehicle. The car has become a symbol of the modern urban setting with more and more people buying cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Automobile market in Nepal is gaining momentum as the cars are gaining more popularity among many Nepalis. They are getting more attracted towards cars either as luxury or as their need. &nbsp;Previously, buying a car was beyond the budget of normal Nepali families. However, today the scenario is different. &nbsp;The roads filled with new cars in the town illustrate that Nepalis desire more cars. &nbsp;One of the key reasons behind their increasing desire can be loan facilities offered by many banks which make convenient for the average Nepali to afford new cars. While buying a new car only 20 to 30 percent down payment is required while rest of the money can be paid on monthly installment basis. Moreover, the demand of imported cars is on the rise despite the customs of 240 percent. Although the fuel price is routinelyrising, this has not created a negative impact for both the car buyers as well as the car seller. Another factor which has been encouraging the people to buy cars is the road expansion activities.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Pooja International" src="/userfiles/images/tr1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 368px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fuel versus cost efficient cars</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Cozy and fuel efficient cars are demanded by the customers. The customers usually go for those cars whose maintenance cost is low. &nbsp;Nepali customers prefer buying petrol cars as they have much more advantages over diesel cars. The advantages of a petrol car are that petrol engines do not create noise when being driven, maintenance of a petrol engine car is less and have a higher acceleration.&ldquo;Most of our customers buy cars for private use and they are mainly the short distanced drivers. People normally drive 15 to 20 Kms everyday. Therefore, petrol cars are really efficient and good option for that, says, Sajan Maharjan, Sales Manager at GO Ford. He further adds that diesel cars are less in demand in Nepal adding that only car rental companies use diesel cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Customers&rsquo; Preference</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The sales of smaller and spacious cars is gaining much popularity among the customers as the streets of Kathmandu are narrow, smaller cars are convenient to park and easier to drive in narrow roads&rdquo;, says Maharjan. Smaller cars are selected by the customers as they are cheaper than other SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) or Sedan Cars. The price of smaller platform cars starts from Rs15.5 million. In Nepal, the sales of small cars like Eon, Santro, Swift, i10, i20, Grand i10, Alto are high as these are suitable cars for family and offer comfort along with some smart features. One of the causes behind their high preference is that they are Indian cars and due to this their maintenance cost becomes easy and the spare parts are easily available. &nbsp;&ldquo;While buying car the things which customers search for is that whether the car offers updated feature or not, how much fuel efficient it is, itsresale value, looks, good quality and cheap price&rdquo;, says, Dipesh Man Shakya, Deputy Manager at Laxmi Inter Continental &nbsp;Pvt.Ltd.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Street Problems</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Driving a luxurious car is a tough challenge as streets of Kathmandu are battered and full of pot holes. Similarly, the problem of traffic congestion does not allow smooth driving of vehicle.Therefore, in this context choosing smaller platform cars are, lot more advantageous as they have particularly high level of ground clearance which will have less contact with the road and provide a comfortable drive. Smaller cars are also more fuel efficient as they give high mileage compared to other luxurious cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A high maintenance cost is required for the costly luxurious car as their parts and accessories are comparatively more costly than the simple smaller cars. Even fixing a small dent or a scratch in luxurious vehicles would simply mean to pour out more money. Although the main roads of Kathmandu have been expanded and still in process, the sub roads and inner streets are still smaller and this is just ideal for the smaller cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also said that more CC engine in a car leads to more fuel consumption. Smaller and cheaper cars come with a less CC engine as compared to the other luxurious cars like SUVs. The smaller and cheaper cars like Maruti comes with an 800 CC engine, Santro comes with a 1000 CC engine, Hyundai i10 comes with an 1100 CC engine and Hyundai i20 Comes with a 1200 CC engine. This fact regarding the car&rsquo;s engine CC also plays an eminent role in fuel consumption and indicates the variation in its fuel mileage.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Car Selection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	People specifically in Kathmandu opt for these smaller cars which will offer good mileage with great built-in features. These features include safety features like inbuilt security alarm, air bag safety system, power steering system for a smoother vehicular control to an overall entertainment features like great powerful music speakers with a built-in Bluetooth system attached within the steering wheel itself. This even shows that in today&rsquo;s context smaller car industries are being more competitive in terms of providing their customers with the best detailed features in their car and available at an affordable price budget.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Kathmandu On Wheels" src="/userfiles/images/tr2.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 192px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2014-02-13',
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			'description' => 'When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars.',
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			'id' => '2081',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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			'created' => '2013-11-06',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2770',
			'article_category_id' => '173',
			'title' => 'Emerging Trend: Diversification  Of Handicraft Products',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali handicrafts are produced following traditional methods, passed on from generations to generations. A set of ancestral heritage passed on from ancestors to forefathers to grandfather to father and to son. It continues and this continuity provides it the essence to remain distinct while reflecting and preserving diverse cultural values, indigenous aspects and traditions of Nepali lifestyle. Along with helping in the conservation of national heritage and culture, handicraft development creates employment opportunities and thereby contributes in alleviating poverty. Export of handicraft products has been growing since the last three decades. Arts and crafts is one of the major exporting industry of Nepal, earning foreign exchange and providing employment to thousands of Nepalis craftsmen, artisans, promoters and businessmen and generating revenue for the government.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Due to the increased competition in the international market, product diversification has emerged as an essentiality for business growth. Along with other business sectors, it is vital for the handicraft industry to adapt and correspond to industry and consumer trends and to take advantage of them. One way of doing this is to diversify products. Growing or relatively new businesses choose to expand their product range and diversify into new areas as a way of appealing to new customers and offering more to existing customers. This necessity has been felt, understood and well adapted by Nepali handicraft industries.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicrafts in Nepal are mainly classified in two types: textile and non- textile products. Textile products mainly include: Pashmina, woollen, felt, silk, cotton, dhaka, hemp, and allo products. The non-textile products include silver jewellery, metal craft, handmade paper products, wood crafts, glass products, bone and horn products, crystal products, ceramics products, leather goods, incense, plastic items, paubha (thanka), beads items, stone craft, and bamboo products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversification in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversification in these products,&rdquo; former president of Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN), Bikash Ratna Dhakwa said. &nbsp;&ldquo;The handicraft sector is responding to the product diversifying trend by expanding their product range without affecting their core business in a negative way,&rdquo; added Dhakwa.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Product diversification plays vital role in creating new markets by attracting its possible buyers,&rdquo; said Dhakwa while elaborating on the importance of the concept. He opines that handicraft producer must take time to think about the needs of the target market and try to identify new opportunities that will enable the business to stay ahead of competitors.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification is evident in the addition of new variety of handmade paper products in the local market. While accepting the benefits of the trend, Kiran Kumar Dangol, president of Handmade Paper Association of Nepal (HANDPASS) said, &ldquo;we are following the trend and this has resulted in the addition of a number of new product ranges to our existing ranges.&rdquo;He informed that the popular Nepali Lokta paper products are now being diversified further. &ldquo;We are moving ahead on diversifying Nepali Lokta paper products. Along with books and stationary products, we have moved on to produce fusion of handmade paper and cotton to develop wrapper products,&rdquo; said Dangol adding that they also have introduced new technology for using multicolour print in the handmade paper.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dangol stressed on product diversification and encouraged its growing trend in the Nepali market where handicraft products hold a great importance. According to him, the market is flooded with a number of traditional handicraft products and now it&rsquo;s time that the handicraft producers offer new designs and new products that will once again bring boom in the national and international market of Nepali handicrafts.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He pointed to the need of producing products with competitive prices through creative incorporation of new technologies as one of the major reason for diversifying product ranges. &ldquo;Our traditional products are expensive. Production of new products through the use of new technologies assist in producing cost efficient products. Through renewed and upgraded marketing strategies we can market these products,&rdquo; Dangol said while providing the introduction of handmade paper jewelleries in handicraft products range as an instance to his statement.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Product diversification has also positively impacted the industry stakeholders. Dhakwa says that the manufacturers and producers have been encouraged to hire skilled manpower from the local market to bring diversity in their product ranges. &ldquo;Now we are getting more skilled technical manpower in this field,&rdquo; he said. The field is becoming more open to innovative designers who can add their creativity to traditional handicraft products. As such the products become more competitive in the national and international market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Federation of Handicrafts Association of Nepal (FHAN) says that their members are becoming more quality conscious, upgrading their products and making product prices more competitive. In the recent years, corporate houses have started using handmade papers and even Pashmina products are being purchased at the local level compared to previous years.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/t3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 466px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Our new diversified product range now includes accessories for laptops and mobile,&rdquo; Dhakwa said and added that international buyers are also adding up new designs through their customized demands. Handicraft exporters claim that diversified products are playing an important role to increase export volume of handicraft products in the international market. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Handicraft has become a major source of foreign currency and is one of the major industries that have good international market. Government has been promoting this sector by recognising it as producer of competitive products for the international market. Along with existing players, new traders and producers are joining this industry and some of them are taking it online for making their products directly accessible to the international customers and market.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the first six months of the current fiscal year handicraft products (paintings, sculptures and statuary) worth Rs 292.10 million were exported to the international market, which is an 34 per cent increment compared to the same period last year, the Trade and Export Promotion Centre noted. Though the woollen carpet export increased by 40.3 per cent totalling up to Rs 3.63 billion trade, export of woollen and pashmina shawls during the same period increased only by ten percent with a total export of Rs 1.20 billion.</div>',
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			'created' => '2014-03-25',
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			'description' => 'The handicraft producers are coming up with more diversifi cation in their product be it pashmina products or handmade paper products, one can get a range of diversifi cation in these products.',
			'sortorder' => '2617',
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			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Rashika Pokharel</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars. Whether it is to go to work or back to home after that, family trip, romantic drives, emergencies or weekend leave, reply is car. What initially started as a luxury has now, transformed into basic necessity. Even without comprising a personal car, people are always using vehicles in one way or the other. People have become more and more reliant on vehicle. The car has become a symbol of the modern urban setting with more and more people buying cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Automobile market in Nepal is gaining momentum as the cars are gaining more popularity among many Nepalis. They are getting more attracted towards cars either as luxury or as their need. &nbsp;Previously, buying a car was beyond the budget of normal Nepali families. However, today the scenario is different. &nbsp;The roads filled with new cars in the town illustrate that Nepalis desire more cars. &nbsp;One of the key reasons behind their increasing desire can be loan facilities offered by many banks which make convenient for the average Nepali to afford new cars. While buying a new car only 20 to 30 percent down payment is required while rest of the money can be paid on monthly installment basis. Moreover, the demand of imported cars is on the rise despite the customs of 240 percent. Although the fuel price is routinelyrising, this has not created a negative impact for both the car buyers as well as the car seller. Another factor which has been encouraging the people to buy cars is the road expansion activities.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Pooja International" src="/userfiles/images/tr1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 368px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fuel versus cost efficient cars</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Cozy and fuel efficient cars are demanded by the customers. The customers usually go for those cars whose maintenance cost is low. &nbsp;Nepali customers prefer buying petrol cars as they have much more advantages over diesel cars. The advantages of a petrol car are that petrol engines do not create noise when being driven, maintenance of a petrol engine car is less and have a higher acceleration.&ldquo;Most of our customers buy cars for private use and they are mainly the short distanced drivers. People normally drive 15 to 20 Kms everyday. Therefore, petrol cars are really efficient and good option for that, says, Sajan Maharjan, Sales Manager at GO Ford. He further adds that diesel cars are less in demand in Nepal adding that only car rental companies use diesel cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Customers&rsquo; Preference</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&ldquo;The sales of smaller and spacious cars is gaining much popularity among the customers as the streets of Kathmandu are narrow, smaller cars are convenient to park and easier to drive in narrow roads&rdquo;, says Maharjan. Smaller cars are selected by the customers as they are cheaper than other SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) or Sedan Cars. The price of smaller platform cars starts from Rs15.5 million. In Nepal, the sales of small cars like Eon, Santro, Swift, i10, i20, Grand i10, Alto are high as these are suitable cars for family and offer comfort along with some smart features. One of the causes behind their high preference is that they are Indian cars and due to this their maintenance cost becomes easy and the spare parts are easily available. &nbsp;&ldquo;While buying car the things which customers search for is that whether the car offers updated feature or not, how much fuel efficient it is, itsresale value, looks, good quality and cheap price&rdquo;, says, Dipesh Man Shakya, Deputy Manager at Laxmi Inter Continental &nbsp;Pvt.Ltd.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Street Problems</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;Driving a luxurious car is a tough challenge as streets of Kathmandu are battered and full of pot holes. Similarly, the problem of traffic congestion does not allow smooth driving of vehicle.Therefore, in this context choosing smaller platform cars are, lot more advantageous as they have particularly high level of ground clearance which will have less contact with the road and provide a comfortable drive. Smaller cars are also more fuel efficient as they give high mileage compared to other luxurious cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A high maintenance cost is required for the costly luxurious car as their parts and accessories are comparatively more costly than the simple smaller cars. Even fixing a small dent or a scratch in luxurious vehicles would simply mean to pour out more money. Although the main roads of Kathmandu have been expanded and still in process, the sub roads and inner streets are still smaller and this is just ideal for the smaller cars.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is also said that more CC engine in a car leads to more fuel consumption. Smaller and cheaper cars come with a less CC engine as compared to the other luxurious cars like SUVs. The smaller and cheaper cars like Maruti comes with an 800 CC engine, Santro comes with a 1000 CC engine, Hyundai i10 comes with an 1100 CC engine and Hyundai i20 Comes with a 1200 CC engine. This fact regarding the car&rsquo;s engine CC also plays an eminent role in fuel consumption and indicates the variation in its fuel mileage.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Car Selection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	People specifically in Kathmandu opt for these smaller cars which will offer good mileage with great built-in features. These features include safety features like inbuilt security alarm, air bag safety system, power steering system for a smoother vehicular control to an overall entertainment features like great powerful music speakers with a built-in Bluetooth system attached within the steering wheel itself. This even shows that in today&rsquo;s context smaller car industries are being more competitive in terms of providing their customers with the best detailed features in their car and available at an affordable price budget.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Kathmandu On Wheels" src="/userfiles/images/tr2.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 192px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'When we think about cars, they remind us of luxury. But in the present context, car has become one of the basic necessities of people rather than being a luxurious item. Most people require car for their comfort as well as to get their work done quickly. Presently, one can find it tough to complete any work without their cars.',
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			'id' => '2081',
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			'title' => 'The Multiplex Effect',
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			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fcube Multiplex" src="/userfiles/images/fcube%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 181px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Bhawani Timalsina</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The cinema-going culture has now shifted largely from the single screen to multiplex venues. Multiplexes have brought about a revolutionary change in the movie-watching experience. Over the last few years, multiplexes have emerged as a growing trend in cities. &nbsp;The trend began in Nepal when four years ago Big Movies installed a multiplex cinema for the first time. Soon after, the others followed suit. QFX, F-Cube and Big Movies chains are some of the renowned multiplexes in the city. &nbsp;However, the trend of digitization was initiated by the QFX centre after acquiring Jai Nepal cinema hall in 2000.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Experts opine that multiplexes lure the audience mainly through technologies that make films more visually appealing. &nbsp;Alongside movie watching, multiplexes offer other attractive facilities such as complimentary pop-corns, game-zones, separate lounges and a good ambience. Multiplexes offer quality experience to the audience. Multiplex are provided with operators more opportunities to grow as conventional cinema halls lack enough resources to maintain quality, operators say.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Film makers in Nepal say that the multiplex cinema halls here have been playing a key role in uplifting the Nepali film industry. New film-makers have been thrilled with the response they have received from the audience in multiplex movie halls. Film producer and director Nischal Basnet says, &ldquo;The trend is positive for Nepali film-makers as the multiplexes have attracted audiences that previously neglected Nepali films. These are audiences that regard ambience and facility as important aspects of the movie-watching experience.&rdquo;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Infrastructure Officer of the Film Development Board Nepal, Harihar Rekhoula, agrees that the multiplexes have helped in promoting Nepali films. Rekhoula agrees that the multiplexes have given a new avenue to promote Nepali films and opines that audiences should encourage Nepali films by watching them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Chairman of Quest Entertainment Pvt Ltd Nakim Uddin is pleased with the response the multiplex halls have received recently. &ldquo;We have been receiving a positive response from the audiences ever since the inception of Jai Nepal cinema hall,&rdquo; he claims.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Rakesh Shrestha, Managing Operator of Big Movies sees investment in the movie exhibition business (multiplex) has huge potential. &ldquo;New players are emerging in the business and the market has been expanding,&rdquo; he says. Shrestha is optimistic and confident that the future of the film exhibition business will remain bright as positive responses from movie-goers have prompted new investors as well. &nbsp;&ldquo;Growing competition helps expand the market,&rdquo; he adds.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dr Pradeep Bhattarai, President of Film Critics Society Nepal (FCSN), mentioned in his presentation &lsquo;Setting the Scene: Nepal and Film Market&rsquo; at the Workshop on Copyright for Film Professionals held in Kathmandu in December 2012, that investment in the film exhibition business has increased with the introduction of multiplexes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the Film Development Board, there are 215 film theatres and 43 high vision halls in Nepal. Out of them, 90 percent are following the digital format whereas the rest are under process. &ldquo;Audiences are now ready to pay overpriced tickets, though it was quite difficult to convince them in the beginning,&rdquo; says Roshan Adiga, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of QFX Cinemas. Adiga also mentions that online booking and online purchasing are additional facilities of multiplexes that encourage ticket-buying. Tickets at multiplexes are priced from Rs 175 to Rs 400, and occupancy in general is 70-80 percent when a good movie is on, according to Shrestha, who speaks for Big Cinemas alone. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have the ability to screen a single film in several auditoria via interlinked equipment in a single projection room. &nbsp;Due to this, multiplex operators accommodate a broad choice of films to attract large audiences. Given the range of price in tickets and variety of choice in films, multiplexes have also become a recreation centre for people of all classes.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Malls and Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Multiplexes have always been an integral part of shopping malls worldwide. In the context of Nepal, renowned multiplexes such as QFX, F-Cube and Big cinemas are located in famous shopping malls &ndash; the QFX Central in Civil mall, Big Cinemas in City Centre and F-Cube in KL tower. Adiga says that malls and multiplexes are integral as both have to depend upon each other for footfalls. The increasing number of shopping malls in Kathmandu has boosted the number of multiplexes. Co-location of malls and multiplexes are beneficial as multiplexes help increase sales, say operators at malls. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Increasing Investment Volume in Film Exhibition&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The movie-watching experience has changed with the multiplex boom. Trends indicate change in the financial aspect of the entertainment sector. The massive success of multiplexes has attracted huge amounts of investment in the exhibition business. Multiplex operators are optimistic that the multiplex business will reach heights with increasing competitors and expansion plans in the days to come. &nbsp;The rise of the multiplex has pressurized single stand cinema halls to improve quality and facility. Multiplex owners have also lured good revenue from food vendors and advertisements as most of them have been tying up with various brands.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Average cost of the multi-screen cinema</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Quest Entertainment invested Rs 30 million in Jai Nepal and Rs 45 million in Kumari Cinema hall. According to multiplex operators, the cost of multiplex business would be Rs 50 million in average. However, cost also depend upon the quality of technology and other factors affecting investment. According to Shrestha, the cost can range from Rs 70 million to Rs 90 million given different technologies and business capacity.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Upcoming Multiplexes</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The QFX Centre is planning to roll out a 3-auditoria multiplex in Lalitpur in the near future. The company informs that the project will be completed within a year. &nbsp;Some old single stand theaters are also set to build multi-screen cinema halls. Some of Kathmandu&rsquo;s oldest cinema halls like Bishwojyoti and Ranjana halls have already begun the venture. Big Movies has also been planning to come up with other projects in the days to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Multiplex in KTM" src="/userfiles/images/fcube1%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 133px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>',
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Currency	Unit	Buy	Sell
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Fine Gold	1 tola	77000.00
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Update : 2020-03-25

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