Editorial»
Let’s talk only tourism
JAN 10 - Tourism is an ever increasing in-
dustry of the world and as it has
strong attachment with human opus, it is sure to be never decreasing. It is multidisciplinary in approach, very wide in scope, and sensitive in nature. Today, tourism is not only confined to the leisure activity. It is rather extended to the research, trade, education, medicine, sports, pilgrimage, agriculture, forest etc.
Tourism, once widely known as a holiday travel of elites and social prestige for few haves, is now evolving with a new dimension targeting have-nots too. Today, tourism is not limited to the mere sun, sand and sea. Eco-tourism, village tourism, rural tourism, community tourism, pro-poor tourism, mountain tourism, agro-tourism, forest tourism, responsible tourism are jargonised today as a new dimension of tourism and are in a massive discussion under sustainable tourism development.
In Nepal, the government has laid high stress on poverty alleviation since the Eighth Five Year Plan. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johanesberg in 2002 has also emphasised the need of development without having negative impact on environment. In this phenomenon tourism can be the best vehicle for sustainable development as it balances nature and development. The role of tourism in reducing rural poverty is increasingly being understood. Thus, the high prioritisation of tourism is in dire need in the present situation.
Why only tourism?
Unlike other manufacturing industries, the relation of tourism with environment is less harmful and promotes more preservation, which is the key for sustainable development. The World Tourism Organisation has defined sustainable tourism development as a ‘development that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support system’.
Nepal is a landlocked, and economically poor country and it has less developed infrastructure. But it has unique tourism product as per today’s demand that is nature, culture and adventure far from the human crowd and the industrial smoke. More than 30 per cent tourists come to Nepal only for trekking (walking). Almost all the trekking areas are en route the rural villages, which are benefiting the locals.
Of course, establishing or developing a tourism industry has both the pros and cons. But if the positive and negative impacts are understood, the strength and opportunities can be maximised, minimising the threats and weaknesses. By identifying positive impacts of tourism, locals can reap the benefit from it. Tourism generates local employment directly in tourism sector to work as hotel/restaurant employees, tour guides, trekking guides, porters etc and indirectly supports farmers, transporters etc. It stimulates profitable domestic industries, hotels/motels, restaurants, transportation, handicrafts etc. Tourism also contributes in generating foreign exchange and distributes new money into the local economy. It helps in improvising road and communication system that benefits the locals as well as tourists. Tourism creates new market of indigenous goods and knowledge. It also increases tax revenue.
If tourism can be diversified and expanded from the current triangle of Kathmandu-Pokhara-Chitawan, it can boost local economy and enhance quality of host communities of other potential areas too. Tourism is also very much helpful in creating social harmony. For the locals tourism provides an opportunity of greater understanding and develops high esteem of community. Tourism creates local cultural awareness. The revenue generated by tourism can help to pay for the preservation of heritage sites, conservation of natural resources and promotion of cultural assets.
As tourism is mostly nature-based, National Parks, Wildlife reserves, Protected areas, Protection of Simsars’ (wet lands) are managed and can be expanded. Improved waste management can be achieved for and by tourism. Increased awareness and concern for environment can bring positive result from nature-based tourism activities and its development.
These positive impacts can be achieved from tourism. But without local participation, stakeholder’s involvement, creating local business linkages, resource base sustainability, matching with community goals, cooperation, consideration of carrying capacity, effective monitoring and evaluation, imparting training/knowledge, positioning the destination no sustainable tourism can be developed. Thus, after learning lessons from previous mistakes, these aspects also should be considered with greater significance for sustainability of tourism in Nepal.
No doubt, tourism has no alternative in Nepal as an industry and there is no competition in the world as a product because of its unique natural and cultural products. If tourism can improve the cleanliness in the Kathmandu Valley, protects the unique and ancient culture of Newars, enhances the local economy of Sherpas of Solukhumbu, Thakalis and Gurungs of ACAP region, Chaudhary’s of Chitawan, why is it not possible in other regions? There are many potential sites in Nepal by tourism standpoint. But we should diversify and expand tourism to every area where we find the poor people, beautiful nature and unique culture. Forget about the hydropower, as we neither have the advanced technology nor suitable market. Lets not go for the industrialisation, as we neither have adequate resources nor skilled manpower, nor even appropriate and guaranteed market for it. Let’s be focused on tourism development in Nepal because we have many success stories in this area.
Poverty alleviation has always remained a major challenge for overall development in Nepal. Tourism can intervene to provide better opportunities, empowerment of poor at local level, greater participation in the process and to boost economic growth at the national and regional level. It can be an effective tool to bring about these successes. Since tourism operates through different geographical areas like mountainous, remote, coastal, terai, hills, forests, river banks, and busy urban to rural areas, it is the best tool to address poverty, which is the major issue of 10th plan and millennium development goal (MDG) too. So, lets even talk poverty alleviation through tourism development.Posted on: 2004-01-11 05:03
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