Nepal has long been a tourist destination . Travelers have often come from far and wide seeking out the rich flora and fauna , mountains and architecture that Nepal has to offer . However , while the country has been touted as a natural and cultural haven , this narrative has also limited the scope of Nepal ’ s tourism to its landscape and heritage .
So , if not for its scenery or ancient architecture , how can we better market Nepal as a tourism destination ? One way to go about this is to view Nepal as an experience as opposed to a destination . This means promoting destinations as a place to experience unique cultures through diversified tourism products .
As we shift our perception of what tourism in Nepal should mean , are we also rethinking how we involve the people who make this industry viable ? Are we keeping local communities at the center and making sure that they are the ones directly benefiting from the business that the industry brings ? This requires that we respect the intergenerational knowledge and lifestyles of the people belonging to any given destination , and make sure that they benefit off of the revenue streams brought in by tourism in a direct manner .
This is where Community-Based Tourism ( CBT ) comes in . CBT is a model of tourism that aligns itself with a destination ’ s culture , history , and natural resources . This type of tourism is sustainable , it builds on the local people ’ s strengths and promotes socio-economic well-being . It is one of the best ways to amplify the voices of rural communities , diversify tourism destinations from the mainstream ones and reduce economic leakage .
Community-Based Tourism versus Economic Leakage
Ideally , the money spent by tourists in any destination should largely find its way back into the local economy . By visiting and spending money in local businesses , staying in local guesthouses and homestays , and eating in local restaurants , tourists can contribute to building a more robust tourism value chain . However , it is unfortunate that a significant amount of money spent by travelers ends up in hands very far from local ones . For various reasons , this money often does not reach local communities at all . Instead , a bulk of the revenue ends up being spread across numerous levels of corporate profits and business interests .
The philosophy of CBT suggests that taking responsibility as a traveler is a key way to promote sustainable and responsible tourism . At the end of the day , it is up to the travelers to accept that tourism leakage is unethical because it causes inequality , and it is also up to them to choose the tours and trips they partake in wisely .
Demanding products and services unavailable to local markets is an agent of import leakage . For instance , asking for Camembert cheese in a rural mountainous community of Nepal instead of enjoying local Yak cheese leads to funds shifting away from local economies and going into the import of an item that could be considered expotic . Staying in big multinational hotel chains that run without the involvement of local people in remote areas leaves local communities with nothing , and instead benefits global franchises . On the other hand , opting to stay with the locals in community homestays and lodges supports communities by diversifying their income and giving travelers an immersive travel experience .
A visitor is focused on her craft with a local potter in Bhanktapur . Photo by CHN .
22 www . insidehimalayas . com by Royal Mountain Travel