Tourism & Its Importance in Nepal

Tourism in Nepal

Advancement in information & communication technologies, improvement in transportation facilities, new business propagandas, etc have abridged down this huge globe into a small locus. It has been extremely easy to stay up to date with family & friends with the help of social media. It has been relatively easier to reach every nook and corner around the world in recent times. As a result, the tourism industry has fostered to today's extent. The tourism industry is one of the major sectors on which the economy of Nepal relies upon. From the plain lands in Terai to the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, variation in land topography, climate, culture, and traditions exist that make Nepal a perfect spot to be visited at least once in a lifetime. Due to the prolific presence of various attractions for tourists in Nepal, the tourism industry has been a helping hand in the country's economic growth.

Nepal is a country that lies in the southern lap of the Himalayas. It has an area of 1,47,181 sq km which is 0.03% of the total area of earth & 0.3% of the total area of Asia. Nepal has the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest which lies in the Solukhumbu district. Nepal is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, the light of Asia & the founder of Buddhism. Nepal is the second richest country in the world in water resources ( after Brazil ). It is estimated that 83,000 MW of electricity can be produced from our water resources. Nepal has ten world heritage sites as declared by UNESCO. Nepal is the only country in the modern world that does not have a rectangular national flag. There are countless monuments in major cities of Nepal i.e. Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, etc. They enhance the beauty & attraction of the country. Kathmandu is also known as the "City of Temples". Pokhara is also called "Tourists Paradise" because of its natural beauty. There is great diversity in language & religion. Nepal is also a secular country. Nepal is also known as a country of brave Gorkha armies.

Thus, Nepal is a land of sheer beauty with lots of divine destinations and jaw-dropping unique experiences. The topography includes huge green jungles with diverse species of flora and faunas to the icy cold mountains thus showing the possibilities of activities that the land can offer to its tourists.

Importance of tourism in Nepal

The importance of tourism comes to light since it brings in lots of advantages with it to any host country. It promotes the country's name around the globe. It can be a great source of income for a country. Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, and many other countries today are counted as flourished nations and the main reason behind this is the development of the tourism industry. Nepal each year gets a lot of visits and is in the path of tourism development by pre-planning events and activities to allure tourists. Below are a few points for the importance of tourism in Nepal.

• Economic growth: For a developing country like Nepal, the tourism industry can be regarded as bliss as it is a source of foreign exchange and royalty earnings. Tourism succors other industries like hotels, restaurants, handicrafts, and many more to run in an efficient way. Nepal Rastra Bank report shows total foreign currency exchange (less return) for 2018 stood at NRs. 69,750,584 thousand, (Around 617,263 thousand US$).
• Employment opportunities: Employment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sectors can be created either directly or indirectly. Direct Employment opportunities are the total number of job opportunities supported directly by travel and tourism for instance guides, employment by hotels, restaurants, rural inns, and guest houses, museums, travel agencies, tourism information offices, protected areas such as national parks, palaces, religious sites, monuments, aircraft, photography, sightseeing tours, farmhouses, local transportation. Tourism and hospitality also support indirect employment in activities like restaurant suppliers, construction companies that build and maintain tourist facilities, as well as necessary infrastructure, various handicrafts producers, marketing agencies, accounting services.
• Cultural exchange: Tourists from various countries with different cultural backgrounds visit Nepal. In addition to that, Nepal is a home of people with unlike cultural frameworks from being multilingual to multiregional. Hence people can know each other more and learn about their language, art, skill, food, etc.
• Publicity of nation: Nepal is a small country and has not made a remarkable name in the world scenario. Tourism helps to publicize the country around the world so that more people know Nepal and its authentic beauty. It helps to publicize Nepalese art, skills, tradition, culture, and hospitality to the world.

Ecotourism in Nepal

Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). It is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. In the sixth plan (1980-1985 AD), emphasis was given to the promotion of eco-tourism in Nepal by the government. Since then ecotourism has been flourishing and attracting tourists towards Nepal for wildlife viewing, wilderness camping, trekking, hiking vacations, white water rafting, and many more activities. Along with the conservation of floras and faunas, national parks, conservation areas, wildlife reserves, and hunting reserves have been serving as a prime destination for tourists to enjoy jungle safari and watching wildlife closely. This is an example of ecotourism in Nepal. Moreover, except the main areas of Nepal that are easily accessible by the tourists like Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Pokhara, Lumbini, etc, rustic areas with abundant possibilities aiding to the attraction of tourists like Manang, Mustang, Dolakha, etc are being promoted for tourism.