Village Tourism in Rasuwa

VILLAGE TOURISM/ RURAL TOURISM Village tourism/ rural tourism is attracting and serving tourists in villages through local skill, product and culture. Nepal has more than 103 ethnic groups and 93 spoken languages (source: - NTB). This native apartness of the communities can be attraction for several foreigners, as the result they can be a unique tourism product to receive thousands of tourists in villages, which finally can contribute to boost up local economy. Nepal has several indigenous ethnic groups, which have native and unique identities with their own culture, languages and customs. Villages can be best place for researchers, volunteers, project managers and anyone who wish to experience Nepalese culture and traditions plus real part of the country. In Nepal there is good scope of village tourism. Rural villages are to be emphasized to make them as tourists attraction and should be promoted as tourists destination. Rural villages have opportunities of development if more tourists visit. Promoting village tourism means promoting and protecting local customs and tradition to protect cultural identity and providing support to local people to improve their economy. ADVANTAGES Rural/village tourism has several advantages. They can be pointed as follows: Cultural protection: - People become aware of their culture, language and local customs when they realise how important and productive that is for them. They try to preserve their culture and try not to let them disappear. This encourages them to protect their native apartness. The benefits from village tourism make people aware of their culture so they protect their unique culture. Economic benefit from tourist encourages villagers to protect their culture. Development opportunities: - Rural/village tourism provides various development opportunities in villages. Normally tourists are interested to support villagers by providing assistance in infrastructure development like drinking water, health and sanitation, education, communication and other. These types of supports upgrade the living standard of local people. Connection to the modern world: - Connection to the tourist means connection to the modern world. Local people can explore various culture, customs and life-styles of different types of people from all over the world. They can see things without borders globally. Village people can be informed whats happening in outside their country. They get information about globalisation, technology, human rights, gender equity and so on. Employment opportunities: - If there are tourists in villages, they need to be served. People can get employment as tourists need guide, Guest houses, Hotels, foods, transportations, etc. Village tourism generates employment opportunities, which is considered as good job in terms of earning and saving. Resolution of social issues and problems: - Contemporary issues of villages can be unfolded to the media agencies and outside world, so there are good chances of addressing contemporary issues in such villages. Provides alternative attraction for tourists: - Village tour is said to be luxurious as villages are normally accessible to get in and travel. They are easier than

mountaineering and trekking. So village tour can be alternative option for those who wish not to have more trouble by walking difficult trails in the mountains. DISADVANTAGES Pollution: - Maximum flow of tourist can cause pollution in villages. Tourists may use various things which contain harmful chemicals, plastics and other non-disposable rubbishes. Locals also need many things to serve tourists and if they dont manage rubbish and such harmful things in proper way, village will be polluted. Villages with more tourists can be crowded. All these things may affect ecological balance. Dependency: - People can be depended upon tourists in everything sometimes if villagers problems are solved by tourists. They may not feel responsible for their community hence seek tourists and other to do for them. So tourists should be aware of this fact that they are supporting villagers but not making them dependent. If tourists support villagers in every small thing, village people dont feel any responsibility of their well-being. Tourist should support villagers but try to make them feel responsible for their well being. Cultural Mix: - Different people are from different culture. Different culture can be mixed which may cause disappearance of local culture. Villagers may start to adapt foreign culture and bad attributes from tourists, which may lead them to forget their native culture. Trafficking of monuments and animals: - Foreigners can afford for unique monuments and precious animal-parts (e.g. skin, bone, ivory, etc.) which encourages locals to export such restricted things. Finally this encourages trafficking and criminal activities. Some tourists haven been seen doing such work. Smuggling: - Some foreigners may engage in smuggling when they are abroad as a tourist. Tourists are less suspected of being criminal, so they may take advantage of this opportunity. Sustainable Tourism and Eco Tourism Eco tourism refers to tourism development which aims to capture a portion of the tourism market that is attracted to areas of natural beauty through providing low impact tourism products, visitor education and contributing funds to local conservation and development efforts. Sustainable Tourism refers to a broad range of tourism ventures that take into account ideas of sustainable development. That is sustainable tourism/then the tourism said to be sustainable: If Tourism contributes to the maintenance and improvement of biological resources and their diversity. If tourism ensures the preservation of cultural values of people and strengthens native identity of the communities. If a process is set in motion in which the benefits of tourism are broadly shared and a wider participation in decision making related to development and the management of natural resources is promoted.

 If economically efficient, positive backward and forward linkages among economic activities are increased to relieve the pressure of fragile resources and contribute to improvements in the quality of the life of the population. If resources are managed in ways which not only support present needs but also support the needs and aspirations of future generations. Making tourism sustainable is a major challenge, requiring partnership and cooperation both within and between the tourism industry, government organisations (national and international) and tourists themselves. Ecotourism has become a well-known term around the world, and more recently the importance of sustainable tourism has been gaining recognition. Eco tourism and sustainable tourism are closely related and if anything, Eco tourism rests within the scope of sustainable tourism. Potentialities Wide range of target groups can be attracted through Eco tourism. Eco tourism provides wide range of development opportunities without humiliating native culture and ecology. Hence Eco tourism has been most important in the countries like Nepal where people from all over the world wish to travel to experience real beauty of Great Himalayan Kingdom. Langtang-Ganesh regions are still said to be clean and quiet. These heavenly destinations deserve to receive thousands of tourists but they should be quiet and clean as it is now. This is what eco tourism tries to perceive/maintain. Luxurious Trek: - Some tourists wish to go for trekking but do not want to walk through difficult trails. They want to go for comfortable trekking. Often villages have trails which are not so difficult for tourists to walk. For tourists who wish to go for luxurious trekking/tour, we can develop rural ancient villages as destination. Villages are easier to reach than mountain stations. Tourists can experience blend of local culture and their native costumes. Cultural values should be preserved to attract tourists. Local skill, traditional crafts and culture serve as the tourist products in rural villages. Adventurous Trek: - Some tourists may wish to experience adventure walk and mountaineering expeditions. Some peaks from Langtang and Ganesh can be organised for those tourists. High hill stations like Langtang village, Gosainkund, etc should be promoted to attract those tourists. Some alternative trekking destinations and routes inside the national park can be developed to attract more tourists and to increase the number of trekking routes. Beneficiaries:Benefit for the Government: - Government receive huge amount of royalties and taxes from tourists, which finally contributes to increase public revenue as tourism contributes around 15% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Government can maximise revenue through tourism promotion. Benefit for village people: - They can get employment opportunities which are said to be good in terms of saving and considered as respected jobs. Indirectly/ directly tourism

provides employment to many people which can assist locals to boost up their economic and living standard. Villages can be developed through the money collected from tourism. Benefits for tourists:- Langtang and Ganesh regions are considered as cheap, quiet and less spoiled trekking destinations as we compare them to Everest at east and Annapurna at west. Tourists can experience the heavenly treasured hills and mountains, snow valleys and glaciers and undiscovered blend of native culture and costume at reasonable budget, which will be unforgettable. Sustainable tourism project may include:Native Local Cultural preservation programme: - cultural preservation programme is all about preserving native culture to use it as major attraction for tourists. Rural villages are rich in culture and costume, if that is protected and further emphasized, village people can get benefit from it. It promotes village tourism and ultimately sustainable tourism as well. Group (community group) should be formed and should be assisted financially and technically to operate programmes. Awareness Programme: - Various awareness programmes can be organised to make people aware of pollution, environmental balance, Cultural protection, etc. Internet Marketing: - Langtang-Ganesh regions have huge potentiality for favourite trekking destination. They should be marketed well all over the world through internet. Internet is only way to access in every corner of the world. We should reinforce them to visit these heavenly treasured places through internet. Tourism related information can be gathered through Nepal tourism board, District Development Committee and by us to some extent. This is the way that we can do so many things from small budget and manpower. Development of new trekking destinations/trekking routes: - New trails and destinations can be discovered (developed) beyond these mountains. There are may be some more beautiful places just beyond these mountains, which could be the Next Shangri-La. We can invest to maintain/repair old trails or can start to make new trails. By doing this trekkers will get alternatives and get choices. Conservation and renovation of natural and cultural resources:Natural and cultural heritages from rural community and mountain region should be protected. We can help people community to protect their natural and cultural resources.