Assignment M8

Task 1
Trekking
In the country of Nepal, tourism rules the economy. Nepal’s boundaries enclose 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the
world, including Mount Everest, making the country a destination for mountain climbers, trekkers, and nature
enthusiasts from around the world. In 2013, Nepal earned $420 million from trekking. The country’s travel and
tourism sector directly supported 504,000 jobs that year, around 3.2% of the total employment in the country. This
does not count secondary receipts and jobs that the sector fuels, and tourism may account for as much as 20% of the
economically active population. The urge to hike the Himalayas for fun or a challenge dates to the colonial era,
when British officials would summer in “hill stations” and take advantage of the underpaid armies of local people to
serve as porters and guides. During this era in Nepal, the Sherpa community became iconic in this role.
Though the term is sometimes used to describe any local guide, the Sherpa people are a specific, small, Nepali
ethnic group (perhaps 150,000 people) from the most rugged part of the Himalayas. Made famous for their support
of grueling ascents of Mount Everest in particular, the Sherpa economy depends almost entirely on serving foreign
trekkers, all of whom are willing to pay for guiding, and many of whom are dangerously inexperienced. Sherpas
earn up to $5,000 a year, far higher than the average annual earnings of $700 in Nepal. They also die in startling
numbers, as their community has borne a disproportionate share of the risk associated with foreign climbers. When
George Leigh Mallory climbed the Tibetan side of Everest in 1922, an avalanche killed seven Sherpas. Sir Edmund
Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay would ultimately scale the peak in 1953. In 2014, an avalanche at Everest base
camp killed 16 Nepalis, most of whom were Sherpa. The Sherpa community has reacted defiantly, with some guides
pulling their teams from the mountain. The 2015 earthquake in Nepal also resulted in 19 deaths at the base camp, 10
of whom were Nepalese Sherpas.
Risk for local guides is only one part of the problem that foreign climbing brings. The growth of visitors has also
meant the deforestation of hillsides to collect campfire fuel. The industry is notoriously dirty as well, with rubbish
and human waste becoming major problems. Writing for National Geographic in 2013, mountaineer Mark Jenkins
described “pyramids of human excrement befouling the high camps.” For all these reasons, the dependence of the
Nepali economy on fulfilling the trekking dreams of foreigners has proven a double-edged sword (Figure 1).
Figure 1 The Trekking Economy. Two western trekkers smiling with a large group of porters and Sherpas on a Himalayan pass — Bodhi
Himal, in Nepal.
Questions
1. Navigate to http://data.opennepal.net/ and search for the table (under datasets) on the purpose of tourist
visits. What proportion of all tourist visits are based on trekking and mountaineering? What other tourist
activities draw people to Nepal? Do you think these activities draw people from the same parts of the world?
Why or why not?
 Almost all the data in the table we see is about trekking and visiting national parks. Therefore, the main
part of all the tourists is going to Nepal to go trekking and mountaineering or at least to look at the places
others go to. As we can see, such activities draw people even from the same part of the world (India,
Myanmar, China). It is basically because every region is unique even withing neighboring countries.
Moreover, Nepal is relatively cheap, from what I read, and is more affordable from people from the same
region to go there rather than going somewhere domestically, but more expensively.
2. How does a heavy dependence on tourism benefit Nepal’s economy, relative to other possible economic
activities (e.g., industry)? Under what conditions might it make the economy more vulnerable?
 The country’s travel and tourism sector directly supported 504,000 jobs that year, around 3.2% of the
total employment in the country. This does not count secondary receipts and jobs that the sector
fuels, and tourism may account for as much as 20% of the economically active population.
 Tourism sphere is not as resource-based sphere as other ones that can bring economic benefits. More
people can be involved in the chain of this service, therefore more people might get full or at least
partial employment.
 Under the conditions of crisis or pandemic we have already understood that tourism-based areas are
really vulnerable and therefore the overall economic situation in the country becomes weak too. No
tourists – no work – no income.
Task 2
Look at the Hunger Map 2021

https://www.wfp.org/publications/hunger-map-2021
1. How do you consider why the South Asia is on top the rank?
It is actually somewhere in the middle, but the data is still relatively high. In my opinion, it is
mostly because of the overpopulation that is present in that region and keeps growing.
Another point are natural disasters that affect economy.
2. How the global/international community can help to solve it in the region?
Global communities may try to invest in improving the living of people in the region, providing
them with better strategies and technologies for better food management: better water management
will increase their access to clean water and better food management would mean more efficient
food production, some technologies that might help with that in agricultural sector.
Also by providing food and making humanitarian missions.
3. What are the main concerns for the region in terms of growing population?
 Poor living conditions
 Increasing poverty
 Increasing hunger, malnutrition
 Decreasing level of education and therefore decreasing the level of workforce abilities
 Increasing unemployment
 Depletion of natural resources
 Degradation of environment

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Task 1

Look at the Hunger Map 2021

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