Mountain Tourism and Hazards: A Proposal for a New Direction of Mountain Tourism in Nepal

Abstract

Tourism is one of the major contributors to Nepal’s Gross Domestic Product. The history of tourism in Nepal dates back to the 1950s when foreign mountaineers started to visit the country for its summits. As a result, Nepal gradually established itself as a mountain tourism destination. Therefore, mountains became inseparable from tourism in the country. However, these mountains are now severely affected by glacial melting and other unprecedented and unpredictable extreme hazardous events, which are mostly related to higher temperatures and changes in precipitation, and which pose threats not only to mountains but also to mountain communities and the tourists visiting the mountains. There is an urgent need to assess and understand the processes and components of mountain ecosystems to make these area safe and sound eventually for the visitors and local communities. Also, there is an urgent need for recommendations that can be implemented to minimize risks in mountainous regions and ensure the safety of visitors and local communities. For this, first we review major hazard incidents during the last few decades in the mountainous regions of Nepal. Then we suggest possible modalities for sustainable land-use planning and sustainable trekking-trail planning to the major stakeholders, including policy makers and the scientific community. In addition, we discuss the need for joint efforts toward preparedness for glacial and mountain hazards to ensure the safety of everyone in the mountain tourism community. We also discuss the importance of introducing a geopark system for Nepal’s hazard and disaster sites to offer educational tourism.