Eco Tourism in Nepal
Ecotourism is a form of tourism that focuses on the nature part of travel and tourism. The demand for tourism based on nature and its untouched beauty has been rising this past decade. Ecotourism isn’t exactly clear in the views it provides.
But with the conservationist theories rising up in the air, ecotourism is taken as tourism which is sustainable and at the same time not harming nature at any cost. Enjoying nature as it is and leaving it the way you found is the principle of ecotourism. A more acceptable definition of ecotourism “responsible travel to the natural areas that sustain and conserve the well being of the local people and nature“.
Ecotourism in Nepal
Nepal is the perfect candidate for ecotourism. Ecotourism in Nepal has become a sustainable method of gaining tourists while helping preserve itself. With an abundance of natural resources and beauty, Nepal is the best candidate for ecotourism.
Through ecotourism, Nepal is able to promote itself while not bringing any harm to its beauty and resources. With the presence of the beautiful mountain range in the Himalayas and the biodiversity that surrounds from the north to the south, Nepal has the upper hand in ecotourism. Venturing the remote routes through the natural beauty and the local settlements to reach the mountains has become one of the main ecotourism attractions in Nepal.
The Objective Of Ecotourism In Nepal
Ecotourism was introduced in Nepal not only as a means to protect the environment but as a means to gain net profit which could, in turn, be used towards the protection of these resources.
The main objective of ecotourism in Nepal is, however, to protect the resources of the nation from exploitation by the locals and the tourists. With the conservation areas and national parks put into place, the government and the local people are collectively protecting these resources.
Another major objective behind the adoption of ecotourism in Nepal is the proper management of tourists. Without these limitations and proper areas designated towards ecotourism, the tourists would have been all over the place. Their visits would have been overwhelming and hard to manage. This is avoided and properly managed through measures of ecotourism. This has helped a huge deal in protecting and preserving the natural resources of the country.
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Development of Ecotourism in Nepal and Sustainable Development
Ecotourism in Nepal has been going through a number of changes and developing at a high speed. The government and the locals are working together towards the development of ecotourism in Nepal.
The development of ecotourism in Nepal leads to the sustainable development of the country as well. Ecotourism in Nepal does not only help in boosting the tourism rates but also helps in the development of the country as a whole through various variables.
Ecotourism enables sustainable development in the country mainly through employment opportunities. With ecotourism, the local people are also encouraged towards protecting the natural resources around them. Also with the establishment of national parks and conservation areas, tourism has been flourishing in the country.
This tourism has contributed towards the smooth functioning of the national parks and conservation areas.
Ecotourism has allowed the locals to develop and learn more about tourism. With tourists coming from all over the world to learn about them and their surroundings, the locals have not only boomed their business but their knowledge of things and the world as well.
Potential of ecotourism in Nepal
Being abundant in natural resources and beauty, there is so much potential of ecotourism in Nepal. With proper research and planned development, Nepal can excel in ecotourism. The current plans are helping Nepal reach its true potential.
The major potential of ecotourism in Nepal is in the following destinations and activities :
Mountain trekking
One of the famous activities of ecotourism in Nepal is considered to be Mountain Trekking. This activity allows you to venture into the remote areas of the mountains and its natural beauty. The beautiful scenery of the mountains and the exotic flora and fauna on the way is a treat to all the tourists.
The mountain trekkings have attracted many tourists to Nepal in the past decade and are still attracting more tourists than ever.
With mountain climbing and trekking, you get to the local settlements that are not disturbed by the modernization. This allows tourists to get up close and experience first hand the lifestyle, the organic unfiltered beauty of the places and the beauty of the place.
Wildlife Safari
Another major prospect of ecotourism in Nepal is the wildlife safari. With many areas protected as National Parks and Conservation Areas, Nepal has a lot to provide to you as long as you agree to abide by the rules.
The national parks and conservation areas allow you to enjoy the exotic flora and fauna and the endangered animals protected by the government or the locals along with beautiful scenery. As you visit the area, you will be contributing towards the protection of these areas and the biodiversity further. This is the sustainable development brought upon by the ecotourism in Nepal.
Cultural Diversity
The cultural diversity of the country also acts as a major attraction for ecotourism in Nepal. The remote areas you venture along with the main city areas, you won’t be able to miss the cultural diversity of the Nepalese people anywhere.
Cultural tours have always attracted tourists towards Nepal due to its diversity and uniqueness. Arriving in the city will shower upon you the cultural display of various ethnicities. Traveling to the remote areas, you will be mesmerized with the cultural beauty enveloping the natural beauty of the nation.
Protected Area and Ecotourism
Ecotourism includes not only the promotion of the natural beauty of a place but also the protection of these resources and beauty. Ecotourism has boosted Nepal and so has the efforts to protect these resources and the destinations.
The conservation and protected areas separated from other places and set as a tourist destination resulted in the growth of tourists. The sudden increase in the number of tourists soon began to take a toll on the destinations because of the fragility of popular destinations such as mountain parks. After realizing that the tourists were loving nature and all that it had to offer, they started searching for more locations with similar nature connections and views
Nepali government with their collaboration and cooperation with the locals have protected areas with natural beauty and endangered biodiversity as National Parks and Conservation Areas. This has helped in the protection of the environment and biodiversity in great lengths.
Ecotourism in Nepal and Wildlife
Nepal is not only rich in flora and fauna and mountains, but it also has unique biodiversity. Endangered animals protected inside the national parks and conservation areas also contribute a great deal towards ecotourism.
Observing the animals at their natural habitat is the type of ecotourism that has attracted many tourists from around the world. One of the most popular ecotourism in wildlife activity is the wildlife safari in Chitwan with the views of the endangered species of one-horned Rhinoceros.
Ecotourism Principles in Nepal
Tourism cannot just be called ecotourism based on natural beauty. There are some principles it must follow. The tourists should come under some specific quality or have the ethical behavioral standards for tourism to be called ecotourism in Nepal. Below are some of the principles which define the eligibility of tourism to be called ecotourism.
- The tourism activity should focus on increasing understanding and appreciation towards the destination by focusing on personal experience of nature and its resources.
- Integrating opportunities to understand nature with each experience.
- tourism should introduce practices that enhance sustainable environmental development
- It should contribute positively to the conservation of natural areas
- Providing constructive contributions to the development of local communities of the area.
- should involve different cultures, particularly indigenous cultures and deal with them sensitively without any offensive activities.
- consistently meeting customer expectations.
- it should not be marketed falsely and should provide customers with realistic expectations.
- It should not in any way degrade or harm the resources of the area.it should consider carrying out its activities in an environmentally safe manner.
- the tourism activities should be related to the long term benefits they provide to the local community and the country as a whole
- it should provide focus towards providing information and enlightening the tourists through firsthand experience and participation.
- It should encourage everyone to understand and promote the intrinsic value of the resources and the destination.
- The tourism should be focused towards accepting and promoting the resources in its natural habitat and form without any alteration
- It should not degrade the resource and should be developed in an environmentally sound manner.
- It should provide long term benefits to the resource to the local community and industry.
- It should provide first- hand participatory and enlightening experiences.
- It should be aimed towards promoting moral and ethical responsibilities towards the natural and cultural environment by all involved members.
Is Adventure Tourism Considered Ecotourism?
Adventure tourism and ecotourism were considered the same in the recent past. But now with more clear definitions and guidelines for ecotourism, adventure tourism is not considered ecotourism.
Adventure tourism refers to tourism that involves adventurous activities like rafting, kayaking, skydiving, etc. All these activities use some form of alteration in nature to enjoy the natural beauty of the place. This interaction tourists have with nature is the reason adventure tourism is not considered ecotourism.
Ecotourism is accepting and admiring nature the way it is without any alteration or any harm to nature. However, with adventure tourism, you are coming in close contact with nature through various technical support of modern equipment.
Trekking and Ecotourism in Nepal
Trekking and ecotourism go hand in hand. Trekking allows tourists to experience firsthand the lifestyle and culture of the people living in the trekking routes. With trekking, ecotourism is promoted as trekking does not leave any carbon footprint behind. The activities during trekking let you experience the natural beauty of the place completely unfiltered.
Trekking is also known as ACE tourism as it covers Adventure, Culture, and Ecotourism. Trekking involves putting yourself in nature and living by its rules without disturbing nature and its processes. The treks like Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Region Treks, etc have become very popular these days due to the ecotourism factor included in these treks.
If you are an eco-tourist interested in visiting the undisturbed areas of Nepal, Exciting Nepal is here at your service to provide you with undoubtedly the best services to satisfy your expectations. Hope this article related to ecotourism in Nepal was helpful to you in your expedition. Some ecotourism tours provided by Exciting Nepal are :
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