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 A
paradise on Earth ...
A number of world famous mountain ranges,
glaciers, conserved forests, natural lakes, sanctuaries, art
and culture and religious harmony are assets of Nepal that
can attract people from all over the world and boost the tourism
industry of the country. Nepal's natural heritage is amazingly
diverse for a country of its size. Indeed, within a territory
of no more than 0.1 % of the world's land surface, Nepal claims
approximately 9 % of the world's bird species, 4 % of mammalian
species and over 2 % of its flowering plants. At the centre
of the Himalaya with Mt Everest, Nepal host one
the 34 world’s biodiversity hotspots, shared with
Pakistan, Bhutan and northern India.
...
very strongly threatened ...
Despite this natural resources and diversity,
Nepal continues to be a 'least developed country', with a
per capita GDP of $200, under the global economic rating.
The situation is further aggravated by disparities between
rural and urban areas; between ecological regions (the mountains,
hills and the Terai); between geographic development regions;
between ethnic groups; and also between men and women. Poverty
is being identified as the key issue in every debate that
is related to the environment and development. Nepal also
confronts complex environmental problems. Growth in population
at an annual rate of 2.5 % in a poverty-stricken society has
aggravated environmental deterioration. Over 85 % of the population
of 23 million depends heavily on natural resources for livelihood.
Deforestation, soil fertility loss, soil erosion, declining
employment opportunities, and problems of over-crowding and
pollution are some of the major threats to the environmental
security of Nepal. The Maoïst insurgency is also a major
threat to Nepal.
Source : IUCN
Nepal
Tourism,
a national priority
Tourism in Nepal contributes 3.5% to GDP and 15% of total
foreign exchange earnings of the country. It also gave direct
or indirect employment to 257,000 people in 1998. However,
tourism development and its expansion have been challenged
by unmanaged urbanization, environmental degradation and pollution.
Nevertheless, for the last few years, Nepal
has realized the potential impact of an uncontrolled tourism
development, and has therefore adopted a national
strategy for sustainable development, and thus for sustainable
tourism.
The government is also supported by the United
Nations Development Programme, as well as development
INGO such as SNV, which work, among other thematic, on tourism,
and implement pro poor tourism programmes such as the Tourism
Rural Poverty Alleviation Program.
Many other NGO are very present and active
in Nepal. Several stakeholders have thus created the
Sustainable Tourism Network, The International
Porter Protection Group and
the Kathmandu Environmental Education Project.
Despite these initiatives, which are only
examples among others, the situation in Nepal remains preoccupying,
and, tourism can whether worsen inequalities, poverty and
environmental degradation, whether intend to reduce them.
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