Bufferzone Approach in Ecotourism: A Survey Study of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park

Abstract

Tourism is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world. Ecotourism, sometimes also called as nature tourism. A bufferzone is an area lying between two or more others and serving to reduce the possibility of damaging interactions between them. This approach is widely used in nature conservation. In these contexts, this study tried to analyse social-demographic situations of the respondents, examine visiting trend of inter/national guests, socio-economic and environmental impact of ecotourism. The research was conducted in bufferzone of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. It occupying the part of the Kathmandu, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchok and Dhading districts of central Nepal. Primary data were collected from 300 respondents through household survey questionnaires, and key informant interviews techniques. Secondary data were collected through national and international report related to tourism and ecotourism, bulletin of national parks and village level profiles. The study found that, maximum 60% respondents were male and 40% were female. Similarly, respondents‟ age falls in between 20-40 years; most 152 respondents have 3-8 family members. In the case of Chhatre Deurali, Mulkhark, Kakani and Bhotechaur annual family earning from tourism sector and non- tourism sector were NRs.9466000, NRs.5325000, and NRs.31995000 & NRs.21278000 respectively. Similarly annual family expenditure of Chhatre Deurali, Mulkhark, Kakani and Bhotechaur NRs.3750200, NRs.6149700, NRs.13911546 & NRs.8105900 respectivelly. The direct benificiaries respondents were 55, 32, 51 & 39 percent of respondents in Chhtre Deurali, Mulkharak, Kakani and Bhotechaur respectively. The indirect beneficiaries' respondents were 23, 66, 30 & 49 percent of respondents in Chhtre Deurali, Mulkharak, Kakani and Bhotechaur respectively. The nonbeneficiaries

respondents were 23, 2, 20 & 13 percent of respondents in Chhtre Deurali, Mulkharak, Kakani and Bhotechaur respectively. Among working members outside home: 3,3,20 and 6 people's works own country in Chhatre Deurali, Mulkharka, Kakani and Bhotechaur respectively. Similarly, 6,9,25 and 11 peoples works outside country in Chhatre Deurali, Mulkharka, Kakani and Bhotechaur respectively. Eventually, this study has more potential to reproduce those results in a similar setting as this study can be a reference guide for the inexperienced author, tourism developers, policy makers and local development planners.