Problems and Prospects of Tourism in Surkhet District (A case study of Sachakhani VDC)

Abstract

Mid-western development region including Surkhet district has huge potential for tourism industry. This region has historical, cultural, religions and naturally important different sites and most of them are unexplored and unidentified. Government's role, plans, policies, institutional arrangements are important for the development and management of tourism. They serve several important functions including tourism planning and development, coordination, marketing and promotion, regulation and control. These all are in crisis in the region.

The main objectives of the study are; to explore the present situation of tourism, to analyze the trend of tourist arrival and status of local people in Surkhet district and to identify the problem and prospects of tourism in the study area. In this study the explanatory and descriptive research design has applied. Out of 75 VDC and 1 Municipality in Surkhet district ward no.6 of Sachakhani VDC was taken purposively and the 75 respondents (45 local people, 19 tourist and 11 hotelier) were selected as randomly. The major problems of tourist identified from this study in the region are proper consecration of nature, infrastructure and facilities development, lack of proper tourism planning and implementation, poor implementation of existing rules and regulations, lack of marketing and promotion, lack of coordination between local organizations. The major prospects of tourism identified from this study in the region are: friendly people, natural beauty, historical sites, cultural diversity, religions sites, protected areas; market in abundance. In the study area there is one of the famous historical ancient and religious places of Nepal. Kakrebihar is one of the most interesting and historian for Hindu and Buddha. We can promote village tourism, religious tourism as well as community based tourism in this area. The other important destinations areas are; Bulbule lake, Siddapaila, Deutibajai Mandir, Ghantaghar, Jagura Daha, Guptitaal, Lekbarahtaal, Babai river.

The main conclusion from this study is that the proper co-ordinations, collaboration and co-operation must be necessary among the government bodies for tourism development local organizations, entrepreneurs and peoples for the tourism development of the region and district for the one of the main instruments and government's role would be the most.