Problems and Prospects of Rural Tourism A Case Study of Rara Lake Mugu

Abstract

The research “Problems and Prospects of Rural Tourism a Case Study of Rara lake Mugu”has been carried out in Rara national park area mainly situated in Hutu Rara VDC and touched by adjoining VDCs Pina, Karkiwada and Shreenagar of Mugu District of Mid-Western region of Nepal. The research is primarily focused on to discuss and analyze the present situation of tourism at Rara which is a tourist paradise with infinite variety of interesting to see and do and to provide some curing measures of the problems that are existing and likely to be in the future too. The main objectives of the study are to discuss the present situation, existing problems and possible challenges, to suggest corrective measures to promote tourism in Rara lake of Mugu. The primary data for this study have been generated by the questionnaire schedule with the local people engaging in various professions, key informant interview, focus group discussion and consultation with the local people and tourists visited at the time of field visit. The secondary data have been obtained from relevant organizations and institutions including research reports, books, journals, booklets, data sheets and publications on websites. The touristic activities are not as it is expected to be due to the negligence from government and non-government sides, inadequate promotion, difficult travel routes, lack of policy practice, lack of easy access to get to the destination, lack of commitment of local people. However, the major responsibility of the development of touristic area is of government. The recommendations of this study are only for the academic purpose. It is advised to carry out more scientific research on

the use and abuse of precious natural plants available at the periphery of the Rara area. This will help to increase the number of tourists on the one hand and on the other hand will open job opportunities for the local people. The hotels are facing the electricity problems, some of them use solar for the light. They use fire wood for cooking food and heating water. Sometime they use candle and lamp for the light. There is sufficient source of water but it is not purified. Normally visitors do not prefer to use water from open sources. Due to the lack of sufficient health care centers around the tourist sites in Rara lake, tourists afraid of living for a longer time. There is not a single general medical center in Rara lake area. It is essential to have good medicals or health services so that tourists could get proper checkup and medicine if they encountered any misfortunes. Recreation activities are necessary to develop the tourism development. In the study area, there is inadequate recreational facility. There is no any traditional museum. In fact, recreational activities are necessary to increase quantity of tourist arrival and their length of stay in every tourist area. During the peak season the hotels cannot supply the shelter and other necessary services to all the tourists. This has become one of the greatest problems for the tourists. Further, there are no such hotels that provide high standard lodging and food facilities to those tourists who want to spend much money for luxurious stay.

It is evident that tourist arrival in Rara has been slowly increasing. The ten-year period from 2006-2016 has increased from 28 to 184 which is 767% increase. But compared to the overall tourist arrival in Nepal, the tourist flow to Rara is less than 1% every year which indicate that there is no enough Rara tourism promotion which needs to be worked very significantly. Also, internal tourists have been increasing every year but no proper records.