Mountain Tourism in Nepal A Case Study of Khaptad National Park
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Rural Development
Abstract
Travel Tourism is an ancient phenomenon, and it has advanced with thedevelopment of civilization. In the beginning, travelers used to move forvarious purposes including social interaction, pilgrimage education andtrade. The concept of modern tourism came into being in the second halfof the nineteenth century. In spite of its long history, tourism isconsidered as of relatively modern origin. Travel (Tourism) is now thelargest industry in the world, generating around US Dollar 3 trillion peryear as total revenue. The number of international tourist arrivals world
wide has grown nearly twenty five times in the last 50 years reaching 500
million tourists a year. In 1998, there were approximately 455 billioninternational tourists. They spent some 225 billion US dollar, whichamounted about 5.5 percent of the total international trade. It isestimated that by the year 2010, tourist number will reach to a level of937 million. Tourism therefore is an emerging industry all over theworld. Nepal is a landlocked country. Though tourism industry covers25% share of revenue collection is not old in Nepal, Tourist formallybegan in Nepal after 1950s. The development of tourism accelerated inNepal after the establishment of Nepal tourism committee in 1970,1 andNepal tourism master plan was prepare in 1972. The Ministry of Tourismwas established by HMG in 1973. Today, tourism has taken the shape ofa smokeless industry in Nepal.
Tourism is the most important industry in the world. It covers 50 percentrevenue collection. It is a serious industry and consists all those firins,organizations and facilities, which are intended to serve the specificneeds and wants of the tourist.
Khaptad National Park is situated at the cross point of Bajhang, Bajura,Achham and Doti districts. It has a core area of 225 square kilometres.The boundary of the four districts meets at Chadipatan, which is locatedat the centre. Khaptad is rich for a wide range of flora and fauna. Scenicbeauty, pleasant climate, vegetation, flora and fauna and socio culturalheritage including Khaptad Baba's hermitage are the basic attractionsfor tourism in KNP area. Alpine forests, 220 species of birds 40 speciesof wild life, 567 types of flowering plants and 400 herbal plants. KNParea is rich in socio cultural resources of tourism. The Ashram ofKhaptad swami is a famous spiritual site. The hermitage of the lateKhaptad swami (Baba) is preserved in "core zone" of KNP. All thevisitors of KNP usually visit the hermitage and experience the spirit andthe power of the place.
During 1993 only 24 tourists were recorded as visitors to the area,whereas in 2003 they were only 30 in record.
Hotel and lodge facilities have been slowly developing in KNP area. Only20 Hotels were counted during the field survey. Bajhang district consistsof 60 percent hotels followed 10 percent hotel run in Doti 85 percent ofthe hoteliers are males and 60 percent of them are literate.
According to the official record of Khaptad National Park, the grazingdensity of cattle was 12 cattle per square Kilometer. Revenue collected-from different activities and services of the park amounted Rs. 91733during the fiscal year 2000/2001 Local people complained that the wildanimals of the park damaged their crops and they have faced the problemof grass and-firewood.