Community perception and participation for sustainable homestay tourism: A study of Bandipur and Ghalegaun homestay
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Department of Economics
Abstract
Tourism is an important industry for Nepal, given its rich natural and cultural resources.
Homestay tourism, in particular, is being promoted by the Nepalese government as a
poverty reduction strategy that creates employment opportunities. The study aimed to
examine the perceptions of the community towards sustainable development in homestays
in Bandipur and Ghalegaun, Nepal. The research utilized a descriptive research design to
explain people's perceptions of sustainable homestay tourism in the two locations. The
study universe was considered to be all individuals living in Bandipur and Ghalegaun, and
340 individuals were selected using the stratified sampling method. The primary data was
collected through a questionnaire designed using Doxey's Irridex Model (1975), and
descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.
The study revealed that among the respondents engaged in the tourism sector, 35.14% were
government officers, 22.97% were hotel and restaurant businessmen, and 21.62% were
local government representatives. The majority of respondents (41.89% and 37.84%)
believed that their participation in homestay tourism contributed to environmental
protection and cultural promotion, respectively. However, 40.54% of respondents felt that
their participation did not contribute to the development of infrastructure. Additionally,
31.08% and 27.03% of respondents stated that their participation did not affect policy-
making and coordination with the community, respectively. The study found that for
sustainable tourism development, the participation, motivation, accessibility, and
responsibility of the local community, benefit-sharing, government role, participation in
promotional activities, and focus on local people or benefit-sharing with them were all
vital. Improvements in facilities and the education of local people were also found to play
an essential role. Overall, the study highlights the significance of community participation
and perception towards sustainable development in homestay tourism in Bandipur and
Ghalegaun. The findings provide insights that could assist policymakers and tourism
stakeholders in developing and promoting sustainable homestay tourism.
Key words: local participation, motivation, environmental protection, responsibility