Tourism Experiences and Social Effects of Tourism in the Host Community: A Study of Sikles, Parche VDC, Kaski, Nepal

Abstract

This study aim to examine foreign tourists tourism experiences and social effects of tourism in host community of Sikles, Parche VDC of Kaski district. The study was mainly concerned to find out the social effects of tourism in local society, culture and livelihood and to assess tourism related activities, explore the tourism resources that appeal tourist most and explore concern of tourists, their motivation and analyze whether their expectation have been met or not. The analysis has been based on 50 tourists visiting Sikles in the period of NovemberDecember 2016 to Sikles these 50 tourists were selected

under using non-probability

sampling

primary data were collected through interview, key informant interview, observation case studies and secondary data were collected from NTNC-ACAP, Sikles. The collected data was tabulated and analyzed calculating the percentage. The study finding shows that the local natural resources attract tourists in Sikles. The attraction of resources are natural, religious as well as socio-cultural. Tourist come to Sikles for adventure-trekking, relax/rest. Tourist to Sikles are from many fields such as professional, skilled worker, student, sales person. The visitors expectation were fulfilled during their visit, except few visitors who complained of the rude behaviour of hotel owner. Tourism has brought both positive and negative effects on economic, environmental and social life of Sikles. The increasing number of visitors to Sikles has opportunity to increase economic condition of the people of Sikles but it has also posed some threats to the social and cultural life. In order to convert those threats into opportunities the tourism resources and activities need to be planned and managed well by all the stakeholders viz. local people, tourism entrepreneurs and the government officials. The major focus should be on developing environment friendly sustainable tourism so that the future generation may take the full benefits of tourism in Sikles, side by side necessary steps and precautions should be taken to minimize the negative effects of tourism in the host community along with designing strategies to attract more tourists in the village.