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Kathmandu Thursday March 15, 2001 Chaitra 02, 2057.
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New areas
of eco-tourism identified
Shree Ram Subedi
KATHMANDU, March 14 - At a time when Nepali
tourism is plagued by regional disproportion, a consulting team working to advise the ADB
and the Government to develop a eco-tourism, has identified new areas for eco-tourism
development in Nepal.
The areas stretching from east to west
including Simikot, Humla, the footpath trail to Hilsa (road head to Mt. Kailash), Dolpo
district and Shey Phoksundo National Park have been identified as new places for
eco-tourism promotion.
The other areas identified by Asian
Development Bank financed advisory technical assistance (TA) comprise Makalu Barun
National Park and Buffer zone and the Kanchenjunga area.
The team comprising foreign and national
consultant is set to submit its final recommendation by 6th of May and agreement to
implement the project is expected to be signed within this year.
The project expected to be implemented from
the beginning of the next year is continuation of the ADB assisted ongoing IInd tourism
infrastructure project, under which, upgrading of various airports of the kingdom are
being executed.
The cost of the ongoing IInd tourism
infrastructure project is 22 million US dollar.
Since the central focus of the ADB assisted
project is poverty alleviation, the new project is termed as ‘eco-tourism
project’ and aims to alleviate poverty via tourism development.
The projects consists "hardcore"
packages including basic infrastructures like airports, trail facilities among others and
the "softcore" elements including community awareness, community development,
tourism training.
The hardcore elements includes proposal for
upgrading remote airports like Tumlingtar, Surkhet, Simikot, Dolpo Juphal/Masine Chaur,
which provide access to the proposed eco-tourism development areas.
Besides these remote areas, packages of
hardcore and softcore have been developed for Tansen, in collaboration with Tansen
Municipality, as an implementing partner. These packages include urban environmental
upgradation and starting of an eco-tourism trail.
Likewise project also covers Lumbini where
the focus is on the arrival procedures and visitor experience of Lord Buddha’s
birthplace and of other Buddhist sites of interest in the locality. The tentative list
includes: On-site interpretation, guides training, participatory planning for visitor
services, development of the central link, water supply, sewerage and waste water
treatment plant, solid waste, bus, Car and Taxi Parking.
Likewise the project will also covers
Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini eco-tourism circuits.
The team is currently finalising detailed and
projects cost proposals with the implementation partner and undertaking an overall
feasibility analysis. It is also consulting with stakeholders, local community and
government officials to prepare the final draft.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance
nearly two third of the total cost estimated to be around 30 million US dollar and rest is
to be covered by HMG and other agencies currently operating in the project areas.
The Technical assistance signed in February
2000, besides preparing eco-tourism project is to assist the government in preparing
programme of action for further development of sector. Policies consistent with the
objective for the sector, including empowering local governments and communities to
implement subprojects as well as to recommend specific measure that will promote sector
efficiencies at both the central and local government level are also being studied.
Speaking on a interaction programme titled
"Eco-tourism in Nepal- The Way Forward", organised in the Capital today, Les
clark, Project leader hoped that the project will address poverty, gender and
environmental issues within the context of tourism development.
Nepal is regarded on the forefront in terms
of eco-tourism development, said Clark. "This specific project will help to
kick-start to economic development of the remote area as well as tourism development as a
whole."
Earlier Lisa Choegyal, Eco tourism expert and
Team leader of the project stressed the need of co-ordinated support to implement the
project.
Nepali tourism is confined to a particular
place be it trekking, mountaineering or rafting or any other adventure sport.
Statistics shows that nearly 491,504 tourist
visited Kathmandu, 105546 tourist went to Pokhara, 67,371 reached Annapurna Conservation
Area, 61,7999 tourist came to Royal Chitwan National Park and 24,561 landed at Lulkla and
10706 visited Lumbinei in the year 1999.
The other areas of the kingdom, though equally
scenic, have to be satisfied with a meagre share of total tourists’ arrival.
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