Book Review (Spotlight Weekly)

Tourism Theory

A new book analyzes the interface between tourism and academia in deeper detail

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

The concept of anthropology of tourism is a relatively novel one. Though long ignored, this discipline is not insignificant by any account. For a country like Nepal, which is struggling to promote its tourism industry as major instrument for development, knowing about tourism from the perspective of social science and understanding its relations with the existing social network is as important as marketing its potential abroad.

In the absence of an understanding of the ground realities, tourism, in the long term, could trigger social tensions. Dr. Ramesh Raj Kunwar, a noted social scientist and tourism expert, writes in the preface of the book, "Esoteric studies on the nature of tourist motivations for travel have direct applications in marketing strategies. The use of mitigation techniques to resolve conflict between hosts and guests, non-national managers and native employees, and land-use planners and environmentalists augurs well for greater professionalism in tourism management."

In his book, Dr. Kunwar cites the example of tourism activities in Sauraha, a buzzing tourist destination in Nepal, as the case study. The book analyzes the relations between the hosts and the guests and ways to manage them well. Often, managers lure tourists from a particular social set-up and send them to an area where the hosts have a wholly different social outlook. In such cases, it is difficult to draw an understanding so that there is minimum of friction. This is where the concept of tourism research and tourism anthropology finds place.

Prior knowledge and understanding of cultural and anthropological aspects would help the policy-makers and managers develop tourism in a truly sustainable manner. Apart from its financial attraction, tourism also provides an excellent opportunity for human beings to inter-mingle.

But this opportunity could turn into a nightmare if the policy-makers do not foresee the likely conflict and friction and give adequate attention to avoid it. It is a natural instinct for living beings to see alien creatures with a degree of suspicion, human beings are no exception. Therefore, the planners and managers would do well by preparing beforehand for such an eventuality.

In his book Dr. Kunwar expertly analyzes how the opening of national park in Sauraha, Chitwan ruffled the local social feathers of Tharu, the native community. Forest ecosystem in Sauraha had for centuries been inextricably bound with the lives of Tharu community. They are closely related to nature and the world of spirits.

Before the area was opened for tourists, the community had the forest all for themselves and they depended on it for every aspect of their livelihood. The forest ecosystem consisting of rivers provided the community with the place for hunting, fishing, shelters as well as pasturage for their cattle.

From raw materials for constructing their wooden houses to collecting firewood, the forest meant everything for them. That apart, the community also revered the forest as god and considered it home to many spirits they worshipped.

"Since the forest was declared as a national park, neither are Tharus allowed to hunt wild animals for food nor can they collect grass during times of festivals. Because of lack of pasture, they are unable to keep many animals. Similarly, they have stopped collecting traditional medicinal plants, jungle fruits and vegetables, which is affecting the nutritional value of their diets. They feel it is very difficult to catch fish and snails, which is their staple food, and necessary for festivals. As far as the Tharu house is concerned, the style and design have also changed because of the restrictions they are unable to collect the necessary materials from the forest area," the book says. As such, the whole nature-man-spirit complex of the Tharus is becoming weaker.

Dr. Kunwar believes that greater understanding of anthropology would make the tourism more sustainable industry. As such, his book would prove useful to not only the students of anthropology, sociology and other disciplines but also the policy-makers, planners, researchers, development agents, marketing strategists and other general readers.

Anthropology of Tourism: A case study of Chitwan Sauraha
Published by: Adroit Publishers
Writer: Dr. Ramesh Raj Kunwar
Price: Not mentioned