English - Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal ...

Sustainable tourism and post-conflict state buildingon the tourism map of the world. The unique and unmatched culture andhospitality of Nepalese people for ages have added advantage over it.Various publications (Bhatt 2006; Chand 2003; Ghimire 2009; Kunwar2006; Müller-Böeker 2000; NTB 2008a; NTB 2008b.) mention about thisprospects of tourism for the economic development of Nepal as supportedby rich traditional culture, unspoiled and pristine nature and abundantwildlife in milieu of state building. Some of the distinctive characteristicslike low capital intensive, endemic resource-based, high labourtilting,highly resilient and with ability to make chain impact in the economy,Nepal’s tourism has in fact competitive prospective for larger scale ofsocio-economic mobilisation (Upadhayaya and Upreti 2009).Tourism sector has attracted the highest private capital investmentamongst the local entrepreneurs. The total private investment as on arecent date would be approximately NRs 100 billion (US$ 1.33 billion).This sector provides 200,000 direct employment and 1.2 million indirectemployments (HAN 2007).Nepal passed through a decade (1996-2006) of armed conflict. All majorsectors suffered during the decade long conflict and tourism was noexception (Bhattarai et al. 2005; Karki and Seddon 2003). The escalation ofthis armed conflict coinciding with instable political conditions, negativemedia hype and travel warnings from tourist generating countriescompelled the dramatic fall in Nepal’s image from peaceful tourist land toan insecure destination on the tourism map of the world.However, the intentional national and international media coverage aboutNepal’s crisis and insurgency stories during violent conflict also helped tocover and publicise Nepal’s fascinating natural and cultural attractions. Itcreated positive effects to retain the touristic image of Nepal for the timebeing and also for future. This shows the comparative and competitiveperspectives of tourism in Nepal. The end of the conflict through thehistorical CPA signed between the Government of Nepal and then CPN(Maoist) 4 in November 2006 and starting of the peace process have givena sigh of relief to the tourism sector.The selection of Nepal as one of the 50 places to see before you die by BBCTelevision (BBC 2003), coming of 40 per cent of total tourist as repeatedvisitors and listing of Nepal as the most adventurous tourist destination4Now UCPN (Maoist).94