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By Rojina Kandel

Nepal is a country with lots of natural scenery and is rich in flora and fauna. Among other industries, tourism is one of the important and bright industries having the potential to uplift the economy of the nation. Nepal has a rich cultural and historical heritage, with ancient temples, monasteries and palaces scattered across the country. The Kathmandu Valley alone is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, showcasing intricate architecture and countries-old arts. Some of the famous examples of places suitable for tourism in Nepal are Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Chitwan National Park, eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, including Mount Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) etc. In recent years domestic and international tourism has been growing tremendously in Nepal. After receiving these tourists, Nepal has benefited in several ways, however, Nepal’s environment and citizens have been impacted.

People often forget that they are not the only living beings on this planet. Unfortunately, these days, we see litter being left behind by tourists at many scenic nature areas that they visit in Nepal. This activity is done sometimes by domestic tourists and many times by international tourists too. This results in the environment not only looking dirty but harming it and the locals as well. If this litter makes its way into rivers, the local residents drinking water supply can be contaminated. And when the local residents use that water for drinking then they might get sick which further might risk their health severely in the long term. Secondly, in an attempt to get a great souvenir, some international visitors may unintentionally cause harm to wildlife. Even though, harming wildlife is illegal; many times the government of Nepal might be unaware of such activities by international tourists and these types of activities have been noticed several times. An example of how the wildlife gets harmed for the sake of international tourists is that they may pay to have their picture taken with an exotic animal; however, this encourages locals to capture wild animals and force them to live and work not in their natural habitat.

On the other hand, our country relies heavily on foreign tourists. The tourism industry has helped in the promotion and sale of local crafts, textiles, and traditional products. This provides income to local artisans and entrepreneurs, contributing to the economic growth of these communities. Also, thousands of citizens are employed within the tourism sector such as hotel workers and tourist guides. Due to these jobs, those people can earn a living and provide for their families and in some cases improve their standard of living. Additionally, the government utilize revenue generated from visas and other fees charged to their foreign visitors to protect the environment. In Nepal, for instance, national park entrance fees are used to fund cleaning campaigns and hire park rangers to patrol for poachers.

To sum up, it can be said that, domestic and foreign tourists bring more good than bad, but all people who are tourists must realize that there are others besides themselves. Tourists should enjoy their holidays and also be kind and respectful to the local environment and the people who live there.