This presentation focuses on core things that are provided to participants by Trainers during the time of ERASMUS+ Tourism (CESTour) training session. - ERASMUS+ CESTour Research project is European Union funded program to social scientist of Nepal, India, Bhutan and some nations of Europe to find our the major problems and solutions to create sustainability in tourism.

1. Religion, Tourism and Sustainability
(Multiplier Event 1, Training Session)
Rajendra Ojha
Research Program Officer
Global College International (GCI)
(CESTour ERASMUS+ Research Program, European Union)
Kathmandu, Nepal
2022

2. Introduction
 It is entirely motivated for religious reasons.
 Sometime it is not secured- Based on Faith.
 Short Term Religious Tourism and Long Term Tourism Tours.
 Nepal Lacks Long Term Tourism Tours ( Good Residential areas is most in religious
tourism.)
 Good Lounging= Better Environment = Peace and Health (Main focus of religious
tourist).
 Safety and Security - major problems in many religious places of Nepal (no fire and
burglar alarms, emergency phones located throughout the shrine, safety workshops,
self-defense workshops etc. ).
 Religious places also shows the economic conditions of any places. (ex: Baggers in
any temples of Nepal.)
 Is it really sustainable? (many goals of sustainability are not fulfilled.)

3. Thresholds of Religious Tourism Sustainability
Pure Religious Thresholds: Racial or religious conflicts, considered as world fastest growing
Christian and gradual downfall of Hinduism. (future of religious tourism, Will some of the religious
monuments of Nepal change into historical religious sites?, Is it good for sustainable religious
tourism?)
Commercial Religious Thresholds: Natural Disasters, Lack of indigenous product production, no
proper planning on commercialization of religious products by government.
Less ecofriendly sites (especially Hindu based religious sites. Won’t it affect other side of tourism?
For ex. Ecotourism, also health..?)
Secular Context Thresholds: …. Thresholds?

4. Commercial Religious Thresholds also exists due to unviability of
modern technology
Lack of proper knowledge given by religious teachers… ?

5. Importance and Practices
 Space for micro-entrepreneurs and businessperson: Selling of Local Products ( Khuwa,
Handmade Crafts, Deo/ Mud Lamp and so on).
 Tourism attractions need to adapt to changes in management. They cannot afford to
ignore the issue of changes in the pattern of demand and the type of tourism they offer.
 We take religious tourism as good means of economic activities. (Is it really-
Pashupatinath Tample?)
 Religious/ Cultural tourism= interdisciplinary tourism activities.
 Religious tourism are more practices in Cities areas (Why is it so?) though village/ rural
areas are more effective to practice any kinds of religious tourism.

6. Tripurasundari Temple at Doti District
- Good for Cultural Researcher, Theologies
- Good for Religious Trekking - You need to do about 2- 3 hour trekking from to reach this
temple from Kapalekhi, Doti (Large vehicle can’t go after this).
- Lacks advertisement and marketing due to lack of modern technology and low population.
- Population is directly proportional to tourism.

7. Good Practices
 Currently people from different areas of Nepal like ‘Manasuvari’ are starting to take traveling and tourism
as an integral part of development.
 In terms of food cultures, concepts of fine dining that provides good cultural foods based on different
popular cultures of Nepal has been practiced slowly throughout tourism destined areas.
 If we move to Bhaktapur Durbar square of Nepal, we still find the best practice of providing special curd in
bowl made from mud until date. But slowly this system is decreasing with the use of plastic cups which has
increased plastic pollutions in different tourist destined areas.
 Providing edible items that are made from milk in pots and bowls made from mud is still the best practice
to create sustainable tourism in Nepal. (Our native cultural brands are far more eco- friendly. Why not
focus those types of entrepreneurs by tourist agencies and companies and join hands with them?)
 Until now, use of these kinds of bowl made from mud in tourism sector has flourish native culture of our
Nepalese people. ( Should we go for western defined modernization or strengthen our native brand?)
 In short Indigenous brand = Cultural and religious Tourism.

8. Good Practice from Ground-base
Level
 Sites like Pashupatinath Temple, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Muktinath, Lumbini,
Goshainkunda, Kathmandu Durbar Square, as well as Patan Durbar Square to mention
some are currently major places that can help to strengthen sustainable tourism in Nepal if
we talk about urban religious and cultural tourism.
 Although this practices are done to uplift sustainable development in tourism, it is not a
sustainable practice.
 Cross-Institutional Linkage: Both the government as well as private sectors are vitally
important for strengthening the sustainability of tourism industry in Nepal.

9. What Should be done?
(Recommendation)
 1. Stimulate competitiveness in the sector of cultural/ religious tourism.
 2. Promote development of sustainable, responsible, high-quality tourism. So Nepal
can benefit from high- quality tourist. – But how?
 3. Consolidate Nepalese images as a collection of sustainable, high-quality destinations
for religious tourism. ( why not focus on all ethnical cultures and create all those as a
tourist destination? – Secularism in Religious Tourism).
 4. Networking and coordination among religious sites and NTB (We really lack it).
 5. Culture of Rural areas should be focused more then that of city areas to bring
sustainability in religious tourism.

10. Thank You