Strategy for sustainable tourism development in Dolpa

Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development in
Dolpa, Nepal
By: Linda Bezemer
February 2009
To: SNV-Nepal

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Table of contents
Acronyms 5
Executive Summary 6
Introduction 12
1. An analysis of Dolpa and its natural and cultural resources 13
1.1 Dolpa and Dolpo; an explanation 13
1.2 Some facts about Dolpa 13
1.3 Accesssibility 15
2. Tourism in Dolpa 16
2.1 Tourism facilities in Dolpa 16
2.2 People in Dolpa working in tourism 17
2.3 Institutions related to Sustainable Tourism Development in Dolpa 18
2.4 An overview of stakeholders in Dolpa 20
3. Analysis of tourism demand in Dolpa 25
3.1 Quantitative analysis: Facts and figures about tourism in Nepal and in Dolpa 25
3.2 Qualitative analysis of tourism demand in Dolpa 28
3.2.1 Types of tourists visiting Dolpa 29
4. Impacts of tourism 31
4.1 Economic impacts 31
4.2 Sociocultural impacts 33
4.3 Environmental impacts 34
4.4 Infrastructural development 34
5. Carrying Capacity of Dolpa 35
6. Different product market combinations and SWOT analysis for Dolpa 36
6.1 Products 36
6.2 Markets 36
6.3 Product market combinations 37
6.4 Competition and SWOT analysis per product market combination 38
7. Conclusions tourism potential Dolpa 42
7.1 Issues 42
7.2 Potential 42
7.3 Tourist profile 43
8. Strategy for sustainable tourism development in Dolpa 44
8.1 Introduction 44
8.2 Vision and objectives 45
8.3 Results and activities 46

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APPENDIXES
Appendix 1: Literature 70
Appendix 2: Dolpa at a glance (information from SNV) 71
Appendix 3: Map of Dolpa District 73
Appendix 4: Stakeholders involved in sustainable tourism development in Dolpa 74
Appendix 5: Statistic figures of tourism in Nepal 79
Appendix 6: Research after tourists visiting Dolpa 84
Appendix 7: Net economic results per tye of tourist in Dolpa (in euros) 86
Appendix 8: Logical Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in Dolpa 90

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Acronyms
AsDB - Asian Development Bank
ACAP - Annapurna Conservation Area Project
BZC - Buffer Zone Council
CBO - Community Based Organizations
DDC - District Development Committee
DESERT - Dolpa Educational, Social, Environmental Reservation Team
DPP - District Partners Programme
DNPWC - Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation
FIT - Free Independent Traveller
HMG - His Majesty’s Government
ICIMOD - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
ICS - Improved Cook Stoves
MRGRP - Marjan Rens Gompa Renovation Project
MAP - Medicinal and aromatic plants
NMCP - Northern Mountains Conservation Project
NTB - Nepal Tourism Board
PDTDMP - Participatory District Tourism Development and Management Plan
SPNP - Shey Phoksumdo National Park
SPNP BZ - SPNP Buffer Zone
SPNP BZ MP - SPNP BZ Management Plan
STD - Sustainable Tourism Development
TRPAP - Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme
VDC - Village Development Committee
WWF - World Wildlife Fund

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Executive Summary
The objective of this document is to present a sustainable tourism development strategy for Dolpa
District. It is based on an assessment of the tourism potential for Dolpa.
Assessment tourism potential
Dolpa District is an isolated and very poor area, more than half the population lives below the poverty
line. People mainly live from agriculture. Additional sources of income are few, due to the
inaccessibility of Dolpa. Tourism could be the opportunity looked for to create additional sources of
income. The spectacular landscapes and authentic Buddhist culture is appealing for hikers. However,
at present tourist arrivals in Dolpa are low, less than 1000 a year and virtually all tourists come in fully
supplied camping groups.
As a result, up till now local people in Dolpa hardly benefit from tourism. In Nepal tourism is seen by
both the government, NGOs as the private sector, as one of the ways to contribute to poverty
alleviation in remote areas. Since 2000 plans have been developed for Dolpa to increase the benefits
for the local population from tourism, while at the same time maintaining the cultural and natural
heritage. Unfortunately however, up till now tourism hasn’t shown the benefits hoped for. This is
mostly due to the Maoist conflict. Now the conflict has ended, the time is there to re-evaluate the plans
made for Dolpa and adapt them to the present situation.
The unique selling points of Dolpa are the combination of:
High diversity in natural landscapes. From narrow, deeply incised river valleys to wide Trans
Himalayan valleys, the Trans Himalaya Mountains and spectacular high passes.
Shey Phoksumdo National Park, with inside the Phoksumdo Lake (crystal clear lake, surrounded
by snowcapped peaks) and other high altitude lakes.
High biodiversity: over 30 species of mammals, including endangered animals like snow leopard,
musk deer and blue sheep, 196 species of birds, diverse vegetation, with over 400 species of
medicinal and aromatic herbal plants.
Diversion of culture: Hinduism in lower parts of Dolpa; authentic Tibetan culture with Buddhism
(Nyingmapa) and Bon (or Bonpo) religion in the higher parts of Dolpa. Especially the Buddhist and
Bon cultures are very appealing to Western tourists. These cultures have very few extern
influences due to their remoteness.
This remoteness is at the same time Dolpa’s biggest weakness. Tourists have to fly in and out or
make a very long trek. Flights are subject to cancellation due to bad weather. The low number of
flights that Juphal Airport can handle, could become a bottleneck for tourism growth.
There are some good opportunities for Dolpa. Since peace established in Nepal, tourist arrivals are
growing. Worldwide, a growing demand for eco-tourism and nature-based holidays can be seen.
Besides, more people are looking for deeper experiences and authenticity during their holidays. Dolpa
can benefit from the plans of SNV and ICIMOD of developing and branding the Great Himalayan Trail
of which it is part. However, at the same time, there is a growing supply of destinations who are trying
to use tourism as a means of poverty alleviation, so competition is growing.
One can conclude that there is definitely a potential for tourism development, but due to the
remoteness and difficult access, Dolpa has to concentrate on niche markets and growth numbers will
probably not be very high. At the same time Dolpa has to define beforehand how many tourists it
wants to attract, as the carrying capacity (especially the cultural carrying capacity) sets limits to growth
as well.

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Dolpa should concentrate mainly on Western markets (Western Europe, USA, Australia), interested in
authentic trekking products. Besides, a growing interest in trekking on Asian markets is noticed.
Further, Nepalese travellers (trade people, pilgrims, people visiting friends and relatives, cordycep
mushroom harvesters) could be an interesting market too. Further research is needed to get insight in
these markets.
The Western tourism markets for Dolpa consist of dedicated to hard-core adventurous tourists, both
organized by a foreign touroperator and backpackers who book their trip to Dolpa in Kahtmandu. They
are called dedicated, because they are committed (dedicated) to the quality and preservation of nature
and culture of the places they visit. The quality of the experience is more important than comfort and
convenience. For these types of tourists authenticity is very important. They don’t like things that are
“touristy” or meeting many other tourists on their travels. They are prepared to pay the high price to
get to Dolpa, with respect to money, effort and harsh conditions, because of the authenticity
perceived. These groups tend to have an extensive cultural capital, which means they are highly
educated and have a large general knowledge. Besides they tend to be in the higher income classes.
Up till now, almost only organized camping groups are coming to Dolpa. However, recently small
guesthouses and homestays are being developed between Juphal and Phoksumdo Lake . This makes
this part of Dolpa also interesting for individual travelers (FITs, Free Independent Travelers).
Sustainable tourism development strategy
The tourism development should contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the different
stakeholders involved. This has to be reflected in the vision for sustainable tourism development.
Besides, the vision should be market oriented, it has to be appealing to the target groups. The
following vision is suggested:
Vision
Dolpa will be the authentic Himalaya destination for international trekkers who want to experience pure
Buddhism culture in a stunning, untouched high mountain landscape with optimal opportunities for the
local population to benefit from tourism, without affecting the natural and cultural heritage, by 2015.
To put the vision in practice, the following objectives are proposed:
Objectives
1. To develop tourism infrastructure in such a way that it offers an authentic and high quality
experience to the tourists and maximum benefits to the local population, without affecting and
where possible even improving the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
2. To organize local supply chains in such a way that Dolpa offers an authentic and high quality
experience to the tourists and maximum benefits to the local population, without affecting and
where possible even improving the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
3. To develop additional ways to maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts of
sustainable tourism development on the the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
4. To develop a marketing strategy directed at the target markets
Objective 1
To develop tourism infrastructure in such a way that it offers an authentic and high quality experience
to the tourists and maximum benefits to the local population, without affecting and where possible
even improving the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
As the aim of the development of tourism is to provide extra income opportunities for the local
population, it is evident that they should be involved in the planning, management and monitoring of
tourism development. To achieve this, they have to be organized in Community Based Organizations.

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According to reports and key persons consulted, CBOs indeed have been formed, but are not really
active at the moment. Therefore CBOs should be revitalized. Besides the local population, other
stakeholders should be involved in the tourism development as well.
Trail and bridge maintenance is needed to improve the quality and safety of the trek. At the same time,
local people benefit directly from this as well. Upgrading the airport of Juphal is very important, in
order to improve the capacity of the airport and to increase the reliability of the flights. Due to the
location, flights will always be subject to weather conditions. However, currently the airstrip is made of
grass. A black top airstrip would improve the accessibility of Dolpa to a high extend. Besides, it is
important to lobby with airlines and government offices to have and allow direct flights from Pokhara.
Lobbying to get permission to have FITs on the whole Dolpa Circuit is very important as well. Up till
now, FITs are allowed in the stretch between Juphal and Phoksumdo, but not in the whole Dolpa
Circuit. This excludes a potential large market segment from the tourist market.
To control the tourism development and avoid negative impacts on the cultural and natural heritage,
zoning is essential. Zoning is already proposed in the Management Plan 2004-2008 for Dolpa, but it is
not yet implemented. Two zoning schemes are proposed. The first is a plan for zoning Shey
Phoksumdo National Park and the buffer zone, the second for whole Dolpa. It is advised to make an
estimation of the carrying capacity for each zone. It is very important to keep to these zoning plans,
not only because of the ecological and cultural sensitivity and needs of the area, but also because of
the importance of authenticity to the target markets.
The health and safety of the tourists should be guaranteed as much as possible. A study to evaluate
the current situation with respect to health and safety and how this could be improved, should be
executed.
Already in the Sustainable tourism plan of 2001 the wish to establish multiple use visitor centers has
been expressed. During TRPAP period (till 2006) one visitor information centre was opened, which
doesn’t function anymore. The District Development Committee established a District Information and
Documentation Center (DIDC) in Dunai. The possibility to give this centre a tourist function could be
investigated. I don’t recommend building many visitor centers, as this is a costly affair, and a website
will provide lots of tools for interpretation and visitor management as well.
Objective 2:
To organize local supply chains in such a way that Dolpa offers an authentic and high quality
experience to the tourists and maximum benefits to the local population, without affecting and where
possible even improving the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
A local supply chain is the part of the production process of the tourism product (transport,
accommodation, food and beverage, activities, shopping, services, etc.) that takes place at the
destination. Ways should be searched to maximize the benefits for the local population from the local
supply chain, without affecting the natural and cultural heritage.
A homestay and campsite program has to be developed. It is recommended to concentrate future
investments in accommodation in homestays and campsites only to maintain the authenticity. An
additional advantage of homestays is that women tend to run the homestays and look after the guests
more than men, which will give them a better position in the family. To have more women integrated,
the possibility to have a community campground run by women could be investigated too. Applying for
micro credits is recommended to get the necessary funds.
Besides, small teashops and small restaurants can be built. This should be restaurants which a small
local card, with for example only Tibetan noodlesoup (thukpa) and/or momo’s. It is not recommended

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to start restaurants with extensive menu’s, like in Everest Region or Annapurna Region, as this would
have a negative effect on the experience of authenticity. A noodlesoup and momo shop would
probably appeal as well to local people and Nepalese travelers, which makes these restaurants less
dependent on international tourist arrivals. Here as well, applying for micro credits is recommended to
get the necessary funds.
A local food supply chain should be established. Up till now, trekking groups have been almost entirely
self catering as they think they can’t rely on having the food provided in Dolpa. Good information vise
versa about the needs of the trekking groups and the ability to fulfill those needs is needed to change
this. The NGO Drokpa recently introduced greenhouses, which enable local communities to lengthen
short growing seasons and produce more and more different vegetables. With the introduction of
greenhouses, farmers have more opportunities to contribute to the supply of the trekking groups. A
“win win situation”, as it is cost saving for the trekking agencies to bring in fewer supplies by air.
Organizing excursions for the tourists creates opportunities for the local population to earn some extra
money. Besides it creates possibilities to increase the quality of the experience of the tourists and
have a better interpretation of the cultural and natural heritage.
Souvenir selling is another way to increase the income from the local population from tourism. An
extra advantage is that souvenir production is back stage, the maker of the souvenirs doesn’t have to
be the same person selling them. This is a big advantage, regarding the fragile culture and low cultural
carrying capacity. Another advantage is that by souvenir production traditional products and skills will
be conserved or even revived. It is recommended to make an audit of existing souvenirs and see if it is
possible to diversify the offer, based on the local culture and the skills of the local population. Market
access for the souvenirs has to be created: investigate where and how the souvenirs can be sold. This
can be a special shop, a display/room in a lodge, homestay, local restaurant, or a local market (among
others). What has to be kept in mind is that the tourists are looking for an authentic experience. It is
recommended to keep it low key, and offer excursions and excursions in villages on the Dolpa circuit
only.
At this moment, most porters, cooks and guides are brought in by the Nepalese trekking agencies.
However, Dolpa people received training to become porter, cook or guide. Cooperation with Nepalese
trekking agencies should be looked for to make more use of porters, cooks and (assistant-) guides
from Dolpa. Besides, all camping gear of tented treks is flown in. The option to store camping
equipment in Dolpa and charge for this should be discussed with trekking companies. Besides
storage, other services can be offered, like cleaning and maintaining the equipment. This is a “win win
situation” as fewer supplies have to be brought in by air. This storage could be built in Juphal or Dunai.
Objective 3:
To develop additional ways to maximize the positive impacts and minimize the negative impacts of
sustainable tourism development on the the natural and cultural heritage of Dolpa
A good waste management should be implemented, on base of the 4 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
and Replace strategy. The waste management system needs good management and has to be
communicated to trekkers, trekking agencies and the local population. Sanitation is another problem
that needs attention. There are still many households without toilets in Dolpa. Awareness programs
and building programs are important and need to be included in the tourism strategy. Possibilities of
composting toilets (eco-bio toilets) which don’t need water should be investigated.
For cooking, heating and lighting fuel wood is mostly used. Increased tourism means increase
pressure on scarce wood, especially because tourists use far more energy/wood than local people. An
alternative energy plan has to be implemented. New technologies include improved Cooking Stove
(ICS, stove with chimney), back boilers in lodge, solar cookers, solar panels, water energy/micro

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hydropower plants, biogas and briquettes (cooking bricks made from waste). Camping treks have to
carry their own fuel needs, for both trekkers as guides and porters.
Funds for conserving the cultural heritage should be increased by raising entrance fees for
monasteries, promoting foundations that contribute to the restoration of gompas and applying for
government funds or funds of international NGOs.
The code of conduct for trekkers with environmental and socio-cultural do’s and don’ts has to be
evaluated implemented. The way tourists behave determines greatly the level of impact tourism has
on both the environment as on the lives of local people. As many of the porters and guides are still
from outside Dolpa and are Hindu, it is recommended to make a Nepali version of the code of conduct
as well.
It is important to lobby with the government for lowering the Restricted Area Fee charged by the
government and which is not spent in Dolpa. This would help to increase the number of tourists
visiting Dolpa. Another possibility is to apply a return system, by which part of the Restricted Area Fee
is returned to Dolpa, preferably around 50 %.
A Dolpa Development Fund (DDF) could be created, to be spent on social and environmental projects.
Money can be raised by a Dolpa development tax paid by tourists in guesthouses, homestays and
campsites and/or by charging a Dolpa Development Fee of plus minus US$ 50 to international
tourists. The Dolpa Development Fund is the only way to ensure that all people in Dolpa benefit from
tourism. Not every region could just establish a fund of US$ 50. But in this case, Dolpa can benefit
from its uniqueness and authenticity. People know they are contributing directly to a fragile natural and
cultural heritage. With the growing popularity of fair trade and responsible travel the market seems to
be ready for this kind of fee. Besides DDF, the feasibility of raising a foundation, like Friends of Dolpa,
for people who want to contribute to the development of Dolpa, should be investigated. Tourists can
become a friend of Dolpa by donating a certain amount of money (for example minimum € 5 a month).
Objective 4:
To develop a marketing strategy directed at the target markets
It is important to clearly define the target markets. As seen before, the most important target group is:
dedicated and hard-core international trekkers, looking for an authentic experience. They can be
divided further into group trekkers, FITs and special interest tourists (Buddhism, Bonpa culture, snow
leopard, medicinal plants, researchers, etc). For the special interest groups, cooperation with a
trekking agency could be established to develop special tours. An example is a tour for people with a
special interest in Tibetan Buddhism, with more in-dept explanations and opportunities to meditate
together with Buddhist monks or a special meditation class from a Buddhist lama.
It is very important to know how you can reach your target markets and what is important for them in
their holiday experience. Therefore, it is recommended to do research after tourists who are already
coming to Dolpa. Besides, a benchmarking study with Bhutan as an example of best practices with
respect to promoting a destination could be executed. Bhutan is very successful in promoting itself as
the last Shangri-La. Bhutan doesn’t want too many tourists, and people who visit Bhutan have to pay
US$ 200 a day. Many people are prepared to pay this high fee, as they are curios after this hidden
paradise. Bhutan is able to provoke curiosity. You can learn from how they do this.
It is important to create a clear concept of Dolpa. A concept is based on the USPs and sense of place
and time. Dolpa is able to evoke a sense of mystery; with its remoteness and rugged natural beauty
and the well preserved Buddhist and Bonpo culture, it is seen as a last Shangri-La. This is the sense
of place of Dolpa. Besides, Dolpa can provoke a sense of nostalgia to times where life was more
authentic and not that complicated and fast as life in modern society is now. This is the sense of time

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of Dolpa. Sense of place and time deal with the atmosphere of Dolpa, they describe the magic of
Dolpa and are unique selling points as well. A good concept has instant recognition (brand value),
makes people dream and enhances the distinctiveness of a destination. The concept communicates
“the spirit of the place”. The concept proposed is: “the authentic Himalaya trekking region to
experience spectacular, remote landscapes and ancient cultural traditions of Tibetan Buddhism”.
Based on the concept, storylines can be used. A storyline is a theme, a tool for interpretation which
brings the site to life, as it appeals to the imagination. Storylines like, “The last Shangri-La”, “The
secrets of the hidden Buddhism cultures of Dolpa”, “How a unique people knows how to survive in a
harsh climate” and “ Dolpa, the forgotten land of the snow leopard” can be used.
At this moment few people know Dolpa. Even many people who saw the movie Himalaya, don’t know
it was filmed in Dolpa. Knowledge among International trekkers of Dolpa as an authentic trekking
destination should be increased. There are several ways to increase the knowledge among the
international public.
Dolpa can benefit from the plans of SNV and ICIMOD to develop and strongly brand the Great
Himalayan Trail, of which Dolpa is part. A logo for Dolpa should be developed, which enables quick
recognition. Printed information should be prepared for trekking agencies, international touroperators
and FITs, based on the concept of Dolpa. Networking with trekking agencies in Kathmandu,
journalists and writers of guidebooks is important. An event could be organized, for example an
evening for Nepalese agents, representatives of international touroperators (tourleaders) and national
media. During the event a (digital) slide show could be presented which offers a good representation
of the natural and cultural heritage, the trekkings that can be made, the homestays and other
accommodation, the excursions, etc. The slide show should show as well how the visits of the tourists
benefit the people of Dolpa. Events like this can also be organized on a smaller scale for tourists
staying in Kathmandu.
A good website is a very important marketing tool, may be the most important of all. More and more
people look on the internet to find information about their holiday. It is an important tool in the decision
making process of where to go. Next to a site for promotion, the website is also a tool for visitor
management. For example, by the way the trails are described, the site can direct trekkers to the parts
with higher carrying capacity, so visitor flows are managed. It is recommended to invest money to
have a well structured and user friendly site, with up to date information. Besides, it should have
maximum opportunities to score high on google and other searching machines.
To get agencies and international touroperators really interested in Dolpa as a destination, they have
to experience it themselves. Therefore a FAM trip can de organized for Nepalese agencies,
international touroperators and journalists (especially journalists of travel or outdoor magazines and
travel programs on television). This should be done in cooperation with NTB and if possible a branch
organization, like TAAN and NATTA and/or a trekking agency which is already going to Dolpa. It is
recommended to organize an evaluation meeting at the end of the FAM trip, to get direct feedback
about the trip: what do they appreciate and what could be improved. For this, representatives of
CBOs, lodge- homestay and campsite owners, NGOs and SPNP authorities should be invited as well.

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Introduction
Dolpa District is an isolated and poor area. It is part of the Trans-Himalaya, the arid mountain range
beyond the Greater Himalaya (where the Mount Everest is). People live mainly from agriculture. Due
to the arid ground, in big parts of Dolpa yields are low. Additional sources of income are few, due to
the inaccessibility. The spectacular landscapes and authentic Buddhist culture is appealing for hikers.
However, up till now, tourist numbers are low and tourists mainly come in organized camping treks.
The local population of Dolpa hardly benefits from tourism.
In Nepal tourism is seen by both the government, NGOs as the private sector, as one of the ways to
contribute to poverty alleviation in remote areas. SNV (Netherlands Development Organisation) wants
to stimulate a sustainable tourism development in Dolpa. 2 management plans have been developed
for Dolpa, in both plans SNV has been involved (1,2):
Sustainable Tourism Plan for Shey Phoksundo NP, Bufferzone and Tourist Access Routes 2002-
2007, submitted to DNPWC (Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation)
Participatory District Tourism Development and Management Plan 2004-2008. Dolpa District,
made by TRAP (Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme ) in 2003
Unfortunately, due to the Maoist conflict, which affected Dolpa heavily, these plans are only partly
executed, and sustainable tourism development which benefits the local people is still in a very early
stage.
Sustainable tourism development should have maximal positive and minimal negative impacts for the
3 p’s: people, planet and profit. It is a type of tourism development which maximizes the economic
benefits to local communities and minimizes negative impacts on natural and cultural resources. The
purpose of this study is to investigate if and how this could be realized in Dolpa.
The objectives of this study are:
1) Assessment of the tourism potential for Dolpa:
a. Investigate the current situation of Dolpa district and the role tourism plays in Dolpa
b. Investigate which organisations are involved in tourism development, what are the stakeholders of
tourism development in Dolpa and what is their attitude towards sustainable tourism development
c. Analyse the sustainability of the current tourism development. What are the impacts of tourism?
d. Investigate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for Dolpa with respect to tourism
development
e. Investigate at which tourism markets Dolpa should aim
2) Design a sustainable tourism strategy for Dolpa
a. Design a vision on sustainable tourism development in Dolpa
b. Formulate objectives for sustainable tourism development in Dolpa
c. Formulate results which have to be achieved to achieve the objectives and the vision
d. Formulate the activities to achieve the results, objectives and vision
The first part is presented in Chapters 1 till 7. The second part is presented in Chapter 8.
In appendix 8 the Logical Framework for sustainable tourism development is presented.
Study methode and limitations of research
This report is based on an extensive literature study of documents about Dolpa and documents about
sustainable tourism development in general. I haven’t been in Dolpa myself. The strategy proposed is
a suggestion, based on the above literature study, combined with my ample experience in tourism.
1. SNV/DPP and WWF Nepal (2001): Sustainable Tourism Plan for Shey Phoksundo NP, Bufferzone and
Tourist Access Routes 2002-2007, submitted to DNPWC (Draft)
2. TRAP (2003): Participatory District Tourism Development and Management Plan 2004-2008. Dolpa District

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1. An analysis of Dolpa and its natural and cultural resources
1.1 Dolpa and Dolpo; an explanation
In different books, reports, etc. the term Dolpa and Dolpo is used more or less arbitrary. However,
there is a difference in meaning. Dolpa is the name of the district. It is formed by the lower valleys of
Suligad, Thuli Bheri and Jagdulla rivers, Tichu-rong valley and the Dolpo region. Dolpo is a part of
Dolpa District and refers to a geographical and cultural region south of Tibet which is isolated from the
lower valleys of Dolpa District. The culture is distinctively Tibetan with steppe terrain typical of the
trans-Himalaya. Dolpo is also known as Upper or Inner Dolpo/Dolpa. For Dolpo foreigners need a
special permit (Dho-Tarap valley however, is part of Dolpo, but still within the Lower Dolpa permit
regulations). (1)
1.2 Some facts about Dolpa
Dolpa is the largest of 75 districts in Nepal covering 5.36% (7,889 sq. km.) of Nepal’s landmass. With,
a population of almost 30,000 the population density is one of the lowest in the country. The elevation
in Dolpa ranges from 1,525 to 7,381 meters, the summit of the Churen Himal, the highest peak in
Upper Dolpo. The district borders Tibet (China) in the north and northeast, Jumla and Mugu districts in
the west, Myagdi, Jajarkot and Rukum in the south and Mustang in the East.
As the monsoon rain is cut off by Dhaulagiri Range as it heads west, most of Dolpa’s climate is dry.
The landscape consists of wide glacial valleys, steep slopes and high ridges. The scenery of Upper
Dolpo in particular, is extremely dramatic, with limestones and sandstones, moraine deposits, rock
headwalls and several high peaks above 6,000 metres. The climate in this part is arid with sparse
natural vegetation. The majority of the population lives in the river valleys of Lower Dolpa, where there
is more rainfall and vegetation and forest, with a high degree of biodiversity. Limited seasonal
cultivation and animal husbandry are possible in these areas. (1 and 2)
Poverty situation: It is estimated that around 57% of households live below the poverty line (defined
as having an income of less than $1 per day), and the district is ranked the 70th
lowest of the 75
districts of Nepal in terms of poverty and human development. The literacy rate is 36.36%, among the
lowest in Nepal. For women it is only 20 %. 90 % of the economically active population works in
agriculture, livestock or forestry, 2.24% in manufacturing and industry and 7.08% as professionals,
technicians, administration, sales and service. Due to its remoteness, Dolpa has very few modern
amenities. Only about 35% of the population has access to electricity, 6% have solar cells for lighting.
Only 36% of households have piped water and 15% have a toilet. Very few households have access
to a radio. Until recently telephone connection was limited to a small area in and around the district
headquarters of Dunai, due to cellular phones this situation has improved a bit. (2 and information
provided by SNV. Appendix 2 gives more facts about Dolpa)
Community Based Organizations are limited. Social work and communal matters are mostly handled
through the monasteries or by VDC (Village Development Committee) representatives. (1, 3)
Agriculture: The most important crops are corn, potato, millet, wheat and buckwheat, Tibetan barley
and high altitude rice. The southern part of Dolpa has dry valleys, with olives, apples, walnuts, apricots
and pomegranate. Marketing and transport form a problem to sell these products.
As most families have only a small plot of land, animal husbandry is a very important economic
activity, with the number of animals owned indicating the wealth, and thus status, of a family. Domestic
animals include dzo (hybrid of a yak and a cow), yak, sheep-goat and horses which are used for their
wool, milk, meat and skins. Besides their stock and farmland, the locals engage in small trade for
which they undertake long travels. (1 and 2)

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Cordycep mushroom: Since halfway the nineties of last century, another source of income is
growing in importance: the harvesting of the cordycep mushroom (yarshagumba in Tibetan). This is a
fungal species that produces a kind of mushroom on (and inside) their insect larva host. It is attributed
aphrodisiac properties and many powerful effects on health. For a long time trade was illegal, and
trade was dominated by the Tibetans. Government is now in a process of legalizing. In 2004 the
estimated revenue for Dolpa was US$ 2.5 million, which is US$ 86 per person living in Dolpa. During
harvest time an estimated 30.000 - 40.000 people are concentrated on a relatively small fragile
harvest area, which is a source of concern for conservationists. Harvesters are from Dolpa, the
neighboring districts and Tibet (Information provided by Dolpo Institute).
Position of women: People in Dolpa live in a male dominated society. Most of the women in Dolpa
don’t have decision making power. They have a workload which is much higher than that of men. They
are mainly involved in agricultural and household activities. In agriculture, women are much more
involved than men. Still many families think that education for girls is less important than for men,
especially because after marriage they are going to live with the family of the husband. The health of
women is sometimes at risk, especially during time of pregnancy, as they always eat after the other
family members have finished and the quantity of food left is sometimes low (4).
Religions: The main religions practised in Dolpa are Hinduism, Buddhism and Bon/Bonpo, a more
animistic/shamanistic form of Buddhism. Hinduism is more dominant in the southern parts of Lower
Dolpa. Buddhism and Bon are more apparent further north and into Upper Dolpo (where most
trekkings are), which reflects the proximity and cultural links with Tibet of these areas. Dolpo is well
known in the Tibetan Buddhist world for its rich religious traditions and auspicious places. To this day,
pilgrims travel great distances to see many sacred places in Dolpo, like caves and other natural
wonders. Dolpo has more than 130 gompas (Buddhist monasteries), of which 25 are major
institutions, many older than 700 years. The most famous one is Shey Gompa. (2)
Shey Phoksumdo National Park: Almost 36 % of the area of Dolpa is protected by the Shey
Phoksumdo National Park (SPNP). It was formed in 1984, named after Shey Gompa and Phoksumdo
Lake. Phoksumdo Lake and the access routes were opened for tourism in May 1989. SPNP is the
main tourist attraction in Dolpa district. It is the largest and the only trans-Himalayan national park in
Nepal. It was proposed for the declaration of a World Heritage site by the Nepalese government for its
outstanding natural diversity of global importance (1,3).
The main attractions for tourists in Dolpa are (1, 2, 3):
Natural resources
 Physiographic diversity: high diversity in natural landscapes (from narrow, deeply incised river
valleys to wide trans Himalayan valleys like the valley of Dho-Tarap and the Trans Himalaya
mountains that divide these valleys (among which the Kanjiroba Range)
 Shey Phoksumdo National Park, with inside the Phoksumdo Lake, crystal clear lake without any
aqua life, surrounded by snowcapped peaks, and other high altitude lakes
 spectacular high passes over 5000 meter
 sparse human habitation
 over 30 species of mammals, including endangered animals like the snow leopard, musk deer, grey
wolf and blue sheep
 196 species of birds
 diverse vegetation, including over 400 species of medicinal and aromatic herbal plants, most of
them used in traditional Tibetan medicine
 Hot springs at Sahartara and Rupghad

15
Cultural resources
 villages and settlements with untouched, authentic Tibetan culture
 Buddhism (Nyingmapa) religion
 Bon (or Bonpo) religion; Dolpa has the largest Bon population in Nepal
 Amchi (Tibetan medicine man) practices still in use
 High cultural diversity: Hinduism in lower parts of Dolpa, with important Balla Tripura Sundari
Temple
 Ancient Buddhist monasteries (especially Shey Gompa)
 Chortens (Buddhist shrines), maniwalls (walls with Buddhist prayers) and other Buddhist religious
features
 Cultural (Buddhism and Bon) festivals
Other attractions in Dolpo are the holy Crystal Mountain, the Tiserong valley, which is notable for its
unique Tarali culture and the use of the Kaije language, which is only spoken in this region (1,2).
In general: Dolpa is rugged, unspoiled and far less trammeled by tourists compared to other trekking
areas in Nepal. The lack of contact with the outside world has left a fascinating traditional culture and
lifestyle, which is largely untouched. Dolpa has a spectacular landscape, unique ecology and wildlife,
combined with a rich religious heritage and history.
1.3 Accessibility
Dolpa doesn’t have road access. The only direct access to Dolpa is by air to Juphal, a village 3 hours
walk from the district headquarters of Dunai. It’s a simple dirt airstrip. The flight goes from Nepalgunj,
in the western Terai (plains in the south of Nepal). It is a 30-minute flight in a little 18-seater aircraft.
Due to the location, geography, weather (wind), etc flights to Juphal are only possible before 10 AM.
Unfortunately flights are often cancelled due to bad weather. Only Royal Nepal Airlines (RA) and Yeti
Airlines fly to Juphal, mainly for cargo. Private companies can also charter aircrafts, depending on
availability. (2 and information by mail from Dolpo Institute)
Another gateway to Dolpa is flying into Jumla, to the west of Dolpa. Jumla has an asphalted airstrip
(Juphal not!) and more operations of different airlines. Planes fly into Jumla until it gets dark. These
flights also go from Nepalgunj.
There are regular and abundant flights between Pokhara and Jomsom to the east of Dolpa. This
makes Jomsom an alternative to fly in or out. The trek between Juphal and Jomsom takes around 15
days. It’s a beautiful trek which also goes through Lower Mustang, but the trail is very bad at some
points.
One can conclude that accessibility is a bottleneck for Dolpa. A trip to Dolpa requires effort and
planning, and the willingness to wait, sometimes for days, for the right weather conditions. Besides,
tourists have to be prepared to pay the airfare. For example Kathmandu-Nepalgunj vv is around US$
198 and Nepalgunj-Jhuphal vv US$ 144, so all together US$ 342.
1. Nagendra Budhathoki (2002), Detail Study on Possibilities for "Pro-poor sustainable tourism
development" along Charka Trail (Jomsom to Dho-Tarap)
2. Dr Nambyal Rinpoche (2005), Dolpo the hidden land, SNV Nepal
4. SNV/DPP and WWF Nepal (2001): Sustainable Tourism Plan for Shey Phoksundo NP, Bufferzone and
Tourist Access Routes 2002-2007, submitted to DNPWC (Draft)

16
2. Tourism in Dolpa
Tourism in Dolpa consists almost entirely of trekking expeditions. Foreigners couldn’t enter Dolpa until
May 1989 when the southern part was opened for tourism. Upper/Inner Dolpo was opened in October
1992 for organized trekking groups (if you go further north from Phoksumdo Lake to Shey Gompa, you
enter Inner Dolpo). Each tourist has to pay a high Restricted Area Fee of US$ 500 for ten days and
thereafter US$ 50 per additional day (This has just been lowered, it used to be US$ 700 per ten days
and thereafter US$ 70 per day). Until recently tourists had to be accompanied by a Government
Liaison officer, at the expense of the trekking party. For the rest of Dolpa the trekking permit is US$ 10
for the first 2 weeks and after that US$ 10 for each additional week. The entrance fee to the Shey
Phoksumdo National Park is NPR 1,000 (US$ 14) (1)
In Lower Dolpa the trekking season is from April till November, but the best months are June till
October. For Upper Dolpo the trekking season is from June to October only, as you have to cross high
passes. The summer season is a good time for visiting local gompas (monasteries) as well, as many
festivals are held during this period.
The used trekking routes are (for orientation you can find a map of Dolpa in Appendix 3):
1. The Dolpa Circuit, fly in and out to/from Juphal - Phoksumdo Lake - Dho-Tarap- Dunai –Juphal
(the most popular trekking route) (14 days).
2. Same as 1, but from Phoksumdo Lake continue to Inner Dolpo; Shey Gompa and beyond to
Saldang and Yongjer Gompa (24 days)
3. Fly in to Juphal - Phoksumdo Lake- Dho Tarap- Chharka -fly out from Jomsom- (15 days)
4. Same as 3, but from Phoksumdo Lake continue to Shey Gompa in Inner Dolpo (21 days)
5. Entering Dolpa from Pokhara via Beni (4 hrs drive from Pokhara) - Phoksumdo Lake - fly out from
Juphal (21 days)
6. Same as 5, but with Dho Tarap (26 days) and/or Shey Gompa (28 or more days)
7. Fly in to Jumla (to the west of Dolpa) via Nepalgunj - Phoksumdo Lake - Dho Tarap – fly out from
Juphal (18 days)
8. Same as 7, but with Inner Dolpo/Shey Gompa (24 days)
Trekking routes 3-8 are rarely used. However trekking route 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 are offered by a
Dutch Touroperator (5 and 6 Himalayan Trekking, 7 and 8 Snow Leopard), but these trips only go
once or twice a year at a maximum.
SNV (Dutch Development Organization) and ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development) (see stakeholders for more information) initiated the development of the Great
Himalayan Trail: a trail from West-Nepal (Humla/Mount Kailash) to East-Nepal
(Taplejung/Kanchenjunga). They want to develop a strong brand for this trail and attract tourists to
less visited areas. Trails 3, 4 and 7,8 would be part of the Great Himalayan Trail.
2.1 Tourism facilities in Dolpa
There are very few and only very basic tourism facilities in Dolpa. Most of the trekkers come in
organized groups which are self sufficient. Camping equipment, almost all food, fuel and porters are
brought in from outside of Dolpa. The main items trekking groups buy in Dolpa are kerosene, some
potatoes, vegetables and some local handicrafts as a souvenir. They sometimes hire yaks and mules
for transportation.
Dolpa suffered considerably from the conflict with the Maoist, and the region was considered unsafe
by most of the tourists. Since peace has been restored (a peace contract was signed in 2006 and
since April 2008 Maoists take part in the government) tourists slowly started coming again. As a
consequence local villagers started to develop small guesthouses and homestays. Up till now, this is

17
only in the area between Dunai and Phoksumdo Lake. It is a spontaneous development; a home stay
program hardly exist. At this moment there are 10 (small to rather small) lodges in Juphal, 25 in Dunai,
5 on the route to Phoksumdo Lake, 2 in Tarabagar, 5 in Lashi Cap, 10 on the Jajarkot route and 10 on
the Jumla route. There are homestays in Rigmo (close to Phoksumdo Lake, Dho and Saldang
(source: SNV). Very few tourists actually stay in the villages, as almost all tourists come in tenting
groups.
In Dolpa there are excellent sites for campground development, but there are almost no equipped
camping grounds with toilets and cooking huts for which a fee can be charged by the local population.
Where they exist, they are of poor quality. Most of the campsites are in the SPNP and are overseen by
the Park authorities. In many camping sites, tourists camp for free. The few teashops and restaurants
that exist mainly cater for local people (porters, pilgrims, etc).
Signboards with information related to the area are non-existent in the area or of poor quality. (1, 3
and information by mail about current situation from Dolpo Institute).
In 2001 the Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP) was initiated by SNV-Nepal,
the Nepalese Government (Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), the Nepal
Tourism Board (NTB) and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)), the
British Department for International Development (BDID) and the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP). TRPAP started in September 2001 and was completed by 31 October 2006. It
was directed at the development of six poor districts, among which Dolpa. In partnership with the local
District Development Committee, a Participatory District Tourism Development and Management Plan
2004-2008 was developed. Objective was to guide the development of natural and cultural resources
for tourism, exploiting their potential to support improvements in the lives of the people of Dolpa and
provide income-generating opportunities (2, 3 and information from SNV).
Despite significant contributions of TRPAP to poverty reduction, tourism hasn’t delivered the
substantial benefits to sustainable economic development hoped for. The most important reason is the
negative impact of the political conflict on the number of tourist arrivals to Nepal in general and Dolpa
specifically, as Dolpa used to be a conflict zone.
According to information from the Dolpo Institute, TRPAP gave trainings in hotel and restaurant
management, but tourist arrivals won’t be high enough for all those that were given training to actually
invest in hotel and restaurants. A home stay program was initiated but in Dunai (district Headquarters)
and not in villages where tourists would want to stay, like Dho village.
TRPAP established a District Tourism Development Committee, a porter/guide organization and a
multiple use visitor center, but none of them are active or functioning at the moment (information from
the Dolpo Institute).
2.2 People in Dolpa working in tourism
Unfortunately there is few statistical data available about people working in tourism. However, one can
state that this is very few. Normally trekking groups are fully equipped tenting groups, which use
porters from outside Dolpa. Recently people from Dolpa started buying mules from Jumla. With the
rise of the number of mules available, more trekking groups started to rent those mules instead of
using porters from outside. Besides, with better communication (Dolpa now has cell phone and
internet connection) some tour operators hire porters, mules and even supplies from Dolpa, which is
promising.
In spite of the fact that many locals were trained by TRPAP for being a guide, there are almost no
local guides with adequate (language) skills to give good information about natural and cultural
resources, history, local folklore etc. to tourists. The trained locals don’t get the opportunity to guide for
many reasons, like lack of English and not having contacts with tour operators in Kathmandu.
Nagendra Budhathoki knows of only one Dolpa man working regularly as a guide, leading groups.
The selling of locally made handicrafts is minimal.

18
As mentioned before, some guesthouses and homestays are being developed. This is a recent
development and up till now on a small scale.
2.3 Institutions related to Sustainable Tourism Development in Dolpa
This chapter gives an overview of the most important institutions related to Sustainable Tourism
Development (STD) in Dolpa. First of all, a list of most important government bodies, NGOs and
private organizations, involved in STD in Dolpa is presented. This is followed by a Stakeholder Matrix.
This matrix gives a comprehensive list of all types of organizations which are affected by STD
development, the way they (could) benefit from STD in Dolpa and the way they can play a role in STD.
Appendix 4 gives a brief description of the objectives and programmes of the institutions below and
the other stakeholders related to STD.
Government organizations
International
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
ADB is an international development finance institution whose mission it is to help its developing
member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people. By the Ecotourism
project, the ADB wants to support effective institutional arrangements and policy for ecotourism
development as a tool for poverty alleviation and environmental conservation in designated project
areas. Dolpa is one of the Bank’s project areas. Among others they aim to provide a package of
hardware (improvement of airport and trails) and software (community development, training and
awareness programs) (3). For more information, see: www.adb.org
National
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA)
The MoCTCA is responsible for policy development and supervision of tourism in Nepal.
It is responsible for the laws and regulations concerning tourism businesses and travel related jobs
(1). For more information, see: www.tourism.gov.np
Nepal Tourism Board
The aim of NTB is to make the tourism business more efficient by better addressing the needs of the
industry. Its main tasks are: marketing and promotion, product development, research and monitoring,
monitoring of tourism service standards (4). See: www.welcomenepal.com
Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)
DNPWC is responsible for managing 15 protected areas among which the SPNP and the buffer zone
(4). See: www.dnpwc.gov.np
National Planning Commission (NPC)
The National Planning Commission works with the Ministries and sectors to develop five-year plans for
Nepal. Tourism has been included as a major sector of the national economy. www.npc.gov.np
Regional
District Development Committee (DDC) Dolpa
DDC Dolpa is the regional authority in Dolpa. It is responsible for infrastructure development work in
and around SPNP (3).

19
Shey Phoksumdo National Park (SPNP)
The National Park authorities are responsible for the management of the park and conservation of its
natural recourses (3).
Buffer Zone Council
A group of Buffer Zone Management Committees set by the SPNP, responsible for the management
of the buffer zone of SPNP (3) .
Local
Village Development Committees (VDC)
These are the local authorities in Dolpa and responsible for local issues (3).
Buddhist monasteries
In the Buddhism part of Dolpa, the part where most trekkings are, monasteries have quite a lot of local
influence.
NGOS
SNV Netherlands Development Organization
SNV is dedicated to sustainable development, by strengthening the capacity of local organizations.
They are involved in the stimulation of the tourism sector in Dolpa through various programs. They
provide technical and financial support, among others to DESERT and DAD-TAG (see below).
See: www.snvworld.org
The Dolpo Institute
Mission: Economic growth and poverty reduction through proper utilization, management and
conservation of natural resources and tourism. Tourism is seen as one of the main ways for
development of Dolpa. This NGO is involved with all kind of activities to promote economic growth in
Dolpa.
DAD-TAG (Development Association of Dolpa -Tourism And Generation)
This NGO is actively involved in sustainable tourism development. It is involved in social mobilization
and community development activities (3).
DESERT (Dolpo Educational Social and Environmental Reservation Team)
This NGO is involved in education, natural resource management and conservation efforts in the
buffer zone communities of SPNP. Like DAD-TAG it is involved in social mobilization and community
development activities (3).
Private Sector
The private sector consists of accommodation in Dolpa, transport companies, touroperator, trekking-
and travel agencies in Pokhara and Kathmandu. Guides and porters are mostly contracted throught
the agencies in Pokhara and Kathmandu. In Dolpa very few guides and porters are contracted. You
can find few souvenir sellers in the villages (informal sector).
Local owners of guesthouses, homestays and camp sites
Between Juphal and Phoksumdo Lake guesthouses and homestays are being developed. Together
with the owners of campsites, they play a big role in the development of sustainable tourism.
Airlines companies (most importantly Nepal Royal Airlines, Yeti Airlines)
The only airlines flying to Juphal. Up till now, the amount of flights to Juphal is a very important factor
which determines the amount of visitors going to Dolpa.

20
The accommodations and touroperators are united in several Associations (information from the site
of Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation www.tourism.gov.np and sites of respected associations)
Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN)
Umbrella organization for trekking agents, they work together to meet the common goals, like
developing and promoting adventure tourism in Nepal.
Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA)
Umbrella organization for tour and travel agents to protect the interests of those engaged in the travel
business.
2.4 An overview of stakeholders in Dolpa
In order to achieve sustainable development of an area, it is important to involve all stakeholders; all
types of organizations which are affected by the development. Tourism development should be
integrated in an overall sustainable development, which means that many stakeholders have a role to
play. It is recommended to make an analysis as well of the power of the various stakeholders: who
make the decisions regarding development, who can make things done? Besides it should be clear if
the stakeholders can cooperate well, and if they are trusted by the local population.
Below, the most important stakeholders are presented in a stakeholder matrix. The stakeholder matrix
makes clear what the objectives of the different stakeholders are and in which way they (could) benefit
from sustainable tourism development. The information about the objectives is found on the websites
of the organizations. The last column gives an idea of the role that the stakeholder could play in STD.
This are my suggestions, based on the objectives and knowledge of the stakeholders and based on
the activities mentioned in Chapter 8. During the process of tourism development tasks will be more
specified and re-divided. In Appendix 4 you can find a more extensive description of the different
stakeholders and their objectives.
Stakeholder Matrix
Stakeholder
(SH)
Goal/Activities of SH Benefits for SH from sust.
tourism dev. in Dolpa
Role of SH in tourism
Asian
Development
Bank
To help to reduce poverty and
improve the quality of life of
people. By the Ecotourism
Project, the ADB wanted to
support effective institutional
arrangements and policy for
ecotourism development as a
tool for poverty alleviation and
environmental conservation in
Dolpa
Helping Sustainable Tourism
Development (STD) is a
goal of ADB
Provide financial and technical
assistance for:
 improving trails and bridges
 improving Juphal airport
 improving accommodation
 renovating monasteries
 the institutional organization of
the local people (into CBOs etc)
(3)
Ministry of
Culture, Tourism
and Civil
Aviation
(MoCTCA)
To promote tourism and to
encourage the private sector for
their involvement and
participation
Diversification of the tourism
product in Nepal
Invest money in tourism
infrastructure. Lobby for fee lowering
and/or money of fees to be invested
in development of Dolpa
NTB Supporting the tourism industry
by marketing and promotion,
product and skill development,
research, monitoring and
monitoring of tourism service
standards.
product in Nepal.
Skill building programs
Be involved in STD in Dolpa
Promotion of Dolpa on international
markets
Lobby for fee lowering and/or money
of fees to be invested in
development of Dolpa

21
Department of
National Parks
and Wildlife
Conservation
(DNPWC)
Managing protected areas of
Nepal. Responsible for the
SPNP and the buffer zone.
By government rule: allocate
30% to 50% of the entry fee
income for development
projects in local communities
in protected areas and buffer
zone areas.
Contribute money for tourism
development.
Involved in skill building programs for
nature guides
Nepal
Government
Treasury
Collecting money from taxes,
fees, royalties, etc
More economic
development means more
tax revenue
Lower fee/Attributing at least half of
the fee directly back to Dolpa.
Nepal Academy
for Tourism and
Hotel
Management
(NATHAM)
Major government institution
concerned with tourism training.
Gives a three-year Bachelor
degree in Hotel Management.
Offer licensing courses for
tourist, trekking, local guides.
Gives short courses in tourism
awareness, language,
housekeeping, cooking etc.,
both in house and on location.
They can offer trainings for
guides, language, tourism
awareness, housekeeping,
cooking, etc on location
Be involved in development of skill
building programs and offer
trainings for guides, language,
tourism awareness, housekeeping,
cooking, etc on location
District
Development
Committee
(DDC) Dolpa
Regional authority of Dolpa
District. DDC Dolpa is
responsible for infrastructure
development work in and around
SPNP.
In the District Development
Plan of DDC Dolpa,
sustainable tourism is
mentioned as one of the
means to develop the
district.
They are leading organization for
developing ST.
Infrastructure development (trails,
bridges, etc)
Assistance in zoning
Lobbying with national government
for fee lowering and/or money of
fees to be invested in development
of Dolpa, etc
Shey
Phoksumdo
National Park
(SPNP)
Management of SPNP More tourists means more
income for conservation,
payment of staff, etc
Develop information boards and
signposts in the park
Participate in establishing a code of
conduct for tourists visiting Dolpa,
Monitor impacts of visitors.
Buffer Zone
Council
Responsible for the
management of the buffer zone
of SPNP
STD is regarded as a way of
sustainable development of
the buffer zone
Helping local people to organize
themselves
conduct for tourists visiting Dolpa
Regional
authorities of
neighbouring
districts
Regional authority STD in Dolpa can contribute
to STD in own district
Joint marketing
Village
Development
Committees
(VDC)
Local authority, responsible for
local development
Tourism is a way to
contribute to village
development
themselves
managing and monitoring the STD
Buddhist
Monasteries
Religious institutions. Have lots
of influence on communities
Tourism is a way to
contribute to village
development
Tourism entree fees and/or
donations benefit the
(restoration of) monasteries

22
SNV
Netherlands
Development
Organization
A society where all people enjoy
the freedom to pursue their own
sustainable development.
Strengthening the capacity of
local organizations.
SNV sees STD as a means of
poverty alleviation. They are
involved in the development of
the Great Himalayan Trail.
Contribution to sustainable
development and to poverty
alleviation
Provide technical and financial
support;
support in managing and monitoring
the STD
WWF-Nepal
Programme
To conserve the natural
environment and ecological
processes worldwide.
In Dolpa WWF provides
technical support to SPNP and
is involved in community
development activities of
DESERT and DAD-TAG.
WWF-Nepal implemented the
Northern Mountain Conservation
Project (NMCP) in the SPNP for
conservation of biodiversity and
improvement of socio-economic
status and capacity building of
local communities
More tourists means more
income for conservation of
SPNP.
Tourism development is a
way to give local people a
more positive attitude
towards conservation
Technical support
Lobbying with national government
for fee lowering and/or money of
fees to be invested in development
of Dolpa
Capacity building
ICIMOD
(International
Centre for
Integrated
Mountain
Development)
Enable equitable and
sustainable well-being of the
people of the Hindu Kush-
Himalayas by supporting
sustainable mountain
development through active
regional cooperation. One of
their programs is directed to
sustainable livelihood and
poverty reduction of the
mountain people. They are
involved in the development of
the Great Himalayan Trail.
STD is a way to achieve
sustainable livelihood and
poverty reduction of
mountain people.
Provide technical and financial
support;
support in managing and monitoring
the STD
Snow Leopard
Conservancy
(SLC)
Promoting innovative grassroots
measures that lead local people
to become better stewards of
endangered snow leopards, their
prey, and habitat.
One of the program
objectives is to link snow
leopard and biodiversity
conservation with initiatives
aimed at improving
household incomes in
environmentally friendly,
socially responsible and
economically viable ways.
They look for ways to help
villagers to see the snow
leopard as the national
treasure it is. STD is one of
the ways to achieve this.
conduct for tourists visiting Dolpa,
especially with respect to
environment.
American
Himalayan
Foundation
(AHF)
Helping the people and ecology
of the Himalaya.
In Dolpo they contributed to the
restoration of some small but
locally very important Bon
Monasteries.
restoration of gompas
STD can improve lives of
local people
Participate in decisions about fees
for gompa’ s
and especially visiting gompas

23
DROKPA
(Nomad in
Tibetan)
Implement grassroots
development and catalyze social
entrepreneurship, in partnership
with pastoral communities in the
Himalaya and Central Asia.
They introduced greenhouses.
STD is a way to catalyze
social entrepreneurship and
economic development.
Function as contact persons with
local villagers and help them to
organize themselves.
conduct for tourists visiting Dolpa.
Help to establish links between
tourism agencies and local people,
to provide food cultivated in
greenhouses
The Dolpo
Institute
Economic growth and poverty
reduction through proper
utilization, management and
conservation of natural
resources and tourism. To
develop Community Based
Sustainable Tourism in Dolpa
with maximum economic
benefits and minimum negative
social and environmental
impacts.
It is one of the objectives of
this NGO
Play a supporting role in the
development of ST
Planning, managing and monitoring
the STD
Play a catalyst role in joining
different SH for STD
themselves
DAD-TAG
(Development
Association of
Dolpa -Tourism
And Generation)
Develop sustainable tourism in
the buffer zone communities of
SPNP
It is the main objective of
this NGO
Organize local people in Community
Based Organizations
the STD
DESERT (Dolpo
Educational
Social and
Environmental
Reservation
Team)
Education, natural resource
management and conservation
in the buffer zone communities
of SPNP.
They are involved in social
mobilization and community
development activities:
tourism is a way to realize
this
Organize local people in Community
Based Organizations
STD
Marjan Rens
Gompa
Renovation
Project
(MRGRP)
Contribute to the restoration of
gompas.
restoration of gompas
Participate in Decisions about fees
for gompa’ s
and especially visiting gompas
Airlines
companies
(most
importantly
Nepal Royal
Airlines, Yeti
Airlines)
Provide save air transport More business Investigate if more flights are
available, if necessary.
Lobby for improving (put asphalt)
airport of Juphal.
Trekking Agents
Association of
Nepal (TAAN)
Assemble and create an
umbrella organization; work
together to meet the common
goals, like developing and
promoting adventure tourism in
Nepal.
Assist the government by
providing suggestions to make
trekking business a revenue
generating industry
Provide employment opportunity
to the locals
Mitigate mountain environmental
stress
Diversification of the trekking
product in Nepal
Marketing and promotion of Dolpa
Raise interest with members for
Dolpa

24
Nepal
Association of
Tour and Travel
Agents (NATTA)
Protect the interests of those
engaged in the travel business
Safeguard the tourists from
exploitation by unreliable agents
Contribute to the healthy
development of tourist industry
and trade
product in Nepal
Raise interest with members for
Dolpa
Nepalese travel
and trekking
agencies,
already coming
to Dolpa
Offer travel and trekking
arrangements to tourists and
make a profitable business out
of this
product in Nepal
Opportunity to offer different
and high quality products.
Showing involvement with
STD can distinguish agency
from competition
Be involved in planning and
developing STD
International
Touroperatiors
already coming
to Dolpa
Offer travel and trekking
arrangements to tourists and
make a profitable business out
of this
product in Nepal
Opportunity to offer different
and high quality products.
Showing involvement with
STD can distinguish agency
from competition
Be involved in planning and
developing STD (at least as
consultant)
Local owners of
guesthouses
and homestays
Give accommodation and food
service to tourists
Increased income Planning, managing and monitoring
the STD
Local population
not engaged in
tourism
Have a sustainable livelihood Increased income Be involved in planning, managing
and monitoring the STD in CBOs
Participate establishing a code of
2. Dr Nambyal Rinpoche (2005), Dolpo the hidden land, SNV Nepal
4. Beun (2007): Preparatory Study Report on Sustainable Prctices of the Tourism Industry of Nepal, SNV

25
3. Analysis of Tourism Demand in Dolpa
This chapter gives an analysis of tourism demand for Dolpa. The first paragraph gives some facts and
figures about tourist arrivals. The second paragraph is a qualitative analysis of tourism demand. It
gives information about what types of visitors come to Dolpa, their expectations, satisfaction, etc.
3.1 Quantitative analysis: facts and figures about tourism in Nepal and in Dolpa
Despite the natural and cultural attractions, foreign visitors to Dolpa -and especially Inner Dolpo -are
few in number. One can assume that most are deterred by the complicated logistics (you have to
organize the trip through a travel agency, you have to fly in and/or out, flights can be cancelled due to
weather conditions), harsh conditions of the place (high altitude, cold, remoteness) and/or the high
costs for the trek.
Table 1 gives an overview of tourist arrivals in Nepal and table 2 of tourist arrivals in Dolpa. For Nepal,
2007 was the best year, which is promising. Until 2000 there was a steady growth of tourist arrivals. In
2001 arrivals dropped sharply because of the massacre of the royal family in 2001 and Maoist
uprisings. Last year the new (unpopular) king had to step down and Nepal became a republic.
Elections were finally held in April 2008, and Maoists form part of the Government now, introducing a
period of peace. This is very promising for the future of tourism in Nepal and as a consequence in
Dolpa as well. For Dolpa 2000 was the best year, but since the sharp decline in 2001, 2007 has the
highest number of tourist arrivals.
Unless stated otherwise, the figures in this chapter are derived from Nepal tourism statistics 2007,
provided by NTB. In Appendix 5 you can find more statistical information about Dolpa.
Table 1: Tourist arrivals Nepal
Year Total
Growth Rate
Year Number % Index
1962 6.179 .... 100
1970 45.970 .... 744
1990 254.885 …. 4.125
1995 363.395 11,3 5.881
1999 491.504 6,0 7.954
2000 463.646 -5,7 7.504
2001 361.237 -22,1 5.846
2002 275.468 -23,7 4.458
2003 338.132 22,7 5.472
2004 385.297 13,9 6.236
2005 375.398 -2,6 6.075
2006 383.926 2,3 6.213
2007 526.705 37,2 8.524

26
Table 2:Tourist arrivals Dolpa
Treks 
Lower Upper Total Growth/
%
Growth/
Year Dolpa Dolpa Decline Decline
 Trek Trek
1997 414 199 613
1998 322 81 403 -210 -34
1999 645 214 859 456 113
2000 1069 121 1190 331 39
2001 488 119 607 -583 -49
2002 0 119 119 -488 -80
2003 0 369 369 250 210
2004 329 77 406 37 10
2005 200 81 281 -125 -31
2006 225 92 317 36 13
2007 419 198 617 300 95
If you compare the figures of tourist arrivals in Nepal and Dolpa as from 2001, you can see that the
movement of the arrivals are the same: if tourist arrivals in Nepal drop, they drop in Dolpa as well and
the other way around. The percentages of Dolpa are more dramatic, but that is also a consequence of
small amounts: small fluctuations are relatively bigger.
Table 3: Tourists in Dolpa per nationality
(Source: District police office,Dolpa, Shey Phoksumdo national Park and Dolpa Guide Association, Dolpa,
District development committee/Sustainable tourisum Development section, Dolpa, info from SNV)
Nationalities Year
1996
Year 2006 Year 2007
*
Australia 15 5 2
Austria 21 0 0
Canada 1 1 3
Denmark 24 0 4
France 210 120 121
Germany 122 30 11
India - 2 13
Italy 63 7 12
Japan 18 9 13
Netherlands 29 6 4
Spain 14 8 0
Switzerland 50 99 90
USA 43 7 11
United
Kingdom
49 17 9
Others 76 25 33
Total 735 336** 326
*up to September 2007
** I consulted two different sources for the statistical figures. For 2006 there is a small difference in amount of
tourists between the figures provided by NTB (Table 2) and SNV (Table 3)

27
Table 4: Percentage of nationality in trekking in Dolpa (source id table 2) compared with percentage of
nationality in total trekking (source Nepal Tourism Statistics 2007, NTB) *up to September 2007
Nationalities % of total
Dolpa
1996
% of total
Dolpa
2006
% of total
Dolpa
2007*
% of total
trekking
2007
Australia 2 1 1 3
Austria 3 0 0 1
Canada 0 0 1 1
Denmark 3 0 1 1
France 29 36 37 6
Germany 17 9 3 6
India 0 1 4 1
Italy 9 2 4 2
Japan 2 3 4 4
Netherlands 4 2 1 3
Spain 2 2 0 2
Switzerland 7 29 28 1
USA 6 2 3 4
United Kingdom 7 5 3 7
Others 10 7 10 58
Total 100 100 100 100
At this moment, tourists in Dolpa are mainly from Western Europe, where Switzerland, France and
Germany together took 68 % of the arrivals in 2007. If you compare the division of the trekkers over
the different nationalities in Dolpa with the division over de different nationalities of the total amount of
trekkers that come to Nepal, you see some interesting differences. The most striking differences are
the French (in 2007 37 % of the trekkers in Dolpa were French, while at the same time only 6 % of all
the trekkers in Nepal were from France) and the Swiss (28 % of the Dolpa trekkers were Swiss, while
only 1 % of all trekkers in Nepal were Swiss). Maybe the popularity of the French movie Himalaya
plays a role, but Dolpa was relatively popular among the French already before the movie was
published (1998).
You can also look at the percentage of each nationality that visits Nepal that comes for trekking. Here
it is interesting to know the absolute numbers as well.
Table 5: percentage and absolute number of nationality that goes to Nepal for trekking
Nationality % of nationality Total Trekking &
that goes for trekking Mountaineering
Australia 25 3.113
Austria 30 1.321
Canada 19 1.422
Denmark 22 692
France 29 5.780
Germany 29 6.095
India 1 892
Italy 17 1.882
Japan 15 3.928
Netherlands 27 2.816
Spain 13 2.099
Switzerland 28 1.446
Sri Lanka 38 19.157
U.S.A 15 4.411
U.K. 22 7.118
Others 22 39.148
Total 19 101.320

28
19 % of the people who visit Nepal, go for trekking. Some countries show a relatively high interest in
trekking, like Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and surprisingly Sri Lanka,
which also has the highest absolute number of trekkers. Japan has a relatively high absolute number
of people that come for trekking.
From both tables together, you can conclude that the most interesting markets for Dolpa are the
Western-European countries (especially France, Germany and Switzerland), Australia, USA, Japan
and Sri Lanka.
The following information is based on a research published in 2001 by Buysrogge, part of which is
used in the report of Nagendra Budhathoki in 2002 (1). Appendix 6 gives more detailed findings of this
research.
The trekking tours of which Dolpa is part take an average of almost 4 weeks (27 days). The average
length of time spent in Dolpa is 20 days. The minimum duration of the stay in Dolpa is 12 days, the
maximum 33.
85% of the tourists visiting Dolpa in 2000 perceived the length of their trip in Dolpa just right. 15%
found it too short.
For 42,1% of the tourists visiting Dolpa, it was their first time in Nepal. 57,9% of the tourists who
visited Dolpa in 2000 had visited Nepal before.
For only 16,7% of the tourists visiting Dolpa, their visit was part of a larger tour, which mostly included
a combination with the Khumbu District and the Kathmandu Valley.
The majority (83,3%) of the tourists visiting Dolpa in 2000, visited only Dolpa.
I assume that most of the tourists who only visit Dolpa, come on a tour booked with a touroperator in
their home country.
The average age of the tourists visiting Dolpa in 2000 was 32 years old. The maximum age was 51
years, and the minimum was 17 years. 50% of the tourists visiting Dolpa in 2000 were female and
50% were male.
The majority (75%) of the tourists visiting Dolpa normally go on holiday several times a year.
Almost all travelers in Dolpa come in groups. However, the majority (85%) of the tourists visiting Dolpa
normally travels individually. 10% normally travels in an organized group. 5% does both.
3.2 Qualitative analysis of tourism demand in Dolpa
Unfortunately, little information is available to make a qualitative analysis of the tourism demand in
Dolpa. The information below is based on the same research of Buysrogge as mentioned above.
The main interests of the tourists visiting Dolpa is culture in combination with nature and trekking.
Interaction with the people of Dolpa is also mentioned.
Aspects of Dolpa considered unique are: the duration of the holiday (long), the opportunity for solitude
and contemplation and the harsh monsoon climate.

29
40% of the tourists visiting Dolpa rated the overall travel itinerary as good, 30% as very good. Another
10% found it satisfactory. So, 80% was satisfied, of which 70% more than just satisfied. 15% of the
tourists think improvements are necessary, 5% thinks major improvements are necessary.
Suggestions were made about having more lodges along the route instead of camping sites and about
the maintenance of the trail.
3.2.1 Types of tourists visiting Dolpa
To get more information about the type of tourists visiting Dolpa, a classification made by Ton van
Egmond in his research into motivation and behaviour of Western tourists visiting developing
countries, is used (1). His research is focused at tourists from West, North and Central Europe and (to
a lesser extend) North-America and Australia, as those countries dominate in international tourism
(they generate more than 50% of international arrivals).
The first classification is into organized tourists and backpackers (individual tourists).
Organized tourists booked their holiday with a tour operator in their home country.
You can determine:
1. Accidental tourists
2. Mainstream tourists
3. Dedicated adventurers
4. Hard-core tourists
Accidental tourists arrive accidentally, for example by booking an excursion at their hotel. They go to
tourism highlights. This type of tourists you won’t see in Dolpa.
For mainstream tourists the destination is part of the package. These tourists go to tourism highlights
as well. Only some renounce comfort to some extend, visits to different areas are short. Authenticity
is important but highly negotiable. These are the largest volumes of tourists. You won’t see these
types of tourists in Dolpa with the present tourism infrastructure.
For dedicated adventurers the destination is also part of a package (but purposefully chosen). Instead
of only going to tourism highlights, they want to go into depth. They renounce comfort to some extent.
They express a great desire to learn and connect, though the actual learning and interaction are
mostly rather limited. Authenticity is important and is hardly negotiable. They claim to have deep
experiences. Their visits are comparatively long. They are called dedicated, because they are
committed (dedicated) to the quality and preservation of nature and culture of the places they visit.
There are only small volumes of these tourists. You can find the more dedicated adventurers in Dolpa.
Hard-core tourists have purposefully chosen the destination, and have very specific interests (in Dolpa
e.g. Buddhism). They want to go into depth and renounce comfort to a large extent. They express a
great desire to learn and connect and the actual learning and interaction are comparatively great.
Authenticity is important and is not negotiable. They claim to have deep experiences. Their visits are
comparatively long. There are only very limited volumes of these tourists. You can find these types of
tourists in Dolpa, especially in Inner Dolpo.
Backpackers come to Nepal independently. They are also referred to by FIT, Free Independent
Travellers. For backpackers you can determine:
1. Hedonists
2. Mainstream backpackers
3. Dedicated bacpackers
4. Pioneers

30
As tourism infrastructure is hardly made for individual tourists in Dolpa, almost all tourists travel in
groups. Part of them do come as a backpacker to Nepal, and book their trip to Dolpa in Kathmandu,
so they are an interesting target market as well.
Hedonists seek places where the action is (parties) and have no experiences of culture or nature. It is
obvious they won’t go to Dolpa.
Mainstream backpackers stay on the beaten backpacker trek. They renounce comfort only to a certain
extent. For them authenticity is important but highly negotiable. These are the largest volumes of
backpackers. You won’t easily see these types of tourists in Dolpa.
Dedicated backpackers try to go off the beaten track and are prepared to renounce comfort – to a
certain extent. They express a great desire to learn and connect, and the actual learning and
interaction are comparatively great. Authenticity is important and is hardly negotiable. They claim to
have deep experiences. Their visits are comparatively long, they are mostly long-term backpackers.
There are only small volumes of these tourists. You can find this type of tourists in Dolpa. Volunteers
fall in this category as well. I don’t have information about the number of international volunteers that
go to Dolpa at this moment.
Pioneers go outside the backpacker circuit. They renounce comfort completely. They express a great
desire to learn and connect and the actual learning and interaction is the greatest of all categories.
Authenticity is important and is not negotiable. They claim to have deep experiences. Their visits are
comparatively long, they are only long-term backpackers. There are only very small volumes of these
tourists. These tourists can come to Dolpa, but not with a group. They are not interesting for tourism
planning, as their volumes are extremely small and they prefer to go where there are no tourist
facilities at all.
It is obvious that only dedicated (organized and backpacker) tourists, hard-core tourists and pioneers
visit Dolpa. As you have to pay a high price to get to Dolpa, with respect to money, effort and harsh
conditions, people who come to Dolpa, and even more so Inner Dolpo, are dedicated travellers,
looking for adventurous trekking in unspoilt landscape, interesting culture and unspoilt village life.
All these groups tend to have an extensive cultural capital, which means they are highly educated and
have a large general knowledge. Besides they tend to be in the higher income classes (The fact that in
the research of Buysrogge of 2001 75 % of the tourists go on holiday several times a year confirms
this). The quality of the experience is more important than comfort and convenience. For these types
of tourists authenticity is very important. They don’t like “tourist things” and meeting many other
tourists during their trip. (2).
I had an interview with a Dutch tourist who went to Inner Dolpo in 2004. What he liked most about his
trekking, is illustrating the above. It shows he is a very dedicated adventurous tourist (almost hard-
core):
1. The stunning landscape and local villages
2. He didn’t meet any other tourists
3. There were no tourist lodges, no tourist restaurants, no souvenirs stalled out; not any modifications
in the villages because of tourists. Pure authenticity.
4. Local people were very friendly when they passed through their villages and were very curious.
Cohen (1979) made a distinction based on the way tourists perceive their environment. (2). He
developed 5 modes of tourist experiences: the recreational mode (tourism to recharge the battery), the
diversionary mode (looking for entertainment to escape the boredom of everyday life), the experiential
mode (searching for meaning of life in the life of others, observe other lifestyles), the experimental

31
mode (seekers, try other lifestyles), the existential mode (the tourist sees the other world as the
favoured world).
You can state that most tourists going to Dolpa travel with the experiential mode. The experiential type
sets out to discover “true, authentic life” elsewhere, which is absent in industrial societies. The
experiential type is allergic to pseudo-events and tourists traps. He doesn’t like the fact that the arrival
of tourists generates a process of adaptation to the expectations of the visitors.
Nepalese travellers
Nepalese travellers are most of all travellers who visit friends and relatives, who go on pilgrimage and
traders. Besides you have the cordycep mushroom harvesters. They are mostly self supporting.
However, as they also need a place to stay, food, etc, and have demands with are less high than
those of international tourists, they can be an interesting target market for Dolpa as well. Unfortunately
I don’t have any information about their numbers and needs. Research after the number and needs of
Nepalese tourists in Dolpa is recommended.
1. Van Egmond (2007) Understanding Western Tourists in Developing Countries, Wallingford: CABI.
2. Van Egmond (2008), The tourism phenomenon, Past, present, future, Leiden: Toerboek
4. Impacts of tourism
There are different types of impacts of tourism: economic impacts, sociocultural impacts and
environmental impacts. Unfortunately there is very little information available about the impacts of
tourism in Dolpa. Only some information about the economic impacts is available. Therefore I will give
an overview of the impacts of tourism in mountain areas which have to be taken into account when
planning tourism in Dolpa. Regarding the economic impacts I will also give a calculation of the
different economic impacts in Nepal and Dolpa per type of tourist which is coming to Dolpa.
4.1 Economic impacts
Examples of positive economic impacts are: tourism receipts, tax revenue, foreign exchange,
employment (direct and indirect), training, income for supplying industry.
Examples of negative economic impacts are: no receipts from tourists in the area, leakage, limited
multiplier effects, seasonal jobs only, rising prices.
In mountain areas tourism generates income through trekking fees, park entrance fees, mountain
climbing permits and through lodging, guiding and porter services and the selling of food and
souvenirs. (1)
There is no government system by which part of the fee paid by tourists (US$ 500 for Upper Dolpa
and U$ 10 for Lower Dolpa) is returned to Dolpa. The US$ 14 entrance fee for the Shey Phoksumdo
National Park does have such a system: 50 % goes to the National Department of National Park and
Wildlife Conservation and 50% is given to the Buffer Zone Council.
Benefits for local population from tourism up till now are very few, as trekking groups that pass through
Dolpa are almost completely self-sufficient and buy almost all their goods outside Dolpa.
Sources of income in villages are (2):
 small donations made to the monasteries (depending on the group and individual from a few
hundred rupees to a thousand, which would amount to rupees 10,000 (US$ 130) at most per year)
 food and other items sold to the porters
 hiring horses, mules or yaks for transportation
 campground fee

32
 accommodation
 employment of porters
 selling vegetables to camping groups
 selling milk and yogurt to camping groups
 selling souvenirs, such as blankets and sash
As mentioned before, there is some home stay accommodation and lodges on the trek from Juphal
(airport) to Phoksumdo Lake and back. But up till now, most tourists who come to Dolpa come in
groups equipped for tent camping, there are almost no individual travellers (yet). In other parts tent
camping is a must as in some parts there aren’t villages along the way.
Trekking groups do buy some vegetables, milk and yogurt in the villages, but take almost all their food
from Kathmandu and Pokhara as they claim they cannot rely on the food provided in the villages.
In Appendix 7 a calculation of the economic impacts for Nepal and Dolpa of different kind of tourists
that are visiting Dolpa and might visit Dolpa is presented.
I distinguished:
1. organized dedicated adventurous tourists, who booked and paid for their trip in Europe
2. dedicated backpackers, who booked a tent trip to Dolpa in Kathmandu
3. dedicated backpackers, who go to homestays and small guesthouses
4. volunteers, who stay for 2 months in Dolpa and go on a tent trip, booked in Kathmandu
It has to be stressed that the amounts and leakage percentages of the calculations are estimations,
based on information on the internet, guide books, information from travel agencies in Kathmandu and
my own experience as a traveler and trekker in Nepal. Besides I used the examples given in
“Understanding Western Tourists in Developing Countries” by Van Egmond (3) as a guidance.
Pre-leakage is the part that doesn’t arrive in Nepal, like the airfare, overhead costs and profit of the
European touroperator. Leakage is the import aspect of tourism, like salaries paid to foreigners,
imported food, imported construction materials, etc. The net economic result is the result after
deduction of all the leakages, taxes and savings. This is the part of visitor expenditure that generates
economic activity within the local economy; it has a multiplier effect (3).
I made a distinction between the economic results for Nepal and for Dolpa District. In case of Dolpa,
imported means imported out of Dolpa. As with the current situation local people in Dolpa are hardly
participating in tourism, the economic results of tourism in Dolpa are extremely low.
Regarding the taxes and fees, there is no information about which part of the money paid in taxes and
fees to get into Dolpa is actually spent in Dolpa. As mentioned before, there is only an official return
system for the entrance of SPNP.
To make the results more comparable, I chose for the same trek for each type, the most popular trek;
the Dolpa Circuit. In case of a trek into Inner Dolpo, the price is a lot higher, but the differences
between the different types of tourists are the same. More money comes into the Treasury because of
the high fees, and more money will be paid to the agencies, as the trek is a lot longer. The money
which stays in Dolpa will only be slightly more.
From a dedicated adventurous tourist who pays € 2500 at the tour operator in Europe, only an
estimated € 42 gets to Dolpa. With a dedicated backpacker on a tent trek it’s more or less the same
amount. However if it’s a individual trekker, who uses a porter-guide from Dolpa and stays in
homestays and guesthouses, almost € 300 stays in Dolpa, almost 7 times more. Volunteers are an
interesting market, as they stay long and stay with a local family, whom they pay for accommodation
and food. From the calculations, you can conclude that the money that stays in Dolpa is almost 14

33
times more with volunteers than with regular trekkers. If the volunteer participates in a homestay trek
instead of a regular tenting trek, this amount will be even higher.
4.2 Sociocultural impacts
These are the impacts of tourism on local cultural traditions and values and on the social positions of
local people. Positive impacts of tourism are for example: revitalization of local/regional culture,
reinforcement of cultural awareness, opportunities for entrepreneurs, jobs and income, empowerment
of women.
Negative impacts of tourism are for example: irritation or antagonism, disruption of social structures
(the growing distinction between people who do benefit and don’t benefit from tourism, which is seen
by some experts as a source of ethnic and political tensions, particularly the Maoist revolt (4),
commercialization of culture and staging of authenticity.
It has to be taken into account that these impacts are difficult to assess. It is difficult to separate these
impacts of tourism from other influences, like watching tv, internet, radio (available in Dunai, district
Headquarter), traveling of local people themselves and globalization. (1). Up till now, socio cultural
impacts as a result of tourism are very low, due to the low number of tourists that come to Dolpo.
However, they are something to be taken into account. If the local population doesn’t really benefit
from tourism, people might get irritated by tourism more quickly.
According to Butler (1980), a destination goes through 6 different stages regarding the development in
tourism (4)
1. Exploration stage: the first tourists (pioneers) come and are hearty welcomed
2. Involvement stage: mostly individual travellers come, basic facilities are developed
3. Development stage: tourism is a big opportunity, external investors become involved and the
region is included in the programs of foreign tour operators. The indigenous population loses its
grip of the developments
4. Consolidation stage. No more rapid growth
5. Stagnation stage. No more growth, degradation of the area is noticed.
6. Next stage is depending on the area and the management: rejuvenation, declining growth,
stabilisation, degradation or rapid decline.
You can combine this model with the Irritation Index, or Irridex, developed by Doxey in 1985 (4). In the
exploration stage, tourists are warmly welcomed, there is euphoria towards the tourism. But when
more tourists come, euphoria changes into apathy, and worse into irritation and antagonism. Tourists
are looked upon as a walking wallet, instead of an interesting person to exchange ideas with.
This is not only influenced by the number of visitors, but also by the amount of control and influence
local people have. Besides it is influenced by the way tourists behave (do they respect local
costumes).
Despite the low visitor numbers, one can state that tourism in Dolpa is in the development stage of
Butlers model. Tourism development is directed at tenting treks, organized by companies in
Kathmandu and Pokhara. Local people are very much excluded from the tourism development, in
spite of the training programs they attended. Because of this the Dolpa people could score higher on
the Irridex than one might expect, regarding the low visitor numbers. Local people who benefit do have
a positive attitude (information Dolpo Institute), but no information is available about the people who
do not benefit. Research towards this is recommended.
It is obvious that volunteers and backpackers who stay in homestays and guesthouses bring the most
positive sociocultural benefits. Local people directly benefit, and interaction is big. There is a risk

34
however of social disruption, as some families do benefit and others don’t. Other risks are negative
cultural impacts due to to high level of interaction, like commercialization of culture. These risks have
to be taken into account.
4.3 Environmental impacts
Positive environmental impacts are: more money available for conservation because of money raised
by tourism and more attention for conservation because of the tourism interest.
Some negative environmental impacts which generally occur in mountainous areas are (1): littering of
trekking trails and surrounded areas with plastic, (toilet)paper, bottles, etc., the amount of waste
(biodegradable and non-biodegradable) is increasing, water pollution by unmanaged toilets, land-use
change; more land is used to build lodges, camp grounds, etc., increase of use of firewood for
cooking, heating, showering, etc
In Dolpa tourism numbers are still low, which means that environmental impacts are low as well.
Trekking groups use kerosene for cooking and showering is not possible. But Dolpa has a very fragile
ecosystem, so it is very important to monitor the impacts.
With the building of homestays and small lodges the impacts of course will become bigger. This
development has to be planned and monitored.
The environmental impact of volunteers will be little, but also depends on the information provided to
minimize the impacts.
4.4 Infrastructural development
Tourism can promote infrastructural development in remote areas like Dolpa, with the construction and
improvement of trails, bridges, roads, etc.
Besides tourists and/or (international) tourist agencies sometimes contribute to the building of schools,
hospitals, etc. (1). Unfortunately I don’t have information about the infrastructural development as a
result of tourism.
1. Kruk, Hummel and Banskota (2007) Facilitating Sustainable Mountain Tourism, Volume 1: Resource Book,
Kathmandu: Hill Side Press Ltd.
3. Van Egmond (2007) Understanding Western Tourists in Developing Countries, Wallingford: CABI.

35
5. Carrying Capacity of Dolpa
At the moment tourism numbers are very low and the carrying capacity of Dolpa doesn’t seem to be
very important. Many organisations just want to attract as many tourists to Dolpa as possible.
However, carrying capacity has to be taken into account while planning tourism, as it is the core of the
concept of sustainable tourism. The UNWTO defines carrying capacity as:
“the maximum number of people that may visit a tourist destination at the same time, without causing
destruction of the physical, economic and sociocultural environment and a unacceptable decrease in
the quality of the visitors’ satisfaction” (1).
There are different types of carrying capacity. “Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC)” is often used with
respect to carrying capacity (2).The carrying capacity or LAC is difficult to determine. Monitoring the
different aspects of it however, makes it possible to take measures when necessary and before it is
too late.
The physical or ecological carrying capacity refers to the maximum LAC without irreversibly damage
the area. It deals with effects of tourism on flora, fauna, soil, water, etc.
Economical carrying capacity deals with the number of people an area can absorb before the
economy is negatively affected, e.g. by price rises, scarcity, too much leakage, etc (1).
The social carrying capacity refers to the LAC in the social structure of the area. What makes this
difficult to assess, is that the local population is never a homogeneous group, but rather a collection of
people with different interests (2).
The cultural carrying capacity concerns the LAC in the culture of the host population. It cannot be
measured, as what is acceptable depends on the perspective of the observer.
However, the cultural carrying capacity is an aspect that is very vulnerable in Dolpa. The ancient
cultural traditions of Dolpa have been able to survive and thrive in a context of seclusion and isolation
and extremely limited interaction with the rest of Nepal and the world. Development influences the
foundations of culture and provides new challenges of adaptation. Tourism often accelerates that
process (3).
Psychological or perceptual carrying capacity means the lowest level of satisfaction the tourist is
willing to accept. Beyond that level, the LAC of the psychological carrying capacity are crossed.
Feelings of crowding is an important example, and has to be taken into account in Dolpa. As unspoilt,
authentic culture, is one of the attractions of Dolpa, too much tourism development could have a
negative effect on the perception of the tourists.
Besides the carrying capacity can be determined by practical factors. For example in Dolpa the
carrying capacity is determined as well by the amounts of flights to/from Juphal and to a lesser extend
the amount of flights to Jumla. The supply of tourism infrastructure should not exceed the amount of
tourists that can reach Dolpa per day/week. If the capacity of the airlines is lower than the carrying
capacity of Dolpa as discussed above, ways have to be studied to increase the accessibility of Dolpa.
For example by increase the capacity of the airlines. This should be clear before investing in tourism
infrastructure.
1. Kruk, Hummel and Banskota (2007) Facilitating Sustainable Mountain Tourism, Volume 1: Resource Book,
Kathmandu: Hill Side Press Ltd.

Strategy for sustainable tourism development in Dolpa

Strategy for sustainable tourism development in Dolpa

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