Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

Source: adapted from ICIMOD 2009
Figure 1: HKH regional map
showing important
biodiversity sites
2 Ecotourism-context of
Nepal 15
Nepal’s combination of
Geoffrey Winthrop Young
world class cultural <strong>and</strong>
natural tourism attractions is well suited for international tourism, establishing
tourism as a major contributor to Nepal’s economy. Nepal is a l<strong>and</strong> of great
contrast; both in terms of l<strong>and</strong>scape <strong>and</strong> its people. This is the place where
two civilizations, Indic <strong>and</strong> Sinic; two religions, Hinduism <strong>and</strong> Buddhism; <strong>and</strong>
two races, Caucasian <strong>and</strong> Mongoloid merge <strong>and</strong> making it a very special place
for people interested in religions, cultures, l<strong>and</strong>scapes <strong>and</strong> history. Government
<strong>and</strong> the tourism industry have responded to problems in the sector by
creating the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) as a public/private sector partnership
15 The information presented here is adapted from the ‘National Ecotourism Strategy
<strong>and</strong> Marketing Programme of Nepal 2004’. Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme
Tourist Service Centre, Bhrikuti M<strong>and</strong>ap, Kathm<strong>and</strong>u.
126
There is much comfort in high hills
<strong>and</strong> a great easing of heart.
We look upon them, <strong>and</strong> our nature fills
with loftier images from their life apart.
They set our feet on curves of freedom bent
to snap the circles of our discontent.