Nepal is one of the most hazard-prone countries in the world. This is due to its location in a high-intensity earthquake zone and extreme topography. The risk profile is known with relative accuracy and so is the fact that rural communities are considerably more vulnerable than the urban population.
Based on research in other hazard-exposed destinations around the world, tourists were probably not fully aware of the risks involved in travelling to Nepal. Yet the tourism industry will also be critical to Nepal’s economic recovery. When thinking about the future of Nepal and its tourism industry, there are several dimensions to consider.
In Brief- Based on the Nepalese Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation’s tourism statistics, about 23,000 visitors would have been in the country on April 25, 2015.
- The World Travel and Tourism Council reports that the industry contributed 8.9% to Nepal’s GDP in 2014, supporting 1.1 million jobs.
- Before the earthquake, Nepal was the 26th-fastest-growing tourism economy out of 188 countries.
- Read the original article on The Conversation
- Discuss issues and possible solutions in the Nepal Tourism Recovery Facebook Group
- Learn about one innovative approach supported by a tourism company in India.
