Economic impacts of tourism in the mountain settlements

Tourism is usually considered as a tool to provide social and economic benefits to local communities in the tourist destinations. Ecotourism as a subset of sustainable tourism is extensively advocated as an alternative strategy for community development in the mountain settlements. In this regard, this research adopted exploratory and descriptive approach to investigate the perceived economic impacts of ecotourism in the local communities of Everest region in Nepal. It considers settlements around Everest Trail as a case to critically examine the dynamics of tourism development and its impacts on local residents both residing along the major trail(MT) and off the trail(OT). Multiple methods of data collection such as questionnaire survey with households, key informants interview, participant observation, informal discussion with local entrepreneurs and residents, and archival research have been conducted. Research findings demonstrated that ecotourism has provided widespread socio- economic benefits to local people, but in a varying degree. It has not only provided local economic opportunities but also created challenges to promote equitable community development. More specifically, tourism has become an advantage for a specific group of people living along the major trails (MT) such as tourism entrepreneurs and trekking and mountaineering employees, while the other group of people such as farmers, labors, and low-wage employees who usually reside in OT or in the peripheral region receive limited benefits, but largely affected by the tourism-induced inflation. It explicitly suggests that tourism benefits are largely accrued to residents in MT and not distributed equitably between the residents of MT and OT. In addition, there seem economic leakages, poor integration of local products into tourism system and high inflation. It suggests adopting a comprehensive tourism planning approach that considers inclusive participation of local people, both from MT and OT, in the decision-making process and sharing of tourism benefits as well as for reducing economic leakages and strengthening its linkages.