The trail aims to develop tourism to Bhutan and Afghanistan
KATHMANDU: The Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme was launched in the Solukhumbu district on the occasion of Everest Day and Solukhumbu Tourism Festival 2011 organised by Friendship Youth Club in association with District Development Committee and Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal yesterday.
With the aim of developing tourism in this region, Great
Himalaya Trail Development Programme along with the Young Star Club will work to build the capacity of the Tourism Development Committee within the District Development Committee.
Great Himalaya Trail Development Project through the Young Star Club organised a three-day capacity building training programme at Salleri for the members of Tourism Development sub-committee under District Development Committee as well as local stakeholders and other representatives of local communities.
TAAN in association with the festival organiser Friendship Youth Club and District Development Committee organised a half day interactive workshop on Potentiality of Tourism Development of Lower Solukhumbu: Importance, Problem and Challenges yesterday.
Minister of Physical Planning and Reconstruction Devi Khadka inaugurated the festival attended the festival were Chief District Officer, Local Development Officer, local leaders of the political parties, Board Member and Director of Nepal Tourism Board, first vice president of TAAN, representative from Nepal Mountaineering Association and other various tourism organisations as well as other dignitaries were present during the inaugural of the fourth International Everest Day and Solukhumbu Tourism Festival 2011.
“Tourism in Solukhumbu is currently primarily confined to Khumbu region, which covers only three VDCs — Chaurikharka, Namche and Khumjung — out of 34 VDCs of the district,” Bachchu Naryan Shrestha, firts vice president of TAAN said, adding that besides the Khumbu region, lower Solukhumbu has incredible potential for tourism.
Lower Solukhumbu is extremely rich in its heritage as it a melting pot of Sherpa, Rai, and Tamang cultures. Each of these ethnic groups has their own traditional customs, festivals, dresses, languages and cultures.
“The Lower Solukhumbu region also offers breathtaking views and if new trails were established it would have the prospect of attracting many tourists,” he added.
The lower belt of Solu has remained far behind for a variety of reasons- including limited opportunities for education, lack of employment opportunities, migration to other areas and relative economic isolation from the upper belt due to inaccessibility. Due to lack of accessibility, people in the lower belt are deprived of getting opportunities to share the benefits from the tourism from the upper belt which is the major source of local income in this entire mountain region.
The Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme will accelerate tourism development in the lower Solukhumbu region, raising the profile of the area as an exciting trekking destination, while also providing vocational training to local communities and support for local businesses. “Tourism will stimulate job creation and income generating as well as infrastructure development and improved health services for local people,” he said.
SNV is supporting Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Tourism Board, the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal and other stakeholders to implement the Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme in Dolpo, Gorkha, Humla, Solukhumbu and Taplejung. It will work towards harnessing tourism with a market-led approach to improve livelihoods and bring
sustainable development opportunities to remote and poor communities through the creation of an iconic and globally significant new tourism product for Nepal.
Source: www.thehimalayantimes.com
