Gajendra Bahadur Jung Chettri
From the time of Vedic Sanatana Dharma , Nepal has been the land where Gods and mortals came to desire peace, tranquility and Moksha / Nirvana. This land has been called by different names in different ‘yugas’ or periods from the time humans started speaking and writing. The desire to achieve the ultimate whether in your life time or during the span of it has always been the key for the emancipation, realization and development of human mind. Nepal has maintained that panache of attracting the modern human for the mind body and soul emancipation till today. This mystical attraction is what attracts people to this land and makes it one of the best touristic countries to visit in this world today for that complete all round experience.
Since the opening up of Nepal, from the time the first road was built in this country in 1950 that connected it to it’s southern neighbor, India, Nepal has not looked back. The extra ordinary growth of tourism not only in Nepal but the whole world as a whole in the last 50 years has been phenomenal. Nepal itself with its up and downs has maintained its status as a major tourism destination. Major political upheavals and unrests have not deterred this country in maintaining its “status quo”.One of the major factors in maintaining this “status quo” has been the assets available to this country which literally speaking is “God” given. From the highest range of mountains “The Himalayas” in the world, to the dense forests and perennial rivers this country is truly blessed. This great and unique diversity has thus given her this many attractions. Trekking and adventure activities, religion and cultural sites, nature and recreation activities and lately the seriousness shown towards conservation and wildlife preservation is promoting value added tourism to Nepal. This has been greatly appreciated, admired and encouraged by one and all who visit this fascinating land-“Nepal”, termed as “Amazon of Asia”. As such it is a paradise not only for the normal tourist but also a major destination for the special class of the tourist to fulfill their special interest. Comprising of rare flower , orchids and birds to endangered one horned rhino, Bengal tiger and the fresh water dolphins a few reasons to visit this “Shangrila”.
Nepal after creating a niche market in the international arena of the tourism world has helped it immensely to establish itself as a itself popular hub of regional tourist destination in our part of the world. This fascinating land of cultures and immense natural beauty has helped it to attract the tourists from our huge neighbors in the north and south with equal numbers to match. These two fastest growing economies in the world, with the fastest GDP growth will give a rocket like boost to give tourism a huge and positive impact in the future years to come and help Nepal’s growth to a prosperous nation. They will give us the numbers and all we have to do is to create the value and the benefits thus accrued to trickle down to the very grass root level for all to benefit. Thus, making tourism such a powerful factor in the social, cultural, and an economical development tool in the all round development of Nepal in the years to come.
Finally, the politicians, the planness and the media have to realize this hugely beneficial aspect of tourism and ensure to work accordingly. This overall impact thus generated by the tourism phenomena has to be kept in mind. Modern tourism not only connects, it revitalizes and develops not only the nation to nation, people to people and culture to culture but it is also considered one of the best form of modern all round universal education that creates and helps to build a global citizen, towards making this “Planet Earth” a planet for peace, prosperity, progress and happiness for all.
