A Contribution to the International Year of Mountains 2002 by the
Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research, Zurich, Switzerland in collaboration with the
Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) University of Bern, Switzerland.
Based on extensive field work and years of personal experience, the authors discuss the development of tourism in the Great Himalaya of Nepal from the early days of mountaineering to present-day trekking. Tourism and its potentials, drawbacks, and risks are illustrated vvith a focus on the Khumbu/Everest and Annapurna regions, the most popular mountain destinations in the country. The themes addressed include: growth and expansion of mountain tourism; employment and income generation; wealth, poverty, and livelihood as reflected in statistics and personal accounts by local people; the revival of trade with Tibet; tourism and the role of women; the crucial role played by institutions, policies and political stability; and environmental issues such as forest degradation, garbage management, and trail damage. With its numerous illustrations, text boxes and quotes, the book is intended for a broad readership of policy- and decision-makers in tourism and developrnent, scholars, and tourists and mountaineers who take an interest in mountain development in the Great Himalaya and elsewhere.