A case study of Kharikhola, Nepal
Translated title
Stakeholders' perspective on rural community-based tourism development and poverty alleviation
Author
Rolsted, Sabina
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2014
Submitted on
2014-06-02
Pages
143
Abstract
This thesis examines how stakeholders in the Nepalese village of Kharikhola perceive community-based tourism (CBT) as a pathway to poverty alleviation and what roles different actors play in local development. Drawing on a literature review of tourism, poverty reduction and collaboration theory, and guided by Zhao & Ritchie’s (2007) conceptual framework, the study uses a qualitative case study with 20 interviews to explore the relationship between CBT and poverty alleviation and stakeholders’ involvement. In Nepal, tourism is economically significant, yet benefits are concentrated in a limited “tourism triangle,” leaving rural areas like Kharikhola comparatively bypassed amid ongoing governance challenges. The findings indicate that CBT contributes meaningfully to community development but, on its own, does not reduce poverty as rapidly as anticipated; more effective coordination and partnerships across local communities, government, private sector, civil society, NGOs and tourists are seen as necessary to enhance poverty-reduction outcomes.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan interessenter i den nepalesiske landsby Kharikhola opfatter lokalsamfundsbaseret turisme (CBT) som et middel til fattigdomsreduktion, og hvilke roller de forskellige aktører spiller i udviklingen. Med afsæt i et litteraturreview om turisme, fattigdomsbekæmpelse og samarbejdsteori samt den konceptuelle ramme af Zhao & Ritchie (2007), gennemfører studiet et kvalitativt casestudie baseret på 20 interviews for at afdække relationen mellem CBT og fattigdomsafhjælpning samt aktørernes involvering. I Nepals kontekst er turisme økonomisk betydningsfuld, men gevinsterne er ofte koncentreret i et begrænset “turismetrekant,” mens landdistrikter som Kharikhola i højere grad forbigås, og politiske samt styringsmæssige udfordringer består. Fundene peger på, at CBT har en væsentlig rolle i lokalsamfundsudvikling, men alene ikke reducerer fattigdom i det tempo, mange forventer; mere effektiv koordinering og partnerskaber på tværs af lokalsamfund, myndigheder, private aktører, civilsamfund, NGO’er og turister vurderes nødvendig for at øge den fattigdomsreducerende effekt.
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