TOURISM BUREAUCRACY IN NEPAL: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF TREKKING AGENCY PERSPECTIVES ON ADMINISTRATIVE NAVIGATION AND PERMIT PROCESSES
Author
Shrestha, Sristika
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-10-16
Abstract
This thesis examines how trekking agencies in Nepal experience and manage the bureaucratic processes surrounding Restricted Area Permits (RAP), which are required for foreign visitors to access certain mountain regions and can only be obtained through licensed agencies. Recognising agencies as both commercial service providers and administrative intermediaries, the study explores how they navigate regulatory requirements, how experience and organisational setup shape these practices, and how they view digitalisation and regulatory reform. The research is a qualitative, theory-informed case study based on five semi-structured interviews with trekking agencies and documentary sources, analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Drawing on administrative burden research, the thesis introduces the concept of administrative navigation to capture how agencies learn, interpret, organise and respond to rules and procedures. The findings indicate that administrative burden is concentrated in becoming eligible to apply for RAPs and in learning how the system works, while routine applications are generally manageable. Agencies reduce burdens through practical experience, staff specialisation, professional networks and cooperation with partner agencies. Digitalisation is broadly welcomed, yet printed permits, payment arrangements, error correction and coordination among different authorities remain problematic. Newer agencies encounter greater difficulties in obtaining the necessary eligibility, but because age and size often coincide, these differences cannot be attributed to size alone. Participants call for clearer information and better inter-agency coordination rather than abolishing the permit system itself. Overall, the thesis extends administrative burden research to firms acting as intermediaries and offers an exploratory account of how administrative knowledge and access shape experiences of regulation within Nepal’s trekking tourism.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan nepalesiske trekkingbureauer oplever og håndterer de bureaukratiske processer omkring Restricted Area Permits (RAP), som er påkrævet for at udenlandske turister kan få adgang til bestemte bjergområder og kun kan opnås gennem autoriserede bureauer. Med udgangspunkt i, at bureauerne både er kommercielle tjenesteudbydere og administrative mellemled, fokuserer studiet på, hvordan de orienterer sig i kravene, hvordan erfaringer og organisering påvirker deres arbejde, og hvordan de vurderer digitalisering og mulige reformer. Afhandlingen er et kvalitativt, teoriinformeret casestudie baseret på fem semistrukturerede interviews med trekkingbureauer og skriftlige kilder, analyseret gennem refleksiv tematisk analyse. Med inspiration fra forskning i administrativ byrde introduceres begrebet administrativ navigation til at beskrive, hvordan bureauerne lærer, fortolker, håndterer og reagerer på regler og procedurer. Resultaterne viser, at den største byrde ligger i at blive kvalificeret til overhovedet at kunne ansøge om RAP og i at lære systemet at kende, mens rutineansøgninger opleves som mere håndterbare. Bureauerne reducerer byrderne gennem erfaring, medarbejderspecialisering, faglige netværk og samarbejde med partnerbureauer. Digitalisering opfattes overvejende positivt, men trykte tilladelser, betalingsordninger, fejlhåndtering og koordinering mellem myndighederne skaber fortsat udfordringer. Nyere bureauer har sværere ved at opnå den nødvendige godkendelse, men fordi alder og størrelse typisk følges ad, kan forskellene ikke entydigt tilskrives bureauets størrelse. Deltagerne efterlyser klarere information og bedre myndighedskoordinering frem for en afskaffelse af selve tilladelsessystemet. Afhandlingen udvider forskningen i administrativ byrde til virksomheder, der fungerer som mellemled, og giver et eksplorativt indblik i, hvordan administrativ viden og adgang former oplevelsen af regulering i Nepals trekkingturisme.
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Keywords