Tourism and Remote Mountain Settlements: Spatial and Temporal Development of Tourist Infrastructure in the Mt Everest Region, Nepal

Abstract

More than three decades of tourism in the remote mountain communities of the Everest region in the Nepalese Himalaya have transformed the shape, size and functions of traditional human settlements. Tourism-induced demands for accommodation have not only resulted in significant housing constructions, but traditional family dwellings have been converted into modern tourist accommodations as well. The growth of settlements and housing styles follow a pattern dictated by the mobility of tourists and their needs rather than the traditional functions of a rural settlement. Five major types of settlement, defined by their development stages, size and function, can be identified. These settlements have gone through several transitions, for example, from a herding village to seasonal tourist centres and into permanent settlements. This paper discusses the spatial and temporal effects of tourism on settlement development patterns and processes in the Everest region of Nepal. It contributes to the understanding of settlement development stages, progression through various transitions, factors that contribute to such transitions and corresponding changes in functional characteristics of individual settlements. It concludes that in-depth examination of rural settlements' development processes is crucial in understanding their dynamic nature, and in developing strategies for their planned development.

An Exploratory Assessment of Significant Tourism Sustainability Indicators for a Montane-Based Route in the Drakensberg Mountains

“…In mountain environments, the importance of a pro-poor approach to tourism has been extensively emphasised in many parts of the world. In the Nepalese mountains, tourism has managed to transform the livelihoods of some Sherpa villagers when they started to actively participate in the mountain tourism business activities [88]. Recent evidence from Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania also shows that tourism is starting to improve the livelihoods of a few villagers who have managed to actively participate in the tourism activities.…”

“…Studies carried out in Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya and the Nepal confirmed that tourist activities are associated with the introduction of invasive plants and in some cases pollution of water which encourages the growth of some invasive plants [86]. One can therefore conclude that the environmental impacts of tourism along the Maluti Route are still limited, although it is imperative that the indicators are closely monitored.…”

Transport Infrastructure and Social Inclusion: A Case Study of Tourism in the Region of Gilgit-Baltistan

“…Tourism in the mountain communities of Nepal has transformed the functions of traditional human settlements since Nepal opened its borders in the1950s (Nepal, 2005). As one illustration of this, the Nepali census in 1981 shows that 97% of the population was dependent on agriculture.…”

“…Harrison (2001) argues that improved roads and other infrastructure have provided easy access and attracted international tourists. Tourist inflow has replaced traditional trade practices, subsistence farming and animal husbandry with tourism-based economies (Espiner, Stewart, & Lama, 2017;Nepal, 2005). With an increase in numbers of international tourists, rural communities in Nepal diversified agricultural produce and are now growing more cash crops keeping in mind the taste of tourists.…”

Traditions and Trends: A Review of Geographical Scholarship in Tourism

“…The scale of human impact has grown exponentially and all over the world, extending from land to water and air, and in remote and polar regions. Tourism geographers have kept pace with this as they have studied, more recently, human impacts on natural environments (Butler and Boyd 2000), marine environments (Stewart and Draper 2006), remote (Nepal 2000(Nepal , 2005 and polar regions (Hall and Johnston 1995). Pearce (1979) provided an early overview of tourism impact studies conducted by geographers.…”