Abstract
This report is prepared for the internal communication of Eco himal and it is the outcome of the field visit to Langtang area. It describes about the activities of TRPAP in Langtang region. A team from Eco Himal visited the Langtang region, following the five days Rural Tourism Management Workshop. The purpose of the visit was to observe the activities of TRPAP in Rasuwa district, particularly the Community Lodge management in Gatlang, Home stay program in Bridim and the hot spring management of Tatopani which are relevant to Eco Himal as these program are similar to the activities of RETP in Dolakha and Sindhupalchoak district.
During the field trip the team observed the landscape of Langtang area, tourism resources and tourism and non-tourism infrastructures built by GoN, and I/NGOs in the areas. It had meetings and discussion with TRPAP field staff, Community Organizations, Functional Groups, local political representatives, private teashops and hotel owners, Sustainable Village Tourism Development Committee, local guides, women groups, Micro entrepreneurs (Hotel and teashop owners, handicraft producers).
A community lodge in Gatlang, Home stay program in Bridim and hot spring management in Tatopani were observed. Various issues such as institutional mechanism, training and technology, social, gender and culture issues, energy and environment issues and contribution of the Lodge, Hot spring and home stay in local economy were carefully analyzed.
The team concluded that the TRPAP intervention in the Langtang, has been able to change the lifestyle of the local community. Slowly local people are adopting with the market economy from traditional agro-based economy through the tourism management. It was observed that local people, particularly women were trying hard and using the skills they have to provide the services to the visitors and in many cases they were benefiting from the program. However, there is much to be done in ecological restoration and landscape planning of the area and the communication skills of the villager, which are very important issues in the tourism management.
1. Context/Background
Following the 5 day Workshop on Sustainable Rural Tourism Management from May 22 to May27, 2007, the team (Phinjo, Eak Narayan, Rameswar, Govinda., Jaganath,and Nima Chhring ) got itself self oriented with the activities of TRPAP and left Kathmandu on 28 of May ,2007, 7.00 hours and arrived at Gatlang village at 6 pm in the evening.
On May 29, 2007 at 8 am in the morning the team left Gatlang and headed to Tatopani to observe the hot spring management. The team reached Tatopani at 4 pm in the evening and stayed overnight there. On April 30, early in the morning, the team headed for Bridim and reached there in the evening .The team spent the overnight in Bridhim . On May 1, 2007 the team returned back from the trip to Kathmandu and arrived at 7 pm in the evening.
The team observed the landscape, tourism resources and tourism and non-tourism infrastructures built by GoN, and I/NGOs in the visited areas. It had meetings and discussion with TRPAP field staff, COs, functional groups, local political representatives, private teashops and hotel owners, SVTDC, Local guides, Women groups, Micro entrepreneurs (Hotel and teashop owners, handicraft producers) in the visited area.
1.1. Purpose of Field Trip
The general objective of the field trip was to observe the activities of TRPAP in Rasuwa district, relevance to the activities of RETP in Gaurishankar region.
1.2. RETP ,TRPAP and Rationale for Visit
RETP has been working in the region for more than a decade, building eco tourism related infrastructure such as Eco lodges, Campsites, trail and bridge improvement, Drinking water scheme and construction of toilets in the trekking route. It has also contributed in the human capacity development through various skill development trainings related to tourism management. Currently, the project is in the final stage and Eco-himal aims to strengthen the capacity of the communities at the grassroots level to choose, plan and manage Eco- tourism in the Gaurishankar area themselves according to their needs and visitors satisfaction without depleting the mountain resources. Similarly, situated in the central Himalayan region, Langtang region is the most assessable region from Kathmandu where TRPAP has pilot projects such as Community Lodge and home stay program which are similar to the programs of RETP. In this context the visit of the Langtang region was an attempt to build insights of the project staff to transfer the knowledge and skills of tourism management at the grassroots level organizations in Gaurishankar region, to manage the lodges and campsites successfully after the phase-out of the project.
2. Visited Areas
- Community Lodge management in Gatlang
· Hot Spring Management in Bremdang
- Home Stay Management in Bridim
2.1. Community Lodge Management in Gatlang
2.1.1. Setting
Gotlang is a clustered hamlet, with 273 house holds adjoined to each other, with the population of 1365 mostly with Tamangs inhabitants. Majority of the livelihood of the households depends on subsistence farming. The major crops grown in the village are barley, maize, potato, beans. Hardly 20 percent of the total households have enough food for throughout the year. Like other settlements, the population of the productive age has migrated seasonally to Sabrubesi, Dhunche, Katmandu, Malaysia and Gulf countries to earn money to feed themselves and the family. The village consists of other institutions such as lower secondary school, health post, Sustainable Village Tourism Management Committee and various other functional groups. The major organizations contributing in the development of Gatlang were TRPAP, USC-Canada, Practical Action, Search Nepal, DDC and VDC .
TRPAP has been working in the field of tourism development, in the area since 2001. The Major achievement of TRPAP in Gatlang is the construction and management of multipurpose community lodge.
2.1.2. General Structure of the Lodge
The Community Lodge construction was completed in 2005 with the cost of 1600000(aprox). On the ground floor, it has two rooms, one is the office of STDC where as another is a meeting/training hall. On the first floor it has 2 bed rooms with a bath room, kitchen and a dining hall. The two bed rooms can accommodate about 30 visitors and the bedrooms were well facilitated comfortable double bed mattresses, bed sheets and quills. However, the dining hall was much smaller in comparison with the bedrooms. There was little furniture in the dining hall. The team made enquiry about the size of the dining hall. The Secretary of the Lodge Management Committee reported that they are thinking to shift the dining hall to the meeting hall in the ground floor, where the room has enough space and furniture like that of the dining hall of the Eco lodges in the Gaurishankar Area. Similarly, there was only one bathroom and no wash basin outside the bathroom .It is likely that one bathroom will not be enough if the number of tourists is more than 8 per night. There is a beautiful balcony in the first floor for resting and making a telephone call. There is a regular telephone service in the lodge which belongs to the lessee of the lodge Mr. Vikash Tamang.
2.1.3. Institutional Mechanism for Lodge Management
The Village has a Sustainable Tourism Development Committee (STDC) consists of 15 members. The STDC has a sub committee called Lodge Management Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chair man of STDC. STDC also makes forward linkages through Sustainable Tourism Development Unit at District level. The Lodge Management Committee leases the lodge on the basis of tender. Currently, Vikash Tamang is the lease holder of the lodge. He has to pay rupees 10606 to the Lodge Management Committee in two installment, just after the end of each tourist season. There is a clear-cut provision that the maintenance of the lodge in the leased period should be done by the lease holder himself. Previously, two caretakers were hired for the management of the lodge. However, the lodge did not functional well so, they shifted the community management system to lease model.
2.1.4. Training and Technology Issues
TRPAP provided Lodge Management Training to the villagers. There were also provided training on cook and bakery, Tourism Awareness etc. Similarly local indigenous technology was well adopted while constructing the lodge. For example the roofing of the lodge and the wood carving of the windows are based on local indigenous technology. Similarly, local dishes like Tibetan bread, Dhido and Sishnu, local wine were also refined and adopted in the menu.
2.1.5. Social, Gender and Cultural Issues
Gotlang is a homogenous community with the majority of inhabitants of Tamangs. However, there are few households of Blacksmiths in the hamlet. The area where Blacksmith live is commonly known as Aran Tole. The Blacksmith of Gatlang dressed like their Tamang neighbors. One Blacksmith was a member in the Lodge Management Committee. Similarly, there is also a women representative in the Lodge Management Committee, who is also from the down trodden caste Blacksmith. Likewise, the kitchen equipments used in the lodge represented the local culturally used equipments. The local handcrafts such as Tibetan caps, belts, bags were decorated in the dining hall. There is a separate cultural group in the village, which performs cultural program to the visitors. Cultural program is a good source of income for lodges the local artists.
2.1.6. Energy and Environment Issues
The Solar home System was the main source of energy for lighting the room. Similarly, Solar Heating System is used for heating water. LPG gas is used for cooking. The doors of bedrooms were north faced with balcony in between. If they were south-east faced, than there would have been lighter and heat in the room during the cold winter.
Regarding the environmental issues, dust bins, incinerator was built to burn dust and papers. There was toilet near the incinerator. However, it was not in use. Similarly, the toilet and the kitchen were much closed to each other. It would have been better, if the toilets built outside were properly utilized rather than making a traffic jam over a toilet which is very close to the kitchen. As observed, there was no problem in the sewage system of the lodge
Nationalities
|
Nepali
|
Japanese
|
German
|
Canadian
|
Others
|
Total
|
Number of visitors
|
36
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
8
|
68
|
Percentage
|
52.9
|
17.6
|
8.8
|
8.8
|
11.7
|
100
|
(Source: Visitors Record, Gatlang Community Lodge,April 2007)
Fig .1.Status of Visitors in the Lodge (Janaury 1 to April 30 ,2007)
2.1.7. Contribution of the Lodge in Local Economy
According to Vikash Tamang, the lease holder of the lodge, the Nepalese visitors traveling in the area, want to enjoy local chicken and Raksi where they stay at night. Average spending per group is about rupees 3000 per night, which is very much higher than a free individual foreign visitor, whose average spending per night is about rupees 1000.Moreover, majority of domestic tourists order same food for everybody, which actually saves time and cooking fuel, where as majority foreign tourists order various items according to their personal taste and pay for it, but is consuming more time and cooking fuel. The consumption of local chicken, local wine and local vegetables in Gatlang is certainly pulling the local farmers in cash economy. Similarly, other foreign tourists also enjoy local food, local handicrafts, which they usually take as a souvenir to their home country. The local handicrafts such as caps, belts bags woolen mats are kept in the lodge for sale. The visitors coming to the lodge buy them as a souvenir (For example the team member Narayan Dhakal bought cap in Rupees 350 as a souvenir of Gatlang). So the lodge has contributed directly and indirectly in the local economy.
2.2. Hot Spring Management in Tatopani
2.2.1. Setting
Tatopani is located at 3 hours walk from the catchments of Chilime Hydro power plant. It is also a typical Tamang hamlet with few households. The specialty of this hamlet is that it has a hot spring source where thousands of domestic tourists travel every year for taking shower in the hot spring. From the ancient time people in various parts of the world have been taking bath in natural hot spring as it is believed that one who takes bath in hot spring will get rid of skin diseases and rheumatism. Usually the month of April and November are considered as favorable months for taking bath in the hot spring.
2.2.2. Management of Hot Spring.
The Hot spring Management Committee is responsible for managing the hot spring in Tatopani. The committee charges rupees 10 for each Nepali and rupees 50 for each foreigners to take bath in the hot spring. TRPAP constructed two pools and taps to manage the hot water. The tap for natural spring water and public toilet were also constructed. However, they are not functioning well. The team made enquiry about the natural spring water tap. The local people replied that there is a dispute in using the water in the locality. Similarly the public toilet was very dirty and it was not functioning well as there was no water supply.
2.2.3. Contribution of Hot Spring to Local Economy
There is no exact data on the number of travelers to the hot spring per year. According to the local people the number of visitors in the month of April and November is very high as these months are considered as sacred months for taking bath. The visitors are usually well off people from the urban centers and neighboring districts and VDCs. The team found out that at least three lodges were running properly through out the whole season. One new lodge is under construction. As the number of visitors increased, the demand for local production such as chicken, vegetables and hard cheese increased for the consumption. This indeed contributed in the household income in the village.
2.3. Home Stay Program in Bridim
2.3.1. Setting
Bridim is a beautiful hamlet located in the north east of Sabrubesi located at 3 and half hours walk from Sabrubesi. The majority of the people living in Bridim are Tamangs , whose spoken language is similar to Tibetan Language .The total household in the village is 36 ,and the village comprise of ward number 2,3 and 4. Similar to other settlements, the majority of the people living in the village depend on subsistence farming. The major crops grown in the village are Barley, maize, potato, beans. Hardly 20 percent of the total households have enough food for throughout the year. Evidence indicate that as many as 60-70 percent of young people from this region migrate annually to seek jobs. The village consists of Health post, Gompa. The only primary school is located in Gongdang. Literacy rate are relatively low among the large majority of people living in the village .(For example ,the husband and wife of the household where we stayed were illiterate and our team member Govinda had to prepared all the bills which they had to submit in the Home stay management committee). The house owner and the home stay manager reported that there were only three people in the village who could pass SLC.
2.3.2. Institutional Mechanism Home Stay Program in Bridim
Bridim Home stay Tourism Management Committee, a sub committee of Sustainable Tourism Development Committee is responsible institution for the management of Home stay in the village .The committee consists of 12 members including 2 women representatives. The Committee has a hall of its own which is a multipurpose block and usually the guests are received and escorted to their households by the house owners. The committee has a home stay manager, who is of middle age and he is paid by TRPAP for his service in the village. Among 37 households, 10 households have not taken part in the program. The manager reported that they didn't take part in the program because some of them were economically weak that they did not have time prepare separate bedrooms for the tourists. However, some of the wells off households' dint take part in the program because they did not like it, instead they have built their own private lodge. The Chairman of the committee has his own lodge as well as home stay program in his house. The households who took part in the program were provided loan of rupees six thousand for the decoration of rooms, kitchen equipments and bedding materials, by TRPAP through District Development Committee. The manager reported that most of them have already repaid the loan that they have taken.
The community hot shower in the village was not functioning at all. Moreover ,it's design and construction was not harmonized with the traditional architecture and is visually polluting in the beautiful landscape of the entire village
2.3.3. Status of visitors in Bridim
The committee has prepared a routine for the households to receive visitors. A household can host maximum of two visitors per night. The official log of visitors in the reception room showed that 90 visitors traveled Bridim in the year 2063(April2006 to April 2007). However, the local people were not very much interested in hosting domestic tourists as they still have misconception that white color westerners are only the tourists.
2.3.4. Contribution of Home stays Program in Local economy
As the flow of visitors is increasing, the economic activities are also increasing in the village. The visitors always want to enjoy local foods like chicken, vegetables and local dishes .So home stay program is an important opportunity to convert local food products, and handicrafts in cash income. However, the home stay program is still in the starting phase and they still have a long l way to go, particularly in health and hygiene and communication with the visitors. One of the team members Mr.Nima Chhring Tamang , who is from Sabrubesi reported that the village has changed a lot in comparison with five years ago. He reported that the people are learning and trying hard to convert their service into cash income, which will going to an important off farm income in the future.
3. General Comment
a) The community Lodge in a multipurpose block in Gatlang is a good model, to show how a community building can be a centre of various activities related to tourism that can bring direct benefits to the local community and contribute to the local economy of an isolated region. In order to function well it would be better, to run a small shop in the lodge where the tourists can buy things like boiled water and dry packed food that are essential for the travelers. It would have been better, if the toilets built outside were completed and properly utilized rather than making a traffic jam over a toilet which is very close to the kitchen. The dining hall seemed much smaller in comparison with the two big bedrooms which can accommodate about 25 guests at a time. The doors of the bedrooms were faced towards north to the corridor If they were faced towards southeast, than there would have been much sun light and heat in the room during the cold winter.
b) Hot Spring is an important product for Pilgrimage and Health Tourism from the time immoral. It has direct as well as spill over effect to the local economy of the village. However, there is much to be done in ecological restoration, the awareness of personal health and hygiene as well as garbage management in the area. The basic infrastructures such as public toilet, fresh water tap were not in function. There is an urgent need of dress changing room for men and women separately.
c) Home stay program is unique and can become an important new product to attract tourists besides trekking in the Langtang region in the future. However, there are still many things to be done such as the restoration of ecology and landscape management of the village, improvement in the hygienic standard of the household, improvement in the personal health of people and improvement in the communication skills of the people.
4. Lesson Learned
a) The experiences of Gatlang showed that, the lease model of Lodge management worked much better than community model of lodge management..
b) Incorporation of indigenous knowledge and indigenous technology with modern scientific knowledge and technology is very much essential in the success of any type of development intervention including tourism management.
c) The networking with the various stakeholders, of tourism particularly with local bodies (VDC/DDC) and government policy and program is essential for sharing risks and benefits.
d) The experiences of TRPAP showed that a clear cut institutional mechanism harmonizing with government policy and programs is essential for the well functioning of the program.
e) Personal health and sanitation, effective communication, publicity and accessibility are important factors that influence the guests' decision to visit an area and amount of investment for the service provided.
5. Conclusion
From the visit it is concluded that, the TRPAP intervention in the Langtang, has been able to change the lifestyle of the local community. Slowly local people are adopting with the market economy from traditional agro-based economy through the tourism management. It was observed that local people, particularly women were trying hard and using the skills they have to provide the services to the visitors and in many cases they were benefiting from the program. For example, the loan for the home stay management was provided to women only in Bridim. However, there is much to be done in ecological restoration and landscape planning of the area and personal health and hygiene and the communication skills of the villagers, which are very important issues in the tourism management.
Rameswar Khadka, May 26, 2007
Project Leader,
Rolwaling Eco-tourism Development Project (RETP),Charikot Dolakha
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