Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Education

Tourism, Employment Generation and Foreign Exchange Earnings in Nepal

Kumar Bhattarai — 2021-07-04

An activity of travelling has remained one of the leading contributors of global economic activities, particularly, in employment generation and foreign exchange earnings. With the 56-folds growth of international tourist arrivals from 1950 to 2018 globally, Nepalese tourism industry is widening its scope for employment generation and foreign exchange earnings. The aim of this study is to analyze role of tourism on employment generation and foreign exchange earnings in Nepal. For this, a descriptive study design was employed. Analysis was done by using secondary data of the period 2010-2019. Number of tourist arrival in 2019 (1,197,191) was found nearby double compared to the 2010 (602,867), however, the status of average length of stay remained almost same within this period. Data show, on average, that most of the tourists had visited Nepal for holiday celebration (58.6%), followed by trekking and mountaineering (11.2%) and pilgrimage (11.4%). Average annual share of tourism earnings on total export earnings in 2010-2018 was 21.7% whereas share of tourism earnings on total foreign exchange earnings was 6.2%. It is estimated that every 6 tourists visited create 1 employment opportunity in Nepal. Despite the situation of almost double in number of tourist arrival from 2010 to 2019, this study concludes that there was no significant increase in the share of tourism in total foreign exchange earnings and total employment in Nepal.

Ecotourism in Ghoda Ghodi Wetland Sukhad, Kailali, Nepal

Dipak Khadka — 2021-07-04

Tourism is the act of spending time away from home. Nepal has remained an exotic tourist location for several decades, and wetlands are among the major areas of tourism in Nepal. Located in the far-western Tarai of Nepal, Ghoda Ghodi Lake is among the major wetlands in terms of both biodiversity and tourism. This study has assessed the ecotourism status in Ghoda Ghodi Lake of Nepal and to understand the current condition and possible inferences. A total of 40 households were surveyed, and 80 visitors were interviewed for collecting primary data. Most of the respondent visitors have visited wetlands more than five times. It is important to point out that fifty percent of the respondent visitors have visited the wetland for natural purposes indicating that the naturalness of the wetland has more capacity to attract tourists. Visitors perceived to enhance economic activities and increase employment opportunities to attract locals to promote ecotourism. The local people were engaged in homestay earning around NRs 2 to 4 lakh per year as well most of the local respondents (50%) were participating in tourism promotion activities.

The Effects and Challenges of COVID-19 in the Hospitality and Tourism Sector in India

Prakash Gautam — 2021-07-04

The hospitality and tourism sector is considered the backbone for economicgrowth, especially in developing countries. However, this thriving sector is particularly vulnerable to naturaland human-made disasters. This study assesses the impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-2019) pandemic in India’s hospitality and tourism sector by addressing essential aspects such as current conditions and challenges as well as future perspectives. The secondary research methodology has been applied for the research. For data collection, the secondary data has been collected through literature, journal articles, government documents, etc. The research findings show that COVID-19 in India has significantly affected the hospitality and tourism sector. Global and domestic tourists have canceled their programs to visit the natural, historical, religious, and cultural sites. The flight tickets and the hotel reservations have been canceled. A significant number of workers in the sector have lost their jobs. This pandemic has affected the economy of the country as well as the well-being of the individuals to a large extent. As the intensification of the COVID-19 is being thought to cause a long-term impact, this study could be relevant to the decision-makers in regards to the crucial task of reviving the sector.

Tourism Potential of Plants Species Used for the Treatment of Malaria and Typhoid Fever in Omo Forest Reserve Southwest Nigeria

Francis Okosodo — 2021-07-04

This research study was carried out to investigate medicinal plant species that is used to treat malaria and typhoid fever and to provide information on the tourism potentials of these plants species in Omo forest reserve southwest Nigeria. The study area was divided into two compartments for the purpose of this research work, undisturbed forest and secondary forest compartments. Data was collected using field surveys and visiting traditional medicine homes for parts the used for the treatment of malaria and typhoid fever. Field trips were embarked upon for three months from July to September 2020 for medicinal plant species identification. The researchers were accompanied by a field assistant who can identify the plant species in local languages.. The computer PAST Model version 3 was used to analyze plant species diversity indices. The result obtained from the study shown that the study area is rich in plant species that are used to treat malaria and typhoid fever in southwest Nigeria. In all, a total of 81 plant species belonging to 42 families were recorded in the study area with great tourism potential when a sustainable management is set up. The family Asteraceae has a plant diversity of 6 and this is followed by Rubiaceae and Solanaceae family’s which have five (5) each Figure 2. The diversity index was higher in the undisturbed compartment (4.414) than the secondary forest compartment (4.364).

Exploring the Prospective of Dark Tourism in Pashupatinath: A Hindu Pilgrimage Site, Nepal

Ramesh Raj Kunwar — 2021-07-04

A unique and increasingly pervasive feature within the tourism landscapes in the post-modern world is the special interests of tourists in death and anything associated with death. It is often believed that those who indulge in death and disaster site tours could potentially awaken their spiritual journey. The visitor immersions, in the spaces of death, and the events that have taken place or are re-created, triggers social conscience, or some shared emotion or an experience of involvement, with the death event. Reckoning to this facet, Pashupatinath temple- a place of pilgrimage for the followers of Santana Vedic religion which shows the comprehensive aspect of Hindu death rituals, symbols and processes has been chosen. The study proposes the site as a dark tourism destination and explores the convergence of cultural heritage site, pilgrimage and death rituals in the area that is associated with its characterization- particularly with reference to the witnessing of live open pyre burning death rituals at the cremation ground (ghat) that exclusively showcases the eastern phenomenon of death-spectatorship exhibited by Hindu death ritual. Despite an immense influence of the site in the tourism industry, the eastern dark tourism potential induced by the site has not been recognized formally by the tourism stakeholders. Even though it is widely consumed by the western visitors as a tourist element. The phenomenon of Hindu death tradition in the ghats of Pashupatinath is inclusive of all the death-related rituals and is a threshold of transition and transgression, a place in between life and death. Henceforth, as the central tenet of dark tourism being “the death”, Hindu death rituals in Pashupatinath could be firmly brought into the realms of dark tourism discourse. The findings are based on the prevalence of push factors that encourages consumption of the proposed site as a dark tourist product in liminal conditions (an in-between position). To be more specific, the practice of intellectualization of emotion, convenience of visits, edutainment elements, practice of moral disengagement. The prospective of dark tourism in Pashupatinath, if entitled to the mere promotion of the crematory site, may send a negative connotation and raise moral and ethical concerns. Hence, tourism stakeholders should consciously introduce the phenomenon as an accompaniment to the popularized mainstream religious and cultural value of the site.