Importance of Tourism in Nepal

Nepal is a small but most beautiful country of the world. Tourism can be very important industry for this country. Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal, and the largest source of foreign exchange and revenue. Possessing 8 of the 10 highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a hotspot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and people seeking adventures. Many rivers, glaciers, large lakes, green valleys, and lovely falls are parts of the Tourism development in this country. The Hindu and Buddhist heritage of Nepal and its cold weather are also strong attractions. It is the country where the highest peak of the world, Mount Everest, is located. Mountaineering and other types of adventure tourism and ecotourism are important attractions for visitors. The world heritage Lumbini, birth place of Gautama Buddha, is located in southern Nepal, and there are other important religious pilgrimage sites throughout the country. The major religion in Nepal is Hinduism, and the Pashupatinath Temple, the world's largest temple of Shiva which is located in Katmandu, attracts many pilgrims and tourists. Other Hindu pilgrimage site include the temple complex in Swargadwari located in the Pyuthan district, lake Gosainkunda near Dhunche, the temples at Devghat, Manakamana temple in the Gorkha District, and Pathibhara near Phungling .Buddhism is the largest minority religion. The World Heritage site Lumbini, which is traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, is an important pilgrimage site. Another prominent Buddhist site is Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple, in Kathmandu. Muktinath is a sacred place for Hindus as well as Buddhists. The site is located in Muktinath Valley, Mustang district

The government of Nepal has declared 2011 to be Nepal Tourism Year, and hopes to attract one million foreign tourists to the country during this year. It needs a lot of money to set up other industries. But our natural beauty can be our capital for tourism. We can get many direct and indirect advantages from Tourism. First of all we can will get employment like tourist guide driving etc. We can start hotels. We can sell our goods. Even farmers can get chance to sell their agricultural products the tourist industry is seen as a way to alleviate poverty and achieve greater social equity in the country.

However, some tourists may have criminal nature and traditional culture. For these all, the security system should be strict and we should be much careful. . So there is great importance of Tourism in Nepal which will be the good indicator of all round development (economic, social, religious, political etc) of this country.
By: Ram saran Adhikari