International Tourism Systems

Running head: INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
International Tourism Systems
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
Introduction
The tourism industry has emerged as one of the most industries of the world in the
present times and it is a reflection of this particular fact that the majority of the nations of the
world in the present times are focusing on this particular industry for the revival of their
economy (Hall, Timothy and Duval 2012). According to an estimate the tourism industry is a
trillion dollar industry and this particular industry entails with itself the growth of the other
industries related to the particular nation as well (Hall, Timothy and Duval 2012). This paper
will discuss about the tourism industry of the nation of Nepal and will also discuss the main
factors which are affecting the tourism industry of this particular nation in the present day
context. The nation of Nepal is located in the mountain valley of the Himalayan Mountain
range and has been a place of attraction to the people since the ancient times (Nepal 2018).
This paper will discuss about the tourist destination of “Annapurna base camp” in the nation
of Nepal which forms a major attraction to the tourists from the different parts of the world.
This paper will discuss about the factors which has made the destination one of the most
popular ones in the nation of Nepal, the issues which the location is facing in the current
times, the positive as well as the negative impacts of the development of the tourism industry
in this particular location and the ways by means of which sustainable tourism outcomes
could be achieved for this particular location.
Tourist visitation and “Annapurna base camp”
The tourism industry is one of the major ones of the nation of Nepal and contributes
in a significant manner towards the economy of the nation (Nyaupane, Morais and Dowler
2006). According to a statistics provided by the “Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the
“Annapurna Base Camp” and the nation of Nepal in particular received around
598,204 visitors for the year 2012 from the different parts of the world (Nepal 2018). In

2INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
addition to this, it is generally seen that the tourists from the various different parts of the
world on an average spend around “11.78 days” in the nation of Nepal and for the
“Annapurna Base Camp” it is even more on the score of the wide range of activities as well
as the other attractions which this particular destination provides to the tourists from the
different parts of the world (Nepal 2018). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the
annual contribution of the tourism industry towards the national economy of the nation of
Nepal for the year 2014 was more than $471m (Nepal 2018). Therefore, to celebrate the
contribution made by the tourism industry towards the national economy the nation of Nepal
declared the year 2011 to be the “Nepal Tourism Year” which further boosted the tourism
industry of the nation attracted many more tourists to the nation (Nepal 2018). Furthermore,
the “Annapurna Base Camp” receives the maximum number of tourists from the continent of
Asia itself which is around 55.9% (Nepal 2018). Furthermore, the various business
organizations related to the tourism industry in this particular area normally offers 11 day or
14 day trekking package to the tourists from the different parts of the world (Nepal 2018). In
the opinion of many scholars this particular base camp has been able to attract a large of
number of tourists from the different parts of the world on the score of various factors like the
natural beauty of the location, the feasibility of adventurous sports at this particular location,
the trekking facilities which tourists get at this particular location, the natural isolation of this
particular destination which is located in the lap of the Himalayan mountain range
(Nyaupane, Morais and Dowler 2006). It is significant to note that these factors have
contributed in a significant manner towards the boom of the tourism industry in this particular
region (Nyaupane, Morais and Dowler 2006).

3INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
The major attractions of the “Annapurna Base camp”
In the opinion of many people the picturesque location of the place has contributed
significantly towards the growth of the tourism industry in this particular location (Cook, Hsu
and Marqua 2014). The tourist destination under consideration here is located in the lap of the
Himalayan mountain range and covers an area of approximately about “7629 sq. km” (Nepal
2018). The number of residents in this particular area is also very less approximately about
100000 belonging to different cultural as well as linguistic orientations (Nepal 2018).
Furthermore, the area is very rich in terms of the natural flora as well as fauna, for example
the region boosts of approximately around “1226 species of flowering plants, 102 mammals,
474 birds, 39 reptiles and 22 amphibians” (Nepal 2018). Moreover, the development of
various kinds of sports as well as adventurous activities in this particular region has also
contributed in a significant manner towards the overall growth of this particular tourist
destination (Cook, Hsu and Marqua 2014). The popularity which this particular tourist
destination has attained in the recent times can be traced back to the recent change in the
psychology of the people who like to indulge in various kinds of tourism as well as travel
activities (Cook, Hsu and Marqua 2014). For example, in the present times it is seen that the
various tourists like to get away from their busy as well as hectic daily schedules and go to
some peaceful destination for a few days for recreational purposes (Fang, Ye and Law 2016).
It is significant to note that in this particular context this tourist destination can be seen as an
ideal location for the tourists who like to get away from the squabbles of the city life (Fang,
Ye and Law 2016). Furthermore, in the present times among the city dwellers it is commonly
seen that they tend to explore the hitherto unexplored side of nature and in this particular
context as well this particular location serves as an idea location to these kinds of people
(Cook, Hsu and Marqua 2014).

4INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
Issues related to “Annapurna Base Camp”
It is true that the tourism industry of this particular tourist destination and of the entire
nation in general has contributed in a significant manner towards the economic growth of the
nation of Nepal (Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). However, it is significant to note that this
particular tourism destination and the entire tourism industry of the nation in general have
been facing some issues in the recent times (Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). The nation of
Nepal is a developing one and as such the transportation system as well other important
factors which help in the development of the tourism system are still in rudimentary state in
this particular nation (Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). Most of the tourists who visit the nation
of Nepal had to take the help of the aerial means of transport in a bid to reach the nation
(Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). The lack of development of the transport system of the
nation can be seen as a reflection of the fact that the nation is a mountainous one and
therefore it is very hard to develop roads and railways in the nation (Chaplin and Brabyn
2013). In the opinion of Chaplin and Brabyn (2013) the development of the tourism industry
at the “Annapurna Base Camp” has significantly impacted the ecology as well as the forest
system of this particular location. In the opinion of these authors the use of the “remote
sensing and GIS technology which provides a Landsat imaging” at this particular location has
adversely affected the ecology of this particular area (Chaplin and Brabyn 2013). It is
significant to note that some of the forests of this particular area were cleared way to make
room for the construction of the various hotels as well as lodging houses which form an
important part of the tourism industry (Anup and Parajuli 2014). According to a statistics of
the year 2013 around 8% of the forest belonging to this particular area have been cleared
away in order to make room for the various hotels as well as the lodging facilities which form
an important part of the tourism industry (Anup and Parajuli 2014). Furthermore, the health
risks as well as the hazards which the various tourists face at this particular location are

5INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
considerable (Nyaupane, Morais and Dowler 2006). According to a research conducted by
the authors Musa, Hall and Higham (2004), around 89.4% of the tourists from the various
parts of the world who visit this particular location on an annual basis had to face one kind of
health hazard or the other. It is significant to note that the researchers took the help of around
“755 questionnaires to collect the data during different seasons in the area” to arrive at the
results. The nation of Nepal on the score of belonging to the genre of the developing
countries of the world had inadequate sewage system, medical facilities and even the hygiene
level of the nation is not on par with the other leading nations of the world (Nyaupane,
Morais and Dowler 2006). Furthermore, the various natural calamities as well as natural
disasters which the nation faces frequently like the massive earthquake which the nation
faced in the year 2015 and others also forms an area of concern for the tourism industry of
this particular nation (Fang, Ye and Law 2016). These in short are some of the major issues
which the tourism industry of the nation and the “Annapurna Base Camp” in particular is
facing at the current moment.
Negative and positive impacts of tourism
In the opinion of many people it is true that the tourism industry provides many
benefits to the nation concerned however there are many negative aspects of the process of
tourism industry as well particularly the ones which it has on the native people or the host
community of that particular location (Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013). The same thing can be
said in the particular context of the tourism industry of the nation of Nepal as well. As per an
article by the authors Anup and Parajuli (2014) the development of the tourism industry at the
“Annapurna Base Camp” has significantly impacted the livelihood of the native people in
that particular region not only in terms of the economic factor but other factors as well. The
authors after interviewing 76 different households of this particular location came to the

6INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
conclusion that the development of the tourism industry at this particular location has
impacted the social-economic status quo of the region in a positive manner (Anup and
Parajuli 2014). The insistence of the governmental authorities on the development of the
tourism industry at this particular location has significantly enhanced the level of educational
as well as financial opportunities which the native people in the present times have in
comparison to the ones which they used to have in the earlier times (Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli
2013). Another important aspect of the development of the tourism industry at this particular
location is that the native people in this particular location are getting access to better quality
electricity and other facilities on the score of the development of the tourism industry
(Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013). It is significant to note that the nation of Nepal for a very
long time had depended on the various kinds of fossil fuels and other traditional means for
the generation of electricity and other related aspects (Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013).
However, the development of the tourism industry has made it imperative for the government
of the nation to provide facilities to these areas as the tourists from the different parts of the
nations also use the same means and if they do not find the resources satisfactory then many
of them prefer to return to the same location again (Fang, Ye and Law 2016). Therefore, it
can be said that on the score of the tourism industry the native communities are getting the
access to better facilities.
The tourism industry at the nation of Nepal of more precisely the development of the
tourism industry at the “Annapurna Base Camp” has impacted the native communities of the
place in a significant manner (Fang, Ye and Law 2016). The primary negative impact as
already mentioned is the impact which it had on the forest or the ecology of the place. In the
present times it is seen that the forests are being cleared for the construction of the hotels and
other important entities of the tourism industry (Han and Hyun 2015). In addition to this, the
consumption rate of the fossil fuels of the nation has also increased in a significant manner on

7INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
the score of the various kinds of tourism activities and this also acts a significant cause of
concern for the nation (Fang, Ye and Law 2016).
Policy implications
In the year 1993 the “World Tourism Organization (WTO)”gave several guidelines
for the development of the sustainable tourism practises at the various tourist locations of the
world (Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). The nation of Nepal in general and the “Annapurna
Base Camp” in particular can take the help of these precepts for the development of
sustainable tourism at this particular location. Firstly, the nation can enhance the quality of
the services which it provides to the tourists from the various parts of the world who visit the
“Annapurna Base Camp” (Musa, Hall and Higham 2004). This particular policy will enhance
the satisfaction level of the tourists and will increase the chances of their coming back to this
particular location (Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013). Secondly, the elongation or the extension
of the tourist season is also likely to help the location in a significant manner (Cabiddu, Lui
and Piccoli 2013). Thirdly, the incorporation of the various cultural activities as well as
events within the tourism season is also likely to entertain the tourists in a significant manner
(Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013). Fourthly, effective management of the tourism industry and
the adequate interventions as well as the support of the government is likely to impact the
tourism industry in a significant manner (Cabiddu, Lui and Piccoli 2013).
Conclusion
To conclude, the tourism industry has emerged as one of the most important ones in
the present times and many nations take the help of this particular industry to stabilise their
dwindling economies. However, there are many positive as well as negative aspects of the
process of the development of the tourism industry at a particular location but the positive
aspects of the process of the development of the tourism industry at a particular location far

8INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
outweigh the negative impacts involved in the process. There are certain factors which the
various nations need to take into consideration for the development of the tourism industry at
a particular industry like the focus on the concept of sustainable tourism industry, the
insistence on the high quality services and others.

9INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
References
Acharya, B.P. and Halpenny, E.A., 2013. Homestays as an alternative tourism product for
sustainable community development: A case study of women-managed tourism product in
rural Nepal. Tourism Planning & Development, 10(4), pp.367-387.
Anup, K.C. and Parajuli, R.B.T., 2014. Tourism and its impact on livelihood in Manaslu
conservation area, Nepal. Environment, development and sustainability, 16(5), pp.1053-1063.
Cabiddu, F., Lui, T.W. and Piccoli, G., 2013. Managing value co-creation in the tourism
industry. Annals of Tourism Research, 42, pp.86-107.
Chaplin, J. and Brabyn, L., 2013. Using remote sensing and GIS to investigate the impacts of
tourism on forest cover in the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. Applied Geography, 43,
pp.159-168.
Cook, R.A., Hsu, C.H. and Marqua, J.J., 2014. Tourism: the business of hospitality and
travel. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Fang, B., Ye, Q. and Law, R., 2016. Effect of sharing economy on tourism industry
employment. Annals of Tourism Research, 57, pp.264-267.
Hall, C.M., Timothy, D.J. and Duval, D.T., 2012. Safety and security in tourism:
relationships, management, and marketing. Routledge.
Han, H. and Hyun, S.S., 2015. Customer retention in the medical tourism industry: Impact of
quality, satisfaction, trust, and price reasonableness. Tourism Management, 46, pp.20-29.
Musa, G., Hall, C.M. and Higham, J.E., 2004. Tourism sustainability and health impacts in
high altitude adventure, cultural and ecotourism destinations: A case study of Nepal's
Sagarmatha National Park. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 12(4), pp.306-331.

10INTERNATIONAL TOURISM SYSTEMS
Nepal, N. 2018. Naturally Nepal | Once is not enough. [online] Welcomenepal.com.
Available at: https://www.welcomenepal.com/ [Accessed 14 May 2018].
Nepal, S.K., 2007. Tourism and rural settlements Nepal’s Annapurna region. Annals of
Tourism Research, 34(4), pp.855-875.
Nepal, S.K., 2008. Tourism-induced rural energy consumption in the Annapurna region of
Nepal. Tourism Management, 29(1), pp.89-100.
Nepal, S.K., 2013. Mountain tourism and climate change: Implications for the Nepal
Himalaya. Nepal Tourism and Development Review, 1(1), pp.1-14.
Nyaupane, G.P., Morais, D.B. and Dowler, L., 2006. The role of community involvement and
number/type of visitors on tourism impacts: A controlled comparison of Annapurna, Nepal
and Northwest Yunnan, China. Tourism management, 27(6), pp.1373-1385.
Paudyal, S., 2012. Does tourism really matter for economic growth? Evidence from
Nepal. NRB Economic Review, 24(1), pp.48-66.
Thapa, B., 2012. Tourism in Nepal: Shangri-La’s troubled times. In Safety and Security in
Tourism (pp. 124-145). Routledge.
Zaei, M.E. and Zaei, M.E., 2013. The impacts of tourism industry on host
community. European journal of tourism hospitality and research, 1(2), pp.12-21.