Eco-tourism in the Himalayan Kingdom 
cctv.com 02-17-2005 16:44
Eco-tourism is becoming ever-popular in the country, due to the growth of tourism. The term eco-tourism was first put forward in 1983 by H. Ceballos Lascurain, a Mexican professor who was a senior advisor to the World Conservation Union. The concept of eco-tourism means that while sightseeing in natural areas, nature itself should be preserved. Tourism is one of the main industries in Nepal and the engine of the nation's economy. Nepal is not rich, but has not begrudged funding for conservation programs. And the government has laid down a series of strict regulations protecting nature. Eco-tourism is not just a slogan in Nepal, its a reality.
While Nepal remains an exotic land luring visitors from all over the world, in recent years the country has suffered insurgence and political crises. Nevertheless, the government and all concerned parties have continuously made protecting tourism a high priority, and so far, no incident has affected tourists. But, as always, pay attention to advisories before traveling.
The spectacular Himalayan mountain ranges in Nepal offer one of the best locations for trekking and mountaineering to the tourists from all over the world. About sixty thousand trekkers and 900 mountaineers come to Nepal every year. The ever-increasing number of tourists flocking into this small country has raised concerns over environmental protection. Pemba Dorje is a Sherpa mountaineering guide. Since 2003, he has been on top of Mount Qomolangma four times. He takes pride in his mountaineering record, but Pemba Dorie also has some negative feelings.
Pemba Dorje, Sherpa, said, "The garbage issue in the Himalayas has become serious these years. Thanks to our government initiatives, a lot of garbage has been brought down. But there is still rubbish in the mountains. I think we still need to make big efforts to clear the mountains, so that the Himalayas can become clean again."
The Nepalese government has taken this pollution problem seriously, and effective measures have been taken to cope with the issue, as they believe this is essential to securing a sustainable, long-term development of tourism for the nation.
Situated in central Nepal, and covering 932 kilometers, the Royal Chitwan National Park is a sub-tropical lowland in the inner Terai zone. In 1984, UNESCO declared it as a world natural heritage site. Chitwan National Park has a very rich flora and fauna. Here, tourists can discover a lost world of towering trees and twisting vines, of pre-historic rhinos and lumbering elephants, pythons and deer; of brilliantly colored birds and if you are lucky, the superb Royal Bengal Tiger. As the first national park of Nepal, The Royal Chitwan National Park stands today as successful testimony of nature conservation in South Asia. Here, only a very small part of the national park is used for tourism. The great majority of the land, particularly in the hills, remains unvisited and therefore undisturbed.
The activities in the Chitwan National Park include the Jungle Drive, the Elephant Safari, the Nature Walk, Bird Watching and a Boat ride. Here staying in the jungle, people can finally find a true, well- protected nature, which is right up close.
Visitors, drawn to Nepal by the promise of adventure, leave equally bewitched by the friendliness of the Nepali people, rich culture and amazing nature. Nepal is the kind of country that lingers in your dreams long after you leave it.
Editor:Hu Hang Source:CCTV.com
