Tourism is a vital component of the economy of Nepal. With its iconic attractions, strategic location and good connectivity; Nepal is ideal for a characteristic short-holiday from regional markets. In addition, adventure tourism (including trekking) is growing rapidly, across both traditional and new source markets, creating good income generating opportunities for the poor in rural Nepal.

However, the sector is constrained by low productivity, poor destination management, untapped opportunities, and a difficult regulatory environment for high value services and innovative products. As a result, Nepal’s tourism industry is trapped in an unsustainable high-volume, low-value model, limiting beneficial participation by the poor as entrepreneurs and employees.

Samarth-NMDP aims to address these constraints by developing innovative visitor products; improving marketing efforts; and supporting destination area management to improve the economic opportunities through tourism in rural Nepal.

Current Interventions

1. Destination Area Management

2. Product and Infrastructure improvement

3. Industry Standards Improvement

4. Industry Linkage Creation

5. Revenue Stream Enhancement

6. Strategic Marketing Efforts

7. Industry Knowledge and Capacity Enhancement

Working Districts: 
Gorkha
Rasuwa
Sindhupalchok
Dolakha
Dhading
Ramechhap
Taplejung
Darchula
Humla
Bajhang
Bajura
Mugu
Jumla
Dolpa
Mustang
Myagdi
Manang
Kaski
Lamjung
Nuwakot
Solukhumbu
Sankhuwasabha

Related Resources

INFOGRAPH - Tourism SECTOR UPDATE 2018
March 23, 2018

A brief overview of Samarth's Tourism sector as a whole, as at 2018. 

 

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Knowledge Sharing Session on Great Himalaya Trails
March 23, 2018

To sustain the implementation of the brand further, a knowledge sharing session was held at the Annapurna Conservation Area office on the 7th of March 2018, in Pokhara. Participants in the session included members from leading tourism management associations responsible for tourism development in province 4 of Nepal.

The knowledge sharing session highlighted the need to integrate trail and enterprise standards tourism development plans of the provinces.

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Two Cantilever Pathways improve access to Manaslu Conservation Area in Northern Gorkha
January 19, 2018

17 January 2018, Gorkha – Two cantilever pathways were formally handed over to local government representatives of Dharche and Tsum Numbri municipalities of northern Gorkha at a handover programme organised at the district coordination council office today by Samarth-Nepal Market Development Programme. The cantilever pathways not only provide safe access to the locals living in northern Gorkha, but has also enhanced two of Nepal’s popular trekking trails Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley Trail.

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Annual Results Report: Programme Year 5 (April 2016 - March 2017)
November 07, 2017

During Programme Year Five, from April 2016 to end March 2017, Samarth-NMDP has solidified its interventions and has been able to record some impressive results at all levels of the log frame. At the impact level, the programme has made significant progress since year 4, reporting a total of 183,463 beneficiaries to date, nearly doubling the programme results to date. One-fourth of the results reported to date come from the Crop Protection Inputs sector, and Pigs, Vegetables, and Fish sectors have all reached between 20-30,000 beneficiaries each.

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Quality Accreditation and Unveiling of Guidelines for the Great Himalaya Trails
March 08, 2017

Nepal’s potential in the tourism sector, particularly in trekking, has been hampered by a lack of product development and consistency in quality standards. This sector brief explores the unveiling of Nepal’s first Trail Standards Guidelines and the certification of eleven new internationally recognised trail auditors in Nepal. The purpose of this intervention will be to define quality standards for the GHT brand leading to a better product - improved experience, safety and sustainability on trekking trails. 

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