1. Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trail
Better Environment for Better Tourism
Panu Könönen
Suomen Latu
16.9.2010

2. Today’s Agenda
1. Suomen Latu in
Brief
2. Project: KTM
Valley Cultural
Trail
3. Development
4. Lessons learned
5. Discussion
30.1.2015

3. Suomen Latu in Brief
30.1.2015

4. 30.1.2015
Suomen Latu, in which Latu (Latu is
track in English) stands for
promotion of cross country skiing
activities and paving the way for all
national sports without the aspect of
competition.

5. 72-year old NGO
• Central Association for Recreational Sports
and Outdoor Activities in Finland
• Suomen Latu is an umbrella organization of
outdoor activities, hiking and health beneficial
exercise
• Suomen Latu was founded in 1948
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6. We promote
• Preserving everyman’s right
• Promoting outdoor and health-promoting
exercise
• Making outdoor activities and exercise more
accessible
• Maintaining the quantity and quality of hiking
routes and walkways
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7. 30.1.2015
X-country skiing

8. 30.1.2015
Water sports

9. 30.1.2015
Geocaching

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Nordic Walking

11. We are...
• Over 77 000 members and 224 member
associations all over Finland
• Staff of around 50
• Office is located in Helsinki
• Resort in Lapland, Suomen Latu Kiilopää,
www.kiilopaa.fi
• Outdoor Center in Espoo, Suomen Latu Oittaa
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12. 30.1.2015

13. 30.1.2015

14. Outdoor Center
• One of the best recreational centers in
Southern Finland
• Different outdoor activities, swimming, skiing,
Skike etc.
• Trekking equipment rentals
• Restaurant
• Manor house for meetings, wedding parties
etc
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15. 30.1.2015

16. Resort and Fell Centre
• Fell Centre Kiilopää is
located in the southern
part of the Municipality
of Inari, at the foot of
the Kiilopää and
Ahopää hills and right
by the Urho Kekkonen
National Park.
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17. Lapland Calling
• Kiilopää was founded in
1964
• Over 200 beds
• 2 Restaurants
• Guide services
• www.kiilopaa.fi
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18. Global activities
• Suomen Latu works locally, nationally, and,
since 1997, globally
• Suomen Latu carried out a development co-
operation project in Kilimanjaro National Park,
Tanzania 1997-2001
• During the project in Kilimanjaro National Park
a trekking trail with facilities was constructed
to the peak of the Mount Kilimanjaro
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19. Suomen Latu in Nepal
• Since 2006 Suomen Latu has worked with
Nepalese NGO, NETIF, Nepal Environment &
Tourism Initiative Foundation (NETIF)
• NETIF’s mission statement “Environmental tourism
for better economy”
• www.netif-nepal.org
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20. Project: KTM Valley Cultural Trail
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21. Facts about Nepal
• Population: 28,5 million
• GDP US $ 1200 per capita
• Population below poverty line: 24,7 %
• Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy
(livelihood for three-fourths of the population)
• Unemployment rate: 46 % (2008)
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22. Tourism in Nepal
• Modern tourism started in 1951
• Tourism is one of the most important
branches of business in Nepal:
• The highest Forex earning industry, employing
around 500.000
• BUT:
• Contributes only 3 % of GDP, revenue US $ 162,8
million
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23. Tourism in Nepal, 2
• STILL:
• “tourism appears to be one of the few economic
sectors able to guide a number of developing
countries to higher levels of prosperity and for
some to leave behind their least-developed
country status”. TIES
• Nepalese government is placing high priority on
the tourism sector in its new economic
development policy, e.g. Nepal Tourism Year 2011
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24. 30.1.2015

25. Tourist Arrivals
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0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Tourist Arrivals
Tourist Arrivals

26. 30.1.2015
Environmental conservation is a
crucial part of tourism development.
Many tourism products in Nepal
depend upon natural and cultural
resources.
Nepal’s Experience Implementing Sustainable Tourism Development Models (2007)

27. 30.1.2015
Wanna see the Everest?

28. 30.1.2015
Attractive?

29. 30.1.2015
Holy river...

30. Environmental Issues
• The key environmental issues: air quality, settlement
pattern, drinking water, waste management and
natural disaster
• Only 75 % of the solid waste generated in
municipalities of Kathmandu valley is collected
• Urban waste management is unsatisfactory
• Even rural areas face solid waste problem
Kathmandu Valley Environment Outlook (2007)
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31. 30.1.2015
Problem1
Lack of
environmental
consideration
in tourism
sector and
communities
Lack of
community
involvment in
tourism
Less people
benefitting
from tourism
Problem Analysis

32. 30.1.2015
Problem1
Lack of
environmental
consideration
in tourism
sector and
communities
Problem2
Lack of
community
involvement in
tourism
Problem Analysis

33. 30.1.2015
Problem1
Lack of
environmental
consideration
in tourism
sector and
communities
Problem2
Lack of
community
involvement in
tourism
Problem3
Less people
benefitting
from tourism
Problem Analysis

34. 30.1.2015
Since Nepal started planned
development in 1955 tourism has
always been its integral part. From
just 6179 tourists in 1962… today the
industry hosts nearly 400,000.
Nepalese Tourism: The Challenges (2007), Raman Grandon

35. 30.1.2015
Objective1
More
environmental
consideration
in tourism
sector and
communities
Objective2 More
community
involvement in
tourism
Objective3
More people
benefitting
from tourism
OverallObjective
Better
environment
for better
tourism
Objectives

36. Tourism & Environment
Development Project
• More people in rural and semi-rural
communities of KTM Valley can benefit from
tourism by...
• developing community-based tourism through
trekking trail development
• trainings in product development
• promotional activities
• establishing linkages between private sector and
communities
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37. 30.1.2015
Ecotourism?

38. 30.1.2015
Responsible travel to natural areas
that conserves the environment and
improves the well-being of local
people.
The International Ecotourism Society, 1990

39. Sustanaible Tourism
• Low impact on the environment and local
culture
• Generates future employment for local people
• Protection of environment, local culture,
waste minimization
• Responsible tourists support sustainable
tourism (businesses)
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40. Community-based Tourism
• Full participation of a local community in the
planning and management of tourism
enterprise
• Full local ownership of tourism enterprise
• Tourism product is based on local cultural,
social or environmental assets
• E.g. Home-stay program
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41. The Project Area
1. Sundarijal
2. Chisapani
3. Nagarkot
4. Dhulikhel
5. Panauti
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42. 30.1.2015
Sundarijal
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

43. 30.1.2015

44. From Water Shed to National Park
• The starting point in
Sundarijal is in 1460
meters
• The highest spot on the
trail, Borlang Bhangjang
(2420 m)
• Water shed for KTM
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45. Shivapuri National Park
• One of the nine national
parks in Nepal
• Founded in 2002 to
protect valley’s water
resources
• Home for 177 species of
birds, orchids, and even
leopards and bears
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46. Home of Tamang Tribe
• National Park
accommodates several
villages
• Mulkharkha is a
traditional Tamang
village
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47. 30.1.2015
Chisapani
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

48. 30.1.2015

49. Himalayan Views
• The first trekking day
ends in Chisapani after
16-kilometer walk
• On the left hand side
you’ll see the
Annapurna massive, on
the right hand side
dozens of other
Himalayan peaks
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50. 30.1.2015

51. 30.1.2015
Nagarkot
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

52. Famous Hill Stations
• Nagarkot is a touristy
hill station in 2175 m
• The most popular place
for mountain watching
• The best season: from
October to March
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53. 30.1.2015
Dhulikhel
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

54. A Real Newari Town
• Dhulikhel, an authentic
Newari town and the
next best place for
mountain watching
• Suomen Latu’s partner
Organization NETIF is
Dhulikhel based
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55. 30.1.2015

56. Pilgrimage
• Namobuddha and
Panauti offer
opportunities for
pilgrimage for both
Hindus and Buddhists
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57. 30.1.2015
Namobuddha
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

58. Eaten by a Tiger
• Namobuddha, a popular
destination for Tibetan
pilgrims
• According to the legend,
Buddha saw a starving tiger
family there and in his
compassion offered himself
for them to be consumed
• A stupa, a Buddhist
sanctuary, was built to mark
the legend
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59. 30.1.2015
Panauti
KTM Valley Cultural Trail

60. Temples of Panauti
• One of the oldest
temples in Nepal:
Indreshwar Mahadev
from the end of the
13th century
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61. 30.1.2015
So, what have you done?

62. Development
30.1.2015

63. Some Figures First
• 3-year project (2008-2010)
• Total budget around 250 000 €
• 9 full-time workers, ~100 part-time workers
• Partly supported by official development aid
from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
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64. 8 Shelters for Trekkers
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65. 150 Signs and Signboards
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66. 10 Incinerators, 210 Waste Rings
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67. Trail Upgrading
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68. 2 Community Centers Constructed
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69. Other Small Scale Infrastucture
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70. Capacity Building
• 25 women trained in
Corn Husk Doll
production
• 27 women trained in
Doll Making from waste
clothes
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71. Capacity Building 2
• 28 villagers trained in
mushroom production
• 36 villagers trained in
Basic vegetable
production and
marketing
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72. Capacity Building 3
• 38 people trained in
Small Hotel and Lodge
management
• 28 people from Dalit
communities trained in
Cultural Program
Performance
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73. Guide training
• Local guide training in
Dhulikhel
• 31 guides were trained
• Dhulikhel Guide
Association was formed
• Associaton offers
services for hotels and
independent travellers
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74. Networking, Promoting
• Workshops
• FAM-trips
• Website:
• www.netif-nepal.org
• Booklets
• Maps
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75. Increased Environmental Awareness
and Waste Minimization

76. Infrastructure Development =
Job Opportunities

77. New Skills =
Micro Enterprise Development

78. 30.1.2015

79. 30.1.2015
www.kaukoretket.fi

80. Lessons Learned
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81. 30.1.2015
Do you know her?

82. Know Your ”Clients”
• Identify their real needs
• Listen to them, they are the experts
• Plan the project activities together
• Try to lower the hierarchy
• Interaction is needed at every stage
• Human to human, be yourself, be real
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83. Community Participation
• Remember the project cycle!
• Sustainability: Who has the ownership of the
project?
• Does the project mobilize locals or local
institutions?
• Capacity building of local communities
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84. Thank You
for Your
Attention!
www.suomenlatu.fi/nepal
www.netif-nepal.org