Moving Mountains

For mountains and people

Tourism

ICIMOD aims to enhance community involvement in tourism by improving capacities to host tourists, strengthening product and service linkages, and valuing and preserving the natural and heritage elements that enable visitors to enjoy an authentic tourism experience.

Sustainable tourism can promote conservation on many ecological and cultural fronts, a benefit that also becomes evident at the trans-national level. For instance, the many trading routes and trails that are valuable for reaching agricultural fields, gathering wild products, traditional cross-border trading, and going on pilgrimages also connect the varied cultures and ecosystems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Through tourism, ICIMOD aims to revitalize these trading routes and trails – a process that can contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

ICIMOD supports national and local authorities in crafting suitable tourism-related policies and strategies; stimulates national and regional platforms to share knowledge and shape policies and adaptation mechanisms; builds the capacity of host communities to improve service quality and value chain linkages; and collaborates with the private sector to encourage more responsible tourism practices. The goal is a sustainable, winning strategy for local people and communities, the countries of the Hindu Kush Himalayas, and the visitors who appreciate the incomparable natural, cultural and spiritual heritage of this extraordinary region.

Tourism is an adaption strategy that can be harnessed to create additional and alternative livelihood options and has many potential benefits for poverty alleviation, social inclusion and environmental and biodiversity conservation.

International Conference on Ecotourism in Protected Areas

The focus of the conference is on successful planning and management approaches for ecotourism in and around protected areas to strengthen livelihoods and conservation and contribute to adaptation.

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Publications

You will find publications produced or related to this topic in HimalDoc, our publications repository. These resources include journal articles, books, book chapters, research reports, working papers, brochures, information sheets, and publicity materials, among other products.

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