Pemba Sherpa Sangam | Executive member of TAAN | CEO of Himalayan Legend trek (P) ltd/Organic Farm House Resort Kapan.
1.Introduction
Tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Many countries have renovated their economies by developing country’s tourism potential. In recent years, the concept of the tradition tourism has been changingand some new areas of the tourism have developed.
The term organic agro tourism is also a kind of rural tourism. The concept of agro tourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. It is closely related with the country side of rural areas and nature and has direct relationship with the agriculture activities. Organic agro tourism is the combination of agriculture activities and tourism for eradicating poverty of whole rural areas.
Nepal has a very high unemployment rate. Government has not been able to create enough employment in the county due to which youths are forced to go abroad as immigrant workers. After devastating earthquake the subsequentproblems have made our country’s economy weaker and weaker. However, the earthquake has also provided us with an opportunity. It is the right time to start, if we want to involve in exploring new are of tourism and develop infrastructures of tourism sector. That is why the venture of organic agro tourism is very important and attractive. Development of organic agro tourism will not only create employment opportunities but will prove invaluable in improving the depressing situation of Nepalese tourism. The idea of organic agro tourism viable because of the following reasons:
This is the right time to show to farmers that they have got the most enormous opportunities at their own villages instead of seeking in various parts of our country and to other destinations. We have beautiful landscapes everywhere in our country which can become attractive tourist destinations. Agriculture is another opportunity for us and if we can combine organic agriculture with tourism we could become a brand and compete with world intourism industry.
Organic Agro- tourism will be the best solutions for nation’s developments. Our ultimate goal of the all project is to help to bring peace, happiness and prosperity in those communities of our target areas. We are not working for a single sector but trying to cover all related components with community’s basic needs like ways agriculture, tourism, schools health and local economy etc. That’s why we are not going to cover big areas but select just few areas where nobody has intervened yet and then develop a model to set an example.
The organic agro tourism promotion project is designed to promote the organic agro tourism in Nepal. Organic agro tourism is a specialized tourism sector where tourists go to an organic farm and enjoy organic foods along with pleasant stay at the farm. This type of tourism will be able to attract both domestic and international tourists. The project has been conceptualized with a superior motive of putting in a new life to Nepalese tourism and TAAN has an special opportunity in leading this venture.
The key activities that we plan to do in the project are topromote organic destinations for which we will visit various selected areas and train local lodge owners, farmers and guides. When we go to a particular sector, we will go with a chef to teach local lodge owners, how to cook delicious foods with local recipes. A farming expert will teach to local farmers how to grow sufficient organic grains and vegetables for the lodges of the region.
We will select few destinations to start working. The tentative destinations that we can work in are:
New destinations
Although we will start from existing destinations, we want to explore other many pristine destinations to give new choicesto our guests.
Our main goal is to explore and develop new destinations. We have got plenty of pristine areas still waiting for explorations, development and marketing to domestics and international tourism industry.
२०८१ चैत्र ८ - शुक्रबार
