Sustainable tourism in lower mustang

 

By Nora Kastellet , Hedvig B. Kvassheim

​

Autumn 2022

 

​

Summary

​

This project is part of the course Design 9 - Specialization Project at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the SAMAJ project in cooperation with Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. We went on a three-week field trip to Lower Mustang in Nepal for the project. Through stakeholder inclusion and participation, we have examined how the tourism development of Lower Mustang can be more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. We have used methods and tools from strategic design and systems design to present our findings and to suggest potential solutions and concepts.

 

Lower Mustang is a region of Nepal that lies south of the Tibetan Plateau and in the shadow of the Himalayas. In Lower Mustang, you can experience incredible landscapes, visit some of the holiest places for Hindu pilgrimages, visit Buddhist monasteries, trek between charming villages, explore the culture and lifestyle of local people, and hike surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the world. Tourism to Lower Mustang is increasing, but there is still potential for more adventure tourism, trekking tourism, religious tourism, and cultural tourism than is being utilized today. In addition, many tourists are attracted to some minimal parts of Lower Mustang, while secluded villages remain unvisited. Many locals wish for more tourists to visit but are unsuccessful in attracting them. If tourism in Lower Mustang is to increase and expand, it must be done sustainably. Our project will outline how the economic gain of tourism can benefit local communities rather than external enterprises, how tourism can generate jobs locally, and how tourism can grow without heritage, culture, natural landscapes, and resources getting lost. We will also map ways to enhance visitors’ experiences within this sustainable context.

​

​