By Ali Hassan

Tourism is one of the mainstays of Nepalese economy. It is also a major source of foreign exchange and revenue possessing as 8 out of 10 highest mountains of the world, and it is a hotspot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and people seeking adventures. The Hindu, Buddhist and other cultural heritage sites of Nepal and around the year fair weather are also strong attractions. Nepal is the country of the Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world. Mountaineering and other types of adventure tourism and ecotourism are important attractions for visitors. Nepal is also the Birthplace of Gautama Buddha-Lumbini. There are other important religious pilgrimage sites throughout the country for the followers of various sects and religions. According to statistics from Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 598,204 foreign tourists entered the country via aerial route in 2012. The government of Nepal declared 2011 to be Nepal Tourism Year, and hoped to attract one million foreign tourists to the country during that year. The tourist industry is seen as a way to alleviate poverty and achieve greater social equity in the country. It is unsurpassed that the sheer diversity Nepal boasts, from steamy jungle and Terai to the icy peaks of the world’s highest mountains means that the range of activities on offer. Trekking, mountaineering, rafting in spectacular scenery are just three things Nepal is famous for. Activities as diverse as Elephant Polo and a micro-light flight through the Himalayas show that in Nepal, the only boundary is your imagination. With 15 National & Wildlife Parks (two are UNESCO Heritage sites) Nepal is one of the last places on earth you can spot the Asiatic rhinoceros and the Royal Bengal Tiger.

The altitude of the country ranges from 60m above sea level to the highest point on earth, Mt. Everest at 8848 m, all within the aerial distance of 150 km. resulting into climatic conditions from subtropical to arctic. Nowhere in the world, there is such a great variation. Travelling in the hilly region, one can feel difference in every 100 meter walk up or down in the mid-hills of Nepal. Kathmandu Valley comprising of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan represents rich cultural history with temples, pagodas, stupas and breathtaking ancient architectural excellence.

Nepal is situated between the “Asian Giants,”–India and China–Nepal faces a geopolitical tussle as both countries seek to gain influence in the former Himalayan kingdom. South Asia, as part of the broader Indian Ocean region, is increasingly becoming an area of China-India rivalry where smaller countries are being pulled into a tug-of-war between the two, making it hard to exercise their own national interests without being cast in this binary. Historically, Nepal has been in the “sphere of influence” of Delhi, and the Himalayan country’s greater coziness to China over the years is a counter reaction to the country’s over-dependence on India. Earlier Chinese infrastructural limitations in Tibet and the Himalayan region had not allowed Nepal’s greater cooperation with its Northern neighbor, but the inauguration of railways and connectivity in the twenty-first century gives Kathmandu a willing partner in Beijing to counterbalance Delhi’s influence.
From a political perspective, Nepal is the perfect venue for diplomatic negotiations due to its proximity to both China and India. Both the SAARC Secretariat and UNICEF’s South Asia Regional Office are located in Nepal. As a result of Bangladesh’s new participation in the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) sub regional organization, connectivity is anticipated to increase and Nepal will have access to Bangladeshi ports. Although there are four South Asian countries involved in this connectivity agreement, once it is in place Nepal will have the chance to connect by water to many nations beyond the area and draw tourists from outside the continent, establishing itself as a South Asian “New Geneva.” Nepal might incorporate spiritual and cultural components into its short-term plan for promoting foreign travel. In the early phases of Nepal’s tourism growth, British and Swiss expeditioners heavily prioritized climbing, which meant that Nepal’s rich religious and cultural landmarks were not as prominently promoted as those in many Southeast Asian nations.

Nepal should make an effort to lessen its reliance on China and India by using one of its most potent weapons—the tourism industry—to draw tourists from nations other than China and India. Nepal’s tourism industry has to be more diverse if it is to achieve this goal. These two nations continue to be given priority by Nepali politicians in their plans for the tourist industry, such as the “Visit Nepal Decade” initiative. Although the majority of nationalities already have on-arrival visa policies for Nepal, the country’s tourism board can take more proactive measures to promote international travel through its embassies and missions abroad and use this platform as a soft power tool to foster relationships outside of its immediate neighborhood.

In addition, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka are among the smaller nations in South Asia that also engage in the “balancing act” between India and China. The tourist industry gives Nepal a much-needed avenue to forge relationships with nations outside of the subcontinent as it seeks to strike a balance in its relations with China and India. By utilizing the BBIN framework effectively and promoting Nepal’s Buddhist legacy, the tourist industry may be leveraged to connect with countries outside of South Asia via the high seas, all the while tackling important concerns like human rights and climate change. In contrast to hard power, such as military or economic force, tourism will have limitations, as with any form of soft power. But Nepal’s tourism sector has substantial untapped potential which can be a tool to promote its national interest in an increasingly competitive geopolitical landscape.