Summary: This project explores how tourism can contribute to cultivating sustainable communities by promoting “regional resilience”. The study particularly focuses on women's point of view, conservation and success of traditional cultures in tourism as the framework. I conducted fieldwork in Langtang National Park which is the third most popular destination for trekking in Nepal after Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) and the Annapurna Regions. The 2015 earthquake severely affected the Langtang Valley area where large-scale destruction, landslides and avalanches resulted in heavy damage in the Langtang village. The disaster killed 310 people including 176 Langtang residents. My study looks at how the Tibetan-speaking Langtangpas community (original inhabitants of Langtang village) coped with this trauma and the role of tourism in post-disaster recovery. The recovery story of Langtang will enrich our current discussion on tourism in its sustainable, resilient, and alternative forms.
By: Dr. Christie Lam