Towards sustainable and climate-resilient tourism in Nepal

This technical note assesses the state of tourism in Nepal and outlines a pathway toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient tourism sector. It finds that while tourism is a major contributor to employment and economic growth, the sector faces mounting pressures from climate change, environmental degradation, uneven development, workforce gaps, and weak governance. Climate risks—including rising temperatures, glacier loss, floods, landslides, and extreme weather—are already disrupting destinations, infrastructure, and livelihoods, while tourism growth itself contributes to emissions and resource stress. The report identifies gaps in policy coherence, data, coordination, and implementation, and calls for a shift from low-value, volume-driven tourism toward a high-value, regenerative, and inclusive model. It proposes a policy framework and strategic actions focused on strengthening governance, innovation, capacity building, investment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to align tourism with climate adaptation, resilience, and sustainable development goals.