Assessing the sustainability of tourism in rural areas: A case study of Tamang Heritage Trail, Rasuwa

This research study was carried out in the newly developed Tamang Heritage Trail in Rasuwa.The Trail passes through the beautiful landscape of the northern-west part of the Rasuwa district. The overall objective of this study is to assess the overall aspects of sustainability in the Tamang Heritage Trail. The research study aims to explore, analyze and assess the fundamental issues of tourism sustainability in the rural context of Nepal. Chapter One of the report presents the present context of tourism and sustainability status in global, Nepal, Langtang area and Tamang Heritage Trail context. It also describes study area, research problems, objective and justification. Chapter Two gives a literature review. Chapter Three demonstrates the research methodology employed for the study. Various primary and secondary information resources were gathered during the study. Visitor surveys, household surveys, business surveys and institution surveys were carried out to collect the opinions and perceptions of stakeholders. Likewise, direct field observation, focal group discussion and key person's interviews were also made. Chapter Four describes the research findings. The strength of tourism attractions, institutional strengths, management and control mechanisms, social considerations, economic considerations and environmental considerations were critically analyzed and finally indicators of sustainability were set based on the findings. Chapter Five presents the major conclusions and recommendations. The overall research finding shows that tourism in the Tamang Heritage Trail has been developing with strong consideration of sustainability issues. However, there are some gaps in implementation, for which suitable recommendations have been made.