Ethical Tourism

Visions aside - it is clear that a sensitive and controlled tourism is one major vehicle through which economic advances will be made to raise the standard of living and the quality of life for the people of the forgotten valleys of the world's highest mountains.

Currently, according to a recent UN report, all of Humla exists in "absolute poverty". Through offering local goods and services to tourists and encouraging them to spend more in Humla, cultural bridges as well as economic ones can be built. An average spend of just $3 US a day, would increase the income of the region by more than 20% and impact on a minimum of 10% of Humla's households. Sustainability of desperately needed health, education, agriculture and energy projects then has a chance at becoming a reality.

Franceso Frangialli, General Secretary of the World Tourism Organisation, in his address to the International Institute For Peace Through Tourism Conference in Glasgow in 1999, expressed succinctly how tourism must evolve: 

"Tourism in the real world is about liberalisation and market economies. Through free trade it is possible to optimise wealth and opportunity, while protecting social and cultural identity."

It's a choice: the wealthier, primarily Western nations can turn a blind eye and continue on with the self-serving approach to the annual holiday or choose to put their money into a tourism that will help people to lead more equitable and healthier lives and which does no harm to the environment. For the millions of people in the developing world like Humla, who struggle daily just to survive - your growth in awareness and your choice of how to spend your tourism cash can make a life of a difference for one and all.

Jeroen van den Bergh joined the Nepal Trust in February 2007 and is responsible for managing the trek programme. Jeroen has an MSc in Leisure, Tourism and Environment.  Born in India, raised in Holland, Jeroen has travelled extensively throughout India and Nepal. He is keen to develop ecotourism in Humla, but only if it can be sensitively coupled with sustainable development.

He explains “The concept of 'ecotourism' relates to an environmentally responsible tourism that provides direct benefits to natural areas and to the economic welfare of locals, promoting conservation and sustainable development. However, the term is often misused as tour operators make a 'brand' out of 'eco', leading to cynicism and accusations of inappropriate western modernisation.

"We believe that tourism development can only succeed if the needs and wishes of the local people are respected and accounted for, as such we work closely with the host populations and with our visitors to ensure that locals are not oppressed, that their daily life is not disturbed unnecessarily and their dignity remains intact.”

Unlike many other industries, the Nepal Trust believes that tourism can turn the geographical remoteness and rugged landscape of Humla - the very things that normally hinder development in Nepal's remotest districts - into economic assets for its native inhabitants.