Banke's Eco-tourism Plan

Nepal is blessed to have a significant portion of its land covered with forests – at 44 per cent and counting. That we've succeeded in significantly growing this green cover amid alarming levels of deforestation in many parts of the world has brought an abiding sense of pride to all Nepalis. In a rapidly warming world where extreme weather events – like heat waves – have become increasingly common and dangerously frequent, forests are hailed as one of the most effective solutions to stop climate change and one of the best defenses against its devastating impacts. And without our protected areas in the forms of national parks and wildlife reserves, which house a variety of forests alongside untold number of wildlife and birds, this wouldn't have happened.

Today the country has 20 such protected areas, two of which have been featured in the list of natural world heritage sites – Sagarmatha National Park and Chitwan National Park (CNP) – for many decades now. Our decision to open up the Banke National Park (BaNP) in 2010 added the newest feather in the cap of our conservation efforts, doubling down on our commitment to go to any length to preserve and promote our rich biodiversity and natural ecology. Established specially for the conservation of endangered tiger, a wildlife tourist magnet, the park is also home to 124 plants, 34 mammals, over 300 birds, 24 reptiles, seven amphibians and 58 fish species. Many of these species are globally rare. Spanning across the Tarai, Bhawar and Chure regions, encompassing all three types of climates and vegetation, the park has now charted plans to attract visitors. 

The fact that one gets an opportunity to closely observe all these in one area can enthuse visitors of all stripes. Tapping into this potential is the need of the hour. To that end, plans have been laid out to improve tourism infrastructure and facilities. Homestays have sprung up to cater to tourists keen to learn the food, culture, lifestyle, attire, and more of the ethnic communities inhabiting the area. Construction of infrastructure to facilitate boating as well as rafting in the Rapti River, which meander through the park, jungle safari, elephant ride, walking along forest trails, viewing sunset, among others, have been in the works. To support these tourism initiatives, various skill-based training programmes have also been carried out for the locals.

We believe the park will succeed in its endeavour to bring in more and more tourists. One reason is that the culture of venturing out to experience wonders of nature is rapidly gaining ground among Nepalis, like the people in the rest of the world. The foreign tourists visiting the country is growing in number, with the 2023 figure showing signs of revival in the tourism sector. However, we must be cautious not to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of arriving tourists in a sensitive area like national park. We need to learn from Bhutan and Venice where they have put control measures on visitor pressure. Unwavering focus on sustainable tourism while also keeping the delicate ecosystem underpinned by rivers, mountains, forests, biodiversity and others intact must be of overriding importance. The threat of rampant activities needs to be kept at bay. We must target quality tourism over quantity as well as high-value tourists who contribute to our economy and conservation in a meaningful way.