Ecotourism and Its Impact on Local Community in Sauraha, Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Ecotourism in Sauraha, Nepal's Chitwan National Park (CNP), predominantly benefits local communities economically and socio-culturally while posing environmental challenges. A study revealed that 93% of tourists visit for jungle safaris, highlighting its primary appeal. While ecotourism generates new employment opportunities and conserves local culture, it also introduces noise and visual pollution. The research employed participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools like semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to assess perceptions. Index of Relative Ranking and Perception Availability were used to analyze community responses, showing overwhelming positive economic and socio-cultural impacts but mixed views on environmental effects.

Acharya, P., Chhetri, H. B., Karki, S., Sharma, P., Tripathi, S., Gahatraj, S., Dahal, D., & Gautam, D. (2020). Ecotourism and Its Impact on Local Community in Sauraha, Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Scholars Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(7), 353–360. https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2020.v08i07.003