Tourism Service Center

Tourism Service Center (TSC) is a sister company of Tourism Development Society (TDS). TDS is non-profitable organization. Nepales Organization Tourism Development Society Develops a network of hospitality business commuted to Sustainable tourism in remote west Nepal.

Project Status: From 2014 – One Year

INCLUDING ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION IN TOURISM BUSINESSES

GOAL: To develop sustainable tourism is Far-west mountainous region of Nepal for economical development while preserving environment and culture.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Make the local population aware about environmental, social – cultural & economic aspects of sustainable tourism

2. Make the hospitality businesses aware of the fact that the accommodation can decrease negative environmental impacts by hospitality businesses

3. To benchmark and maintain quality standard of businesses in regard of environmental, social, and economical aspects

4. To attract new accommodation interested in usage of TDS’s services in developing sustainable action plan

The increase of local employment (including people with disabilities) & local economy in the mountainous region of far-west Nepal as well as the increase of the profile of the concerned establishments are targeted. Attention also is paid to the limitation of waste materials as sustainable consumption of water & energy.

Concerned establishments are using local products more (food, construction materials, handicrafts etc.). We collaborate with communities through our loose network (Tourism Action Groups) in nine districts of Far-west Region.

The added-value or the innovative aspect(s) expected will be that the basic sustainable standards are fulfilled and that the hotel/home-stay have a marketing advantage and are able to access the International Sustainable Tourism Market.

ACTIONS PROPOSED IN THIS PROJECT

STEP 1

Understanding of concept of sustainability Tourism Development Society is providing hotels and homestays with training session on sustainable for accommodations to understand the concept of sustainability, and how hoteliers can make their businesses more sustainable

STEP 2

Self-assessment Tourism Development Society is providing the self-assessment tool (sustainable criteria catalogue) to accommodation providers. The latter can identify non-sustainable aspects, and new aspects that they can introduce STEP 3 – Elaboration of action plan for sustainability Tourism Development Society will provide a training session and assists accommodation providers in assessment of current situation to elaborate an action plan for sustainability.

STEP 4

Monitoring Hotels/Homestays will demonstrate commitment to their action plans by providing physical documentation of action implementation (the deadline will be agreed and fixed in the action plan). TDS will monitor the accomplishment according action plan and deadlines agreed on.

STEP 5

Marketing By fulfilling the basic sustainable standards by hotel/home-stay, hotel/home-stay can become a TDS member to benefit from TDS marketing activities to get better access to international sustainable tourism market (TDS’s service package includes marketing and capacity building activities).

The clients and customers will be able to send their feedbacks & suggestions, thus allowing TDS to improve the environmental profile of the concerned establishments. Conducted exploration trips with volunteers to identify possible new accommodation sites in the mountainous region of Far-west Nepal.