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Sustainable Tourism for Livelihood Recovery
Summary
The Sustainable Tourism for Livelihood Recovery Project (STLRP) – a joint project of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and UNDP aims to contribute to the revival of the tourism sector by supporting livelihoods recovery of the most affected workers by providing short-term employment as well as enhancing the capacity of the NTB and other relevant stakeholders to accelerate recovery efforts including supporting the formulation of the National Tourism Recovery Strategy after COVID-19. The project will also initiate activities to support the long-term revival of the tourism sector by creating sustainable jobs and livelihood opportunities in partnership with the private sector; developing human resource capacity; supporting the creation of tourism-based enterprises; strengthening sector-related data and information management and digitalization, and articulating a comprehensive tourism recovery strategy. Aligned with sustainable tourism concepts, project activities will be oriented towards promoting a green economy.
Background
The project comes after the success of a similar initial micro program between NTB and UNDP, which started earlier in March 2020 as the global pandemic created worldwide threat and traveling had come to a standstill. The micro program already implemented in five different tourism areas across the country has employed 250 local people from the tourism workforce for upgrade and maintenance of major popular tourism trails and sites.
The partnership between NTB and UNDP after a gap of almost 13 years, has brought enthusiasm and anticipation on both sides to further the goal of Sustainable Tourism Development. Earlier, NTB had worked with UNDP from 2002 till 2007 on Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP).
Major Achievements
- Collaborated with 22 local governments for the construction of small-scale tourism infrastructures and provided jobs to around 6000 tourism workers including 1500 female workers by creating around 100,000 person days of employment.
- Constructed over 60 small-scale tourism infrastructures; foot trails, cycle trails, wooden bridges, tourist information center, and tourist/visitor resting shelter and river protection infrastructures.
- Leveraged 20% additional co-financing from local government and private sector tourism associations.
- Provided direct cash of around USD 650,000 as payment of daily wages of short-term employment to tourism workers.
- Support to develop National Tourism Recovery Strategy and four tourism industry-level service standards i.e., “Food and Beverage Service Standards” for Restaurant and Bars in coordination with REBAN, and “Tourist Vehicle Operating Standards Guidelines” in coordination with Nepal Tourist Vehicle Association (NTVA), Nepal, Trekking Guide Manual in collaboration with Nepal Mountain Academy (NMA), and River Guide Training Manual in collaboration with NARA.
- Over 300 people benefitted from skill-based training like trekking guide training, river guide training, advanced cook training, and restaurant and bartending training.
Project Output
Output 1: Vulnerable tourism-dependent communities particularly women and people from disadvantaged groups in the tourism sector that have lost their source of income due to COVID-19 have received short-term employment opportunities to meet immediate livelihood needs.
Output 2: Entrepreneurs and other workers in the tourism sector have enhanced opportunities for employment and income generation through the renovation and development of the tourism sector in major tourist destinations.
Output 3: The institutional capacity of the NTB is strengthened through the formulation of a comprehensive tourism recovery strategy, as well as through increased digitization and other efforts for future disaster risk management.
GESI Component
The project has been engaging with women and disadvantaged groups in decision-making roles at the community level. These groups are mostly concentrated in informal sectors and hence many of them have either already lost their jobs or sources of income. STLRP plans to create employment opportunities among 2000 tourism workers and also enhance the skill of around 500 females in different types of the skill-based capacity development program. The project has also prioritized the capacity-building program exclusively for a female like trekking guide training, river guide training, and other priority training while designing and developing the training plan.Out of total workers, 25% of women tourism workers (trekking guides, rafting guides, porters, housekeeping, cook, gardner, waitress, driver) benefitted from short-term employment.
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Project details:
| Project Status | Active |
| Project Period | January 2021 to August 2023 |
| Project ID | 00111755 |
| Budget: | USD 2,100,000 (UNDP TRAC: 1,100,000) and NTB: 1,000,000 |
| Contact | CO Focal Point
Ms. Kalpana Sarkar |
Project Focal Point Mr. Mani Raj Lamichhane Director/NTB and National Project Coordinator (NPC), STLRP Email: maniraj@ntb.org.np Phone: 97714256909/9851024366 GPO Box: 11018, Room No 14 |