Degradation of heritage sites might hamper tourism
Kathmandu : Tourism entrepreneurs and experts expressed concerns over growing degradation condition of World Heritage sites in the country and warned that it might hamper tourism business.
Speaking at a program organized in the capital by Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), experts said that although millions of rupees have been allocated for heritage conservation by more than half a dozen organizations, their activities are limited to seminars and workshops only.
Presenting a working paper, heritage expert Dr Safalya Amatya said international organizations, including UNESCO, were limiting their budget to seminars and documentation works only. Citing an example of renovation project carried out by UNESCO in 1980s, Amatya said the UN body had spent US$ 700,000 in documentation of two courtyards of Patan Durbar Square alone.
Though different government bodies annually collect around Rs 120 million from tourist entry fee in three durbar squares of the Kathmandu Valley, the amount is not spent on maintenance of heritage sites. “Instead of renovating heritage sites in poor state, the amount is being spent to establish new monuments,” he added.
Pabitra Kumar Karki, president of NATTA, said tourism business will be affected if heritage sites are left in a dilapidated state. “Culturally rich heritage sites are one of our major attractions,” he said.
Former tourism secretary Dipendra Purush Dhakal said community ownership was important for sustainable renovation of such heritage sites. “Our heritage sites are fast degrading due to unplanned organization and pollution. Unless local community starts taking ownership of such sites, the government alone can do nothing,” he added.
Participants of the program asked authorities concerned to save our heritage sites from theft, pollution and rapid urbanization. They also suggested to the government to declare world heritage sites vehicle-free zones and shift shops operating there outside the heritage sites.Nepal has a total of eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including seven inside the Kathmandu Valley. Source : Republica
