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Description
Prior to COVID-19, tourism was one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries. Consequently, extensive scholarly research has been conducted on various aspects of tourism. However, the majority of this research has primarily focused on the experiences of tourists, leaving the impacts and dynamics on host destinations, especially in developing countries, relatively understudied. This dissertation examines the dynamics of tourism in Upper Mustang, Nepal. Using a confluence of mixed methods, the three research papers in this dissertation address the gaps in existing literature and provide insights into the complex dynamics of tourism in the region. These studies investigate the effects of COVID-19 on global migratory networks and trans-local kinship relationships, examine the impacts of tourism and power relationships, and analyze the factors that influence tourism-based livelihood diversification. The first paper analyzes migration, mobility, and precarity within the trans-local Himalayan community, particularly in light of the COVID-19’s disruptions. The second paper explores Upper Mustang residents' perspectives on tourism impacts and considers power relationships. The third paper investigates the factors influencing households' decisions to adopt or avoid tourism-based livelihood diversification in Upper Mustang. The findings highlight the dependence of Mustangs' well-being on global migratory networks and trans-local kinship relations. Perceived tourism impacts varied based on geographical location, which defined the presence of tourists. The study reveals an uneven distribution of tourism benefits among the local population, stemming from historical social structures that pre-date tourism. Furthermore, it identifies factors that positively or negatively influence households' choices to diversify their livelihoods into tourism. The research underscores the disruptive nature of migration on the trend of livelihood diversification. Overall, this study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of tourism complexities and effects in the context of Upper Mustang, which are relevant to tourism impacts experienced globally. By addressing multiple dimensions, including migration, power relationship, and livelihood decisions, it sheds light on the intricate dynamics of tourism for the region and connects local tourism to global processes of migration and livelihood change. The research emphasizes the need for a balanced exploration of host destination perspectives and expands knowledge on the impacts of tourism.
ContributorsGurung, Tashi Wongdi (Author) / BurnSilver, Shauna S (Thesis advisor) / Marty Anderies, Marty M (Thesis advisor) / York, Abigail A (Committee member) / Shrestha, Milan M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The main purpose of this dissertation is to examine the effects of migration and household capitals on agricultural and energy transitions in the setting of rapidly changing socioeconomic and environmental conditions of Chitwan, Nepal. The environmental aspects of agricultural and energy transitions are also discussed to weave the changes in the livelihoods of rural households into the discourse of sustainable development, especially in the context of underdeveloped countries. The data used for the analysis is the Chitwan Valley Family Study which has been collected since 1996 at the individual and household level with the focuses on agriculture and family. The results from first difference model and multilevel logistic regression model using discrete-time event history approach deliver a couple of important messages for the future plans for local and national development. Most of all, migration plays an important role in the livelihoods of rural households in Chitwan. It might not have a direct impact, but the findings indicate that social and financial remittances from migration interact with how a household utilizes their current capitals under a given context for the future. Particularly, available labor in a household, prior investment in agriculture, exposure to modern life style, and what other people do, all these factors moderate the association between migration and the transitions. The implications of these results on sustainable development for the future of Chitwan and Nepal in the coming years are discussed afterwards.
ContributorsHan, Seung Yong (Author) / Yabiku, Scott T. (Thesis advisor) / Glick, Jennifer E. (Committee member) / Agadjanian, Victor (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2014