To evaluate the ecotourism potential of kanchenjunga conservation area by using swot analysis

THEORY:

The word “Tourism” is derived from the french word “Tourism” which originated in the 19^th century and cited for the first time in oxford english in 1811,

Tourism may be defined as the sum of phenomena and relationships arising from the government , origin government and host communities.

Importance of tourisms,

1. Employment for local people
2. Foreign exchange earning
3. Contribution to government avenues
4. Demand of local product

Negative impact of tourism,

1. Environmental pollution
2. Waste generation
3. Westernization and modernization

Sustainable tourism is the concept of visiting somewhere as a tourist and trying to make a positive impact on the environment, society and economy. Sustainable tourism is an alternative tourism solution to negative impact. Sustainable development meets the needs of the present generation of tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future.

Ecotourism:

It is one of the fastest growing segments of the sustainable tourism industries on wildlife conservation. Environmental protection, poverty alleviation and economic development. It is a responsible trip to a natural area that conserves the environment , sustains interpretation and education.

It is an environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas. Ecotourism is a new paradigm of tourism carried out with either culture ,educational, scientific and adventure processes.

Principle of Ecotourism:

TILES has made some changes and additions in its principles in 1990 when TILES first created the principles. Further TILES add those who implement , participate in the aid market. Ecotourism activities should adopt the following ecotourism principle. 

1. Minimize physical , social behavioral and physiological impact.
2. Provide positive experiences for both.
3. Build environmental and cultural awareness.
4. General financial benefits for conservation.
5. Design, construct and operate low impact facilities.
6. Recognize the rights and spiritual benefits of the indigenous people in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment.

According to control and Groom(2006),the factors affecting ecotourism potential are:

1. Species attractive:

Any place has its own uniquener with its flora, fauna, landscape or cultural aspects that attract the tourist.

2. Site and infrastructure:

Accessiliacy, communication, transportation and waste management are the essential services to ecotourism and should assess how they support ecotourism and how they affect ecotourism.

3. Market demand:

The tourism trend and users profile determine the market demand of a given destination. The strategy should be developed and managed to meet the potential demand of the destination.

4. Available capacity:

It is necessary to understand the available capacity of hotel, tourist guide, staff etc. in a tourist destination inorder to determine the amount who can participate or enjoy the destination place.

5. Socio economic tourism:

It is important to assess the potential cost and benefits of tourism in terms of social, cultural and economic factors that influence tourism development potential to benefit biodiversity conservation.

Methods commonly used to excess ecotourism potential there are different methods for the determination of ecotourism potential of protected areas like Awot hybrid method, Ecos (ecotourism opportunity spectrum ) method, exploratory case study as well as qualitative and quantitative analysis swot analysis.

Swot analysis:

Swot stands for strength, weakness, opportunity and threat. This research method is used in business fields but it has now been extended to natural resource management to access the decision and policy directive in a systematic manner, and also is an assessment of sustainable tourism.

Swot analysis:

1. Internal factors strength and weakness
2. External factors opportunities and threat

Hence, SWOT analysis is a simple but powerful tool for raising upon organizations resources, capabilities and definiences , its opportunities and external threats to its future. 

SWOT analysis for ecotourism potential assessment SWOT analysis is used extensively as an assessments and planning method particularly in tourism planning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 

Kanchenjunga conservation area is a protracted area in the Himalayan of eastern Nepal that was established in 1997. It lies in province 1 and the mechi zone. The dominant ethnic groups are limbu, sherpa and many people are involved in trading of high altitude resources such as Tibetan salt and wool , farming , animal husbandry. Kanchenjunga conservation area is home to 252 species of birds , 22 species of mammals, 82 species of insects, 55 species of fish and 65 species of amphibians.

METHODOLOGY:

To complete the objective of study , information about  KCA and other information.

Conservation area project- WWF Nepal , socio-economic outcome of conservation area were, relevant article for the information. 

RESULT:

Ecotourism Potential of Kanchenjunga, a conservation area, was evaluated under SWOT analysis.

S.N.	Strength	S.N.	Weakness
1	Birth place of lord Buddha	1	Only one international airport.
2	Highest peak in the word Mt.everest and 8 out of 14 tallest mountains	2	Security problem to tourist
3	10 world heritage monuments	3	Lack of sufficient package program to increase average length of stay
4	Unique and wide diversity	4	Lack of proper infrastructure

S.N.	Opportunities	S.N.	Threat
1	Generate employment for the unskilled force	1	Chance of conflict or war with  neighboring country
2	Poverty alleviation	2	Increase dependency of tourism
3	Provide market for local product	3	Westernization of culture

DISCUSSION:

SWOT analysis is an important tool in determining the ecotourism potential. The ecotourism potential of the Kanchenjunga conservation area was evaluated . It helps to know the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of this area. Strength includes all the strength , weakness includes all the weakness. In similar fashion. Opportunities and threats are also an  integral part of SWOT analysis. 

CONCLUSION:

Hence , the ecotourism potential of kanchenjunga  conservation area was evaluated by SWOT analysis techniques.