Dr. Surya Bahadur Ghimire (PhD) Mountain Tourism Researcher

Tourism-Led Youth Retention National Framework (TL-YR-NF) “From Migration Economy to Mountain Opportunity Economy” Nepal's tourism sector in 2025 shows  strong recovery  (96.8% of pre-pandemic levels) but faces  structural challenges : over-reliance on traditional markets, declining forex earnings, and under-leveraged adventure tourism potential. This report provides a  data-driven analysis ,  global benchmarks , and a  youth-focused roadmap  to transform tourism into a pillar of sustainable economic growth and talent retention. Great Nepal Treks Rationale: Why Tourism Must Anchor Youth Retention in Nepal Nepal Tourism Performance 2025: Evidence-Based Analysis Overall Recovery & Growth Trajectory Total International Visitor Arrivals (IVAs) 2025: 1,158,459 Growth vs 2024: +0.95% Recovery vs 2019: 96.8–97% (near full recovery) The Structural Problem Nepal is experiencing youth out-migration not because of unemployment , but because...

Integrated Mountain Development Model (IMDM):  An In-Depth Conceptual Explanation An Integrated Mountain Development Model (IMDM) represents a holistic and systems-based development framework designed specifically for fragile and complex mountain regions. Unlike sectoral or isolated development approaches, IMDM recognizes mountains as interlinked socio-ecological systems where tourism, livelihoods, environment, culture, infrastructure, and governance are deeply interconnected. The model seeks to balance economic growth, social equity, and ecological sustainability , thereby ensuring long-term resilience and inclusivity in mountain development. 1. Tourism as a Catalyst, Not a Standalone Industry Within the IMDM framework, tourism functions as a catalytic sector rather than an isolated economic activity . Mountain tourism—such as trekking, mountaineering, eco-tourism, cultural tourism, pilgrimage tourism, and adventure tourism—creates forward and backward linkages with local econo...