Most money tourists pay through service charges and government revenue, is collected and spent in Kathmandu. It supports the national economy, but only a fraction returns to Dolpa.
I do not object to organised groups arriving with their own food, equipment and porters. The problem is that this self-sufficiency prevents local spending. Several lodges along trekking routes have closed because organised groups never use them.
Tourism enters Dolpa fully supplied and leaves again with its money, while local people remain outside the transaction.
Government policy permits organised groups but restricts what we call FITs, Free Individual Tourists. However, I believe individual travellers would interact more with residents, purchase local products and create demand for a trained workforce, better sanitation and stronger services.
Employment currently reaches mainly porters. Guides, cooks, carpenters and other staff are usually brought from elsewhere because local people lack experience, training and the right channels and contacts.
Waste, meanwhile, accumulates year after year. Dolpa risks becoming a wastebasket while receiving little revenue in return. Local authorities remain responsible for visitor safety regardless of the limited economic benefit.
If Dolpa carries the responsibility and waste of tourism, it should also receive a fair share of its work and income.
High prices are caused mainly by transport difficulties, not visitors, and tourists generally pay the same as residents. Cultural change has been gradual, and isolation has protected many traditions. Dolpa is safe, despite outside rumours.
Investment in infrastructure, education and health would help this vast district. Therefor, even though we receive little from tourism, we residents have always welcomed visitors warmly.
Allowing more independent travel could turn hospitality into a genuine local economy, provided Dolpa first receives the skills and infrastructure needed to welcome it responsibly.
