The appreciative inquiry process in pro-poor tourism planning and development : experiences from Nepal

Abstract

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN, 2000) aimed to halve the 1990 global poverty level of people living on less than a US dollar a day, by 2015. Tourism, as one of the largest economic drivers in the world, is considered to have the potential to make a significant contribution to achieving this goal. Poverty reduction is possible only when the host country retains maximum profit from tourism and ensures that the benefits from tourism reach the poor sectors of society.

Various planning approaches have been used to develop tourism in order to address poverty reduction goals; one such approach is Pro-poor Tourism (PPT). PPT has a specific focus to generate maximum benefits for people living in poverty. One relatively recent approach to PPT planning and development is Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI is considered an alternative to traditional ‘problem solving’ approaches and focuses especially on strengths and successes of individuals, organisations and communities.

This research explored the relevance of the AI process in PPT in Nepal, and examined the contribution of AI to local people’s participation in PPT planning and development in rural areas. Nepal has been using AI in tourism planning and development for more than a decade. However, to date, no empirical studies have been conducted to assess AI’s effectiveness in pro-poor tourism planning and development. This research is expected to contribute to the literature by filling the gap from theoretical, as well as practical, perspectives. It also provides context to policy makers and planners to develop appropriate policies to maximise tourism benefits to the local people, including the poorest.

Two communities (Junbesi and Pattale), at different stages of tourism development in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, were used as case study sites where the AI approach was implemented. The research applied qualitative approaches to reveal the experiences of local residents, and both district- and national-level experts in tourism planning and development processes. The local people’s perception indicates that the poorest people in the communities are likely to benefit less from tourism due to lack of skills and capital. However, despite this finding the study also shows that AI has potential to become an effective planning tool to promote PPT, provided there are adequate strategies and means in place to address existing challenges such as political instability, socio-cultural stratification, resource availability, and the local context.