KATHMANDU, Nepal- Manang, the mountainous district with a lots of tourism potentiality, has begun home stay programmes in a bid to lure more foreign tourists.
The Wodar village which spreads 6, 7 and 8 wards of Dharapani in the Manang, also known as the district beyond the Himalayas, has begun the programme with support of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).
The ACAP has launched different trainings and orientation programmes to the locals of Wodar village to start the homestay programme. It also had organized tour programmes to the villagers to different homestay launched villages of Lamjung districts to learn about the concept and practice of the programme.
“The ACAP organized team visits to the members of the Danfe HomeStay Tourism Sub-Committee in adjoining Lamjung district for the purpose,” Paras Bikram Singh, chief of ACAP office Manang was quoted by a Nepalese broadsheet daily.
According to Singh the programme is very fruitful to cash the tourism possibilities in the area.
Many remotes villages in the Himalayan nation have been utilizing the concept of homestay by treating the tourists as a guest in the home. The Wodar village is at the distance of about 42 kilometers from Besisahar, the headquarters of Lamjung district with majority of ethnic Gurung population seen welcoming the guests throughout the way.
The guests once reached the place are welcomed by a group of boys and girls with typical local drinks and food stuffs. “Now the tourists can enjoy typical local Gurung culture, foods and living while on trekking,” shared Belkashi Gurug, chairperson of the programme, adding, “This will help to improve economic status of the village thus helping in conserving the Gurung culture and tradition.”