Nepal tourism in the aftermath of the April/May 2015 earthquake and aftershocks: repercussions, recovery and the rise of new tourism sectors

Abstract

This paper discusses the application of the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) risk and recovery strategy for Nepal following the April/May 2015 earthquake and aftershocks. The impact of the earthquake on tourism to Nepal, the establishment and evolution of PATA’s Nepal Rapid Recovery Taskforce and strategic approaches to tourism recovery contained within the report and its outcomes are discussed. The methodology involved participant observation with three key players in the recovery process, email interviews of key informants, analysis of secondary data sources and reviews of management information systems. Collaborative theory was at the core of PATA’s recovery process and provided a lens through which to understand the intent, direction and actions undertaken. The application of Nepal’s recovery strategy is examined through volunteer tourism, which played a central role in Nepal’s tourism recovery and accessible tourism as an innovative approach to introducing a new market sector in Nepal. Volunteer and accessible tourism enterprises provided opportunities for these organisations to create their own narratives and to include them in the broader media and marketing approach towards stimulating tourism recovery to Nepal between 2015 and 2017.