The Social Construction of Nepalese Rurality: A Finnish Tourists' Perspective
Abstract
The concept of rurality varies depending upon the individual experiences of tourists and their cultural background. Some might relate it to gastronomy and others might relate it to local community, culture or even landscapes. Since it has such varieties of cultural meanings and styles of living, deconstruction of rurality becomes rather challenging. In the case of Nepal, with over 81% of the total population living in the rural areas, rural tourism has always been one of the most important factors for economic growth and poverty reduction in rural areas. The aim of the study is to find out what kind of meanings do the Finns construct of rurality in Nepalese context. It examines the viewpoints of the Finnish tourists in three major themes i.e. rurality in general, hospitality and authenticity with the help of research questions focusing on (1) social and cultural meanings that Finnish tourists in Nepalese context, (2) host-guest relationship between the locals and Finnish tourists and its affects conceptualising rurality, and (3) role of authenticity on creating rural identity for Finnish tourists. The research method of the study is qualitative with interview as primary method. The semi- structured interviews are carried out with seven different tourists of Finnish origin who have travelled to and spend few weeks in a rural destination of Nepal. The study results showed that location attributes, contrast living lifestyles and social norms forms the socio-cultural meanings of rurality in Nepalese context. Similarly, construction of meaning of rurality can also be explored through language and active engagement with the local community. Lastly, authenticity is considered to be a motivation for Finns to travel to rural destinations and they have individual perceptions on how they construct the meaning rurality. The research can provide an insight to the present rural tourism scenario of Nepal. The responses of these tourists can further be used as a reference for planning future developmental projects in rural areas, which of course, should be done in accordance with the interests and involvement of the local community.
Full text
Bikash Gu ung
THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF NEPALESE RURALITY:
A FINNISH TOURISTS’ PERSPECTIVE
Tou ism Resea ch, Tou CIM
Mas e ’s hesis
Sp ing 2020
Uni e si y o Lapland, Facul y o Social Sciences
Ti le: The Social Cons uc ion o Nepalese u ali y: A Finnish ou is s’ pe spec i e
Au ho : Bikash Gu ung
Deg ee p og am/Subjec : Tou ism Resea ch, Tou CIM (Tou ism, Cul u e and In e na ional
Managemen )
The ype o wo k: Mas e ’s hesis
Numbe o pages: 64
Yea : 2020
Abs ac
The concep o u ali y a ies depending upon he indi idual expe iences o ou is s and hei
cul u al backg ound. Some migh ela e i o gas onomy and o he s migh ela e i o local
communi y, cul u e o e en landscapes. Since i has such a ie ies o cul u al meanings and
s yles o li ing, decons uc ion o u ali y becomes a he challenging. In he case o Nepal,
wi h o e 81% o he o al popula ion li ing in he u al a eas, u al ou ism has always been
one o he mos impo an ac o s o economic g ow h and po e y educ ion in u al a eas.
The aim o he s udy is o ind ou wha kind o meanings do he Finns cons uc o u ali y in
Nepalese con ex . I examines he iewpoin s o he Finnish ou is s in h ee majo hemes i.e.
u ali y in gene al, hospi ali y and au hen ici y wi h he help o esea ch ques ions ocusing on
(1) social and cul u al meanings ha Finnish ou is s in Nepalese con ex , (2) hos -gues
ela ionship be ween he locals and Finnish ou is s and i s a ec s concep ualizing u ali y,
and (3) ole o au hen ici y on c ea ing u al iden i y o Finnish ou is s.
The esea ch me hod o he s udy is quali a i e wi h in e iew as p ima y me hod. The semi-
s uc u ed in e iews a e ca ied ou wi h se en di e en ou is s o Finnish o igin who ha e
a elled o and spend ew weeks in a u al des ina ion o Nepal.
The s udy esul s showed ha loca ion a ibu es, con as li ing li es yles and social no ms
o ms he socio-cul u al meanings o u ali y in Nepalese con ex . Simila ly, cons uc ion o
meaning o u ali y can also be explo ed h ough language and ac i e engagemen wi h he
local communi y. Las ly, au hen ici y is conside ed o be a mo i a ion o Finns o a el o
u al des ina ions and hey ha e indi idual pe cep ions on how hey cons uc he meaning
u ali y.
The esea ch can p o ide an insigh o he p esen u al ou ism scena io o Nepal. The
esponses o hese ou is s can u he be used as a e e ence o planning u u e de elopmen al
p ojec s in u al a eas, which o cou se, should be done in acco dance wi h he in e es s and
in ol emen o he local communi y.
Keywo ds: u ali y, u al ou ism, au hen ici y, hospi ali y, social cons uc ion
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 5
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY .................................................................................... 5
1.2 NEPAL AS A TOURISM DESTINATION .......................................................................... 8
1.3 PREVIOUS RESEARCH ............................................................................................... 12
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................... 15
1.5 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................... 16
2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................. 18
2.1 SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF RURALITY AND RURAL TOURISM ................................... 18
2.2 HOST-GUEST RELATIONSHIP ................................................................................... 24
2.3 RURAL AUTHENTICITY ............................................................................................ 28
3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 32
3.1 RESEARCH METHOD ................................................................................................ 32
3.2 DATA COLLECTION PROCESS ................................................................................... 32
3.3 DATA ANALYSIS...................................................................................................... 33
3.4 RESEARCH ETHICS ................................................................................................... 34
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................................................ 36
4.1 SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RURAL SETTINGS ................................................................. 36
4.2 IMPLICATIONS OF HOST-GUEST RELATIONSHIP IN RURAL AREAS .............................. 41
4.3 EXPLORING AUTHENTICITY ..................................................................................... 45
5 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................... 48
LIST OF REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 53
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................... 62
APPENDIX 1 ........................................................................................................................ 63
APPENDIX 2 ........................................................................................................................ 64
4
Lis o igu es
Figu e 1. Visi Nepal campaign logos………………………………………………………11
Figu e 2. Ci cula ans o ma ion p ocess……………………………………………….….26
Lis o ables
Table 1. Na ional c i e ia o de ining u al………………………………………………....20
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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Backg ound o he s udy
The popula ion in he u al a eas has g adually aged and he adi ional u al li es yle is slowly
being o e aken by he new echnological ans o ma ions (Lane, 1994). These echnological
de elopmen s a e mo e p esen in he u ban a eas, which a e cha ac e ized as mo e popula ed,
conside ed cen al business dis ic s and esiden ial zones wi h mo e op ions o sou ce o
income such as manu ac u ing and se ices (Nagle (1998, p. 14). The s eng h o u baniza ion
p ocess in he u ban a eas consume he su ounding u al communi ies and by doing so, he
u al a ea is exposed o much la ge ma ke a ec ing he u al communi ies and he concep
o u al (Ouchi, 2010, p. 207). Ne e heless, he essence o u ali y is e y impo an o he
u al communi ies. Despi e di icul y in accessing he nea by ci ies and lack o in as uc u e;
he unique na u al su oundings and high quali y o na u al en i onmen o he u al a ea along
wi h elaxed pace o li es yle, i s ill emains as an a ac ion o many ou is s. As he
ag icul u e ela ed ac i i ies a e becoming highly mechanized wi h less manpowe , he e has
been he need o he u al des ina ions o conse e and p omo e he na u e, landscapes,
his o ic buildings land and adi ional u al socie ies (Shakya, 2011, p. 109). In addi ion, an
al e na i e sou ce o income has o be iden i ied since he u al economies canno be always
dependen adi ional like a ming and ag icul u e, hus al e na i e sou ce o income has o be
iden i ied (Liu, 2006). Acco ding o Rasoolimanesh, Ringle, Jaa a and Ramayah (2017),
h ough he p omo ion o hei he i age and iden i y, showcasing hei locally p oduced ood
p oduc s and demons a ion o hei cul u al ac i i ies, hey can use ou ism as he ool o
imp o ing hei u al li es yle, and b inging o he posi i e changes in he communi y
Howe e , his should be done by ca e ully u ilizing he abo e-men ioned men ioned esou ces
as Dashpe (2014, p. 6) wa ns ha as ou ism expands, wi h he a i al o in e na ional ou is s,
many u al communi ies a e in need o including mo e ac i e and echnology dependen
ac i i ies, which could be e y demanding because hey do no possess hose a ibu es. Okech,
Haghi i and Geo ge (2012) ha e simila opinion ha ha u al a eas a e in disad an age in
e ms o ou ism de elopmen because he e is al eady lack o in as uc u e and skilled
manpowe , li le in e es om he in es o s and mos impo an ly di icul y in accessibili y.
Tou ism de elopmen in de eloping coun ies a e mos ly con olled by go e nmen agencies
and la ge ou ism i ms, wi h locals ma ginalized and hei sha e o he bene i is usually small
6
(Liu and Wall, 2006). Then, hey assign hi d pa y o ganiza ions o handling he p ojec by
mo e o less lea ing ou he in ol emen o he local communi ies. This b ings discon en in
local communi ies agains he go e nmen and i would be di icul o he p ojec o ul ill i s
objec i es. Salaza (2012) iden i ies he c ucial ac o o he p ojec o un smoo hly is he
op imum in ol emen o he local communi y and o he sake o hei bene i s. I is de ined
as communi y-based ou ism (CBT) whe e he local communi y is ocused in decision-making
p ocess while o mula ing de elopmen al p ojec s and has a ai dis ibu ion o he ou ism
bene i s o all he s akeholde s (Salaza , 2012). On he o he hand, i espec i e o any kind o
app oach, i has o be unde s ood ha , he e could be a chance ha o communi y no ac ing
as a comple e hos . I is because, ou ism migh no be he main sou ce o li elihood o he e
will be some esiden s ha a e no sa is ied abou he es ablishmen o gues houses, ho els and
o he ou ism se ices, which a e in as uc u es o ou ism de elopmen p ocess (Singh,
Timo hy and Dowling, 2003, p. 10). So, du ing he p ocess o u al ou ism de elopmen , i is
c ucial o unde s and he locals’ pe cep ion on ou is s, ou is s’ impac on he dynamics o he
local communi y, ou ism de elopmen , and hei iews on impac s and bene i s o ou ism
ac i i ies wi hin he communi y.
In he case o u al Nepal, he ou ism de elopmen in u al Nepal has been done in an
unplanned ashion wi h sudden changes in he housing cons uc ions and unc ional change
om ag icul u e o ou ism leading adi ional deg ada ion (Shakya, 2009, p. 124). E en i he
policies a e made, people esponsible o implemen ing hem lacks compe ence and
expe ience. In gene al, comme cializa ion o he u al ou ism also ails o hi hei ma k when
he local communi y canno come o e ms wi h he needs o ou ism indus y. Shakya (2009,
p. 125) u he s esses ha he inc ease in ou ism especially in he moun ainous ekking
egions, he consump ion o uel p ima ily i ewood is causing de o es a ion and a ec ing he
na u al en i onmen . These en i onmen al o na u al se ings o ekking and hiking a e he
key ac i i ies o ha e au hen ic expe ience o he ou is s in he moun ain egion. So, he long-
e m solu ion is o make p ope measu e o ake ca e o na u e ha is p o iding a s age o
hese ad en u e ac i i ies. In addi ion, cons an moni o ing and e alua ion o ou ism impac s
in hose a eas has o be ca ied ou . Howe e , he e ha e been some posi i e esul s om
a ious p og ams and ini ia i es ocused on u al ou ism. One o he mos success ul is
TRPAP, The ou ism o Ru al Po e y Alle ia ion P og am. This p og am ocused on aising
awa eness o ou ism issues, mainly ocusing on Communi y Based Tou ism model, hus
7
empowe ing he local people and engaging hem in ou ism (UNDP Nepal, 2001). Simila ly,
he esea ch done by Nyaupane, Poudel and Timo hy (2018) in wo ou is ic illages in Nepal;
Gand uk and Sau aha, shows ha h ough ou ism, he adi ional oles o women ha e
changed wi hin he amily and he communi y, as hey ha e become mo e ac i e h ough
ou ism ac i i ies. In addi ion, ins i u ions and commi ees ha e been o med o ca y ou
conse a ion and de elopmen p og ams. Finally, as he moun ainous egion is one o he mos
isi ed a ea, i ce ainly has changed he image o u al li es yle o he She pas. In his s udy,
S e ens (2009) ound ou , due o ou ism he li ing li es yle o She pas li ing in he
moun ainous E e es egion and imp o emen . I also u he s a es ha he de elopmen
p ocess in he E e es egion has been done wi hou much nega i e e ec on he egion’s
en i onmen and cul u al aspec s. I has p o ided jobs oppo uni ies o he poo and inc eased
he local ag icul u al business.
Du ing 2018, Nepal wi nessed o e a million ou is o he i s ime in his o y wi h app ox.
1.1million, ou o which, app ox. 224k Eu opeans we e Eu opeans (Nepalsansa .com, 2018).
Ge mans we e he highes wi h 38k ollowed by F ance and Spain wi h 31k and 15k
espec i ely. The la es da a on Finnish ou is is om 2017, when 2,288 ou is s isi ed Nepal
(Wo ld Tou ism O ganiza ion, 2019). Fo pu pose o he isi in 2018, 55.5% o he o al
ou is s’ chose T ekking & Moun ainee ing (Minis y o Cul u e, Tou ism & Ci il A ia ion,
2019). Du ing he i s hal o 2019, app ox. 104k Eu opeans a elled o Nepal
(Nepalsansa .com, 2019). Mos o he p e ious esea ch on u al ou ism in Nepal has ocused
in ela ion o i s e ec s, hus lacking on s udies explo ing locals’ and ou is s’ pe spec i e in
di e en hemes. The in e es o his s udy is u he based on my own in e es owa ds u al
ou ism due o my pe sonal u al upb inging backg ound in Nepal. Also, in he nea u u e, I
am planning o e u n o Nepal and pu sue my en ep eneu ial aspi a ions in he ield o
ou ism. I see a huge oppo uni y especially in ad en u e a el as he e a e nume ous u al
se lemen s all o e he coun y, high moun ains and pe ec e ain o do all so s o ac i i ies.
And, his s udy would be e y aluable in unde s anding ou is ’s mo i a ion o a el o hese
u al a eas.
8
1.2 Nepal as a ou ism des ina ion
Tou ism in Nepal is conside ed as one o he la ges indus ies and p obably he la ges sou ce
o o eign exchange and e enue. Fo eigne s we e allowed o he i s ime in 1951 and
ou ism only du ing ea ly 1960s, when moun ainee ing eams isi ed he coun y o he i s
ime o es ablish ad en u e a el p og ams (Zu ick, 1992). A e Tenzing No gay and Si
Edmund Hilla y’s success ul ascen o Moun E e es in 1953, Nepal s a ed o ecei e lo o
publici y among he moun ainee ing en husias s. And, wi h i , he end o moun ainee ing and
o he ad en u e ela ed ac i i ies s a ed o gain popula i y and also because o na u al
scene ies, moun ainous and ugged e ain, Nepal has been one o he mos popula
des ina ions o ekke s and climbe s om all o e he wo ld as almos all he no he n pa
o he coun y is co e ed by Himalayan moun ain ange and ideal o di e en ype o eks
and ad en u e ela ed ac i i ies. Upadhayaya (2011) also poin s ou ha hese ha e been one
o he mos p oduc i e ac i i ies in u al Nepal o c ea e income and expand bene i s on u al
a eas.
Nepal’s Tou ism Policy wasn’ o mula ed un il 1995. When he ‘People’s mo emen ’ in 1990
b ough an end o he absolu e mona chy (K äme , 2010, p. 47) and democ acy was es o ed
in Nepal; i led o he newly o med go e nmen o make he Tou ism Policy. Along wi h
sus ainable ou ism de elopmen p og am, upg ading in as uc u e and de eloping new
des ina ions in u al a eas was conside ed majo objec i es (Gau am, 2008). Then in 1996, His
majes y’s Go e nmen o Nepal announced he yea 1998 as ‘Visi Nepal 98’. The main aim
was o p omo e o e all ou ism and s eng hen he image o Nepal as a special ou ism
des ina ion. The main objec i es included de eloping eco- iendly ou ism p oduc s, ensu e
egional de elopmen h ough ou ism, and imp o e and c ea ing awa eness abou ou ism
bene i s o he Nepali popula ion (T a el Nepal, 1998). Du ing his ime, he ou ism in he
illages in he u al a eas was g adually inc easing. The ounda ion o illage ou ism was
based upon he u al ou ism policy ha was launched in 1995 in Si uba i illage. The
homes ays, eso s and gues houses we e a anged o he ou is s so ha he ou is s can
expe ience he eali ies o u al li es yle by li ing among he local communi ies. In 2001,
Tou ism o Ru al Po e y Alle ia ion P og am (TRPAP) was lunched unde he Minis y o
Cul u e, Tou ism and Ci il A ia ion wi h he help o Uni ed Na ion De elopmen P og am
Nepal (UNDP/Nepal). The main aim o he p og am was o alle ia e po e y h ough
9
sus ainable u al ou ism. As i was done in Si uba i, model si es wi h ou ism po en ial we e
selec ed wi h especially u al ou ism po en ial as he main index and ou ism de elopmen
plan was p epa ed oge he wi h ac i e local pa icipa ion (Bis a, 2006). The TRPAP has been
ins umen al in u al de elopmen , empowe ing women in u al communi ies, p omo ing
eco ou ism and helping Na ional Tou ism Boa d (NTB) on u al ou ism planning, s a egy
and implemen a ion (Dhakal, Khadka, Sha ma and Choegyal, 2007). I has u he helped o
sp ead he awa eness abou he impo ance o ou ism in po e y alle ia ion in u al a eas.
Since hen, u al ou ism p og am has been cons an ly pa o ou ism policy and na ional
plans.
Fo ins ance, one o he main p io i ies o Tou ism Policy 2008 was o c ea e employmen in
he u al a eas and sha e bene i s in he g ass oo s le el (Nepal Law Commission, 2015). Since
hen a ious policies, plans and p ojec s ha e been implemen ed o de elop u al a eas h ough
ou ism. The Tou ism Yea 2011 lunched by NTB also ocused on de eloping a eas and
possibly building in as uc u es such as oads, elec ici y, wa e supply and means o
communica ion o he u al a eas. Simila ly, one o he p ima y objec i es o he Tou ism
Vision 2020 is o de elop in as uc u e, c ea e employmen , in ol e women and dep i ed
communi ies in u al a eas and sp ead he bene i s o ou is s o he g ass oo s le el (Minis y
o Tou ism and Ci il A ia ion, 2009). Following i , se e al ou ism de elopmen al p ojec s
we e s a ed in di e en ial u al a eas o he coun y. The concep was o sha e ou ism bene i s
o wide a ea o he coun y along wi h adi ional ekking ou es and moun ainee ing. The e
we e se e al home s ays being opened in mos o he illages, which p o ided he ou is s an
oppo uni y o ge in ol ed di ec ly wi h he u al cul u e and local communi y ha we e
associa ed wi h i . Acco ding o Depa men o Indus y, Nepal (2017), indus ies
o ien ed/ ela ed o ou ism we e he 3 d mos egis e ed indus ies du ing he i s eigh mon hs
o he iscal yea 2016/2017 wi h 1,406 egis a ions; and wi hin he same pe iod 10.75% o
he capi al in es men s we e made on ou ism indus y. When we compa e he numbe s o
ou is a i als o e 15 yea s’ imeline, mos o he ea ly 2000s we e dis up ed by he ci il wa
(Bha a ai e al., 2005). I was only a e he end o ci il wa in 2006 ha he a i al o ou is s
s a ed o gain a bi o momen um. The u al a eas we e he ones ha we e mos ly a ec ed by
he ci il wa hus he ou is s in ou es o ad en u e ou ism in he u al a eas such as ekking
and hiking we e eally limi ed (Hu Pos , 2016).
16
As majo i y o he p e ious esea ches on u al ou ism in Nepal has ocused on i s a ec s,
he e is a lack o esea ch done on analyzing he expe iences o ou is s isi ing hese u al
a eas and he ac o s ha help hem unde s and he concep o u ali y in u al ou ism. This
s udy esponds o ha esea ch gap on ou is s’ (Finnish) pe spec i e in he con ex o u al
Nepal. The esul s can be use ul no only o Nepalese local ou ism se ice p o ide s bu also
o any businesses ha is a ge ing Finnish ou is s. As a pe son who had a u al upb inging
back in Nepal and ha e pe sonally seen he po en ial o u al ou ism on de eloping he
economic, socio-cul u al and en i onmen al s a e o u al des ina ions. In he nea u u e, I
plan o e u n back home and es ablish a ou ism business in my illage. Wi h all hose hings
in mind, his s udy will seek o p o ide an answe o he ollowing esea ch ques ion:
‘How Finnish ou is s socially cons uc u ali y in a Nepalese ou ism con ex ?
To help answe he main esea ch ques ion, h ee sub-ques ions ha e been c ea ed.
1. Which a e he social and cul u al meanings ha Finnish ou is s a ach o Nepalese
u ali y?
2. How gues -hos ela ionship be ween he locals and Finnish ou is s a ec he way hey
concep ualize u ali y?
3. Wha ole does au hen ici y play in he social cons uc ion o Nepalese u ali y by Finnish
ou is s?
1.5 S uc u e o he s udy
The s uc u e o he s udy consis s o h ee phases, i.e. heo e ical amewo k, me hodology
and, esul s and discussions.
Chap e wo is he heo e ical amewo k, which opens up abou social cons uc ion and i s
ela ion o u ali y. Ru al ou ism is explained in a b oade scale ha includes he demand side
o u al ou ism. In addi ion, his chap e also elabo a es on he concep s o hospi ali y and
au hen ici y, which helps o u he unde s and on how Finnish ou is s pe cei e Nepalese
u ali y.
17
The me hodology sec ion in Chap e h ee, which desc ibes he me hods ha we e used o
collec he da a in his s udy. Fo collec ing da a, a semi-cons uc ed in-dep h in e iew was
used, whe e he au ho ca ied ou in-dep h in e iews wi h se en di e en people and he da a
we e la e analyzed using con en analysis.
Resul s and discussions o he s udy can be ound in chap e ou , which consis s wo pa s i.e.
da a analysis and discussions. The empi ical da a collec ed h ough quali a i e analysis is
analyzed using con en analysis. On he basis o analysis, he chap e desc ibes a ious ac o s
on he basis o which Finnish ou is s cons uc he meaning o u ali y in Nepalese con ex .
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2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Social cons uc ion o u ali y and u al ou ism
Social cons uc ionism is a philosophy, which hinks ha social eali y is cons uc ed oge he .
In socie y we classi y hings and in di e en languages i has di e en classi ica ions wi h
comple ely new ocabula y han he o he s. Vi ien (2015, p. 51) also poin s ou ha lo o
hings a ound us a e socially de i ed and socially main ained. They a e c ea ed by human
beings who sha e meanings h ough being membe o he same socie y o cul u e and he
membe s hemsel es ha e a majo ole o play on cons uc ing he meaning o he space
h ough hei p ac ices and daily li es (She al, 2009). When people a e bo n in o a pa icula
socie y, hey build hei own pe sonal iden i ies h ough socializa ion p o ided ho ough
ins i u ions like amily, iends, educa ion sys em, mass media e c., and in ime people de elop
hei pe cep ions and hough s abou hings (Iwashi a, 2003). Boghossian (2001) s a es simila
iews on social cons uc ion s a ing ha i is connec ed o ou social li es and hings a ound
us ha e names and meanings, which wouldn’ ha e exis ed i we hadn’ gi en i in he i s
place. The social o ce makes you gi e he hings names, cha ac e is ics and ou belie s, which
ul ima ely c ea e an image abou hem. Fu he mo e, as Ge gen (2015, p. 3) s a es ha in social
cons uc ion, wha we see hings in he wo ld a ound us a e dependen on he ela ionship we
ha e wi h hem and ou hough s and emo ions changes in ega d o he eali y and objec i i y
o hose hings. Simila ly, ou indi idual iden i y is c ea ed by in e ac ion wi h o he people
and ou eac ions o he ac ions and expec a ions o he socie y. Ou indi idual exis ence is
based on he pe cep ion o wha o he s hink o us. All he di e en e sions ha we see o
ou sel es om he eyes o o he people in he socie y and combined in o one o gi e us he
concep o who we a e.
The concep o u ali y goes beyond he limi s o s a is ical da a; i depends on he iews,
li es yle and habi s o he people li ing in hese a eas (Mölle e al., 2014, p. 25). In he
beginning o 1990s, he unde s anding o u al changed om objec i e and ma e ialis ic o
subjec i ely cons uc ed social phenomenon (Anjos and Caldas, 2014). Hal ac ee (1993)
desc ibes u al in wo di e en e ms i.e. space, whe e u ali y is de ined acco ding o i s socio-
spa ial cha ac e is ics and physical and social a ibu es o he loca ion, and social
ep esen a ion, whe e u ali y is unde s ood mo e like a concep and symbolic ep esen a ion.
19
In social ep esen a ion, u ali y is placed a a dis an and i is exp essed & in e p e ed (G ay,
2000). Simila ly, Jones (1995) s a es simila hough s wi h his concep o lay discou ses, which
is cons uc ion o u al by he people wi hin he con ex o hei e e yday li es. In his scena io,
we can say ha in ou ism oday, des ina ions a e socially and cul u ally cons uc ed by se ice
p o ide s o ca e o he a ge ed ou is g oups (Iwashi a, 2003). Ha ing said ha , e en hough
he image can be changed, he physical and na u al aspec o he des ina ion will s ill be he
same and ha could be he i em ha igge ou is s’ pe cep ion o ha pa icula des ina ion.
Acco ding o he esea ch done on social ep esen a ion by Rye (2006) on eenage s in u al
No way on how hey desc ibe u al, he esul was ha mos o he you h associa e u ali y
wi h bo h bo edom and idyllic, wi h he la e one being mo e common. Fu he mo e, in his
esea ch, hei ela ionship wi h na u e was seen as hei base o ep esen a ion o u al.
Simila ly, She al (2009) s a es ha in US, he pe cep ion o u al is s e eo yped and is s ill
desc ibed as ‘on a on ie ’ o ‘on a ma gin’ implying ha u al is ou side he ci ilized socie y
wi h being s a ic and wi h ex emely di icul geog aphic each. Ru ali y is howe e no s a ic
bu cons an ly changing. In he esea ch on na i e Alaskans, i was ound ha hey p ide
hemsel es being om Alaska and hei communi y & u ali y. Mo eo e , hey a e pe ec ly
capable o ha e a cul u ally p oduc i e, wo kable and sus ainable space as he egion is ich
in na u al esou ces and hey a e mo e han able o economically sus ain hemsel es by using
hem. Despi e being able o gene a e la ge p o i om hese businesses, Alaska i is s ill
deemed u al, he e o e he e has o be be e de ini ion o u al as des ina ions ha e a ying
deg ee o u ali y, emo eness and dis ance. Li le (2008, p. 89) oices simila conce ns on he
di icul y on desc ibing u ali y and s a es ha e en hough ha cons uc ion o u ali y is
based on how we see ou ela ionship wi h he na u e, due o he inc ease in ou ism in he
u al a eas, he e is he change in socio-cul u al, economic aspec s and he na u al se ings,
which makes i u he di icul o concep ualize he meaning o u ali y.
On an indi idual le el, humans a e a ec ed by hei ela ionship wi h he en i onmen and he
impac o u baniza ion on hei men ali y, which pe suades hem o app ecia e u ali y (Tuan,
1974, p.92). The e is a sense o Topophilia among people, which is ha ing an emo ional
connec ion wi h a place o physical en i onmen . The isual enjoymen wi hin he humans
who ha e hese so s o expe iences is e en mo e o a compelling ac o ha a ac s hem o
hese u al des ina ions. Acco ding o Tuan (1974, p. 95), jus because on expe iences ou ism
20
doesn’ necessa ily mean he connec s wi h he na u e; he app ecia ion o he landscape
expe ience is el mo e when he he can connec i wi h his pas human inciden s wi h he
na u e. The iden i y is no based on he cha ac e is ics o he u al space o he objec i i y,
a he i depends on he way each indi idual iew on i . Indi iduals who a e b ough up in
di e en social en i onmen and expe iences will ha e di e en unde s anding o u ali y
(Robe s and Hall, 2001, p. 38). The di e ence in he men ali y o he pe cep ions o he
indi iduals li ing in di e en egions is ha , a no mal li es yle o he esiden s in u al a eas
migh appea o be a place o heal hy li es yle, ich in na u e, clean en i onmen and place
o a ge away om s ess o he people om u ban a eas.
Acco ding o Lane (1994), u ali y should consis o h ee aspec s i.e. i should ha e spa ial
se lemen , mos ly domina ed by a ming and o es based economic ac i i ies, and adi ional
social s uc u e such as li es yles and men ali y. Meanwhile, Geo ge, Mai and Reid (2009, p.
9) s a e ha adi ionally, he meaning o u al is o med as he opposi e o U ban and is seen
by he ou is s as he place whe e he idea o mode niza ion and globaliza ion is leas
welcomed. Be kowi z and Schulz-G e e (2001) desc ibe ha in he Eu opean Union, u al is
abou how he land is being pu o use by na u e and human beings. Some o he ea u es o
Eu opean u al a eas a e ha hey a e a ec ed by popula ion declines, high unemploymen
a e and decline in ag icul u e ela ed employmen s.
Table 1: Va ying na ional c i e ia o de ining u al (Sou ce: Robe s and Hall, 2001, p. 11).
The O ganiza ion o Economic Co-ope a ion and De elopmen (OECD) desc ibes u al as
21
he a eas whe e mo e han 50% o he people li e in u al communi ies and he popula ion
densi y is below 150 inhabi an s pe squa e kilome e s (Depoele, 2001. p. 151), and acco ding
o Bu le and Kaye (2012, p. 7) ha u al des ina ions ha e popula ion unde 2,500. Robe s
and Hall (2001, p. 12) exp ess ha he e ha e been egula di e ences be ween a ious
schola s on he de ini ion o u al wi h some ocusing on he di e ence in cha ac e is ics
be ween he ou is s own and hos des ina ion; o he s ocusing on he densi y o he popula ion
in he speci ic a ea. As i is seen in able 1, di e en coun ies ha e hei own c i e ia and
pa ame e s o de ining a egion o be u al especially in ega d o he popula ion densi y
because he u al dis ibu ion is di e en be ween coun ies (Robe s and Hall, 2001, p. 12).
Lane (1994) also desc ibes u al ou ism should be small in scale, loca ed in u al a eas and
should ha e u al cha ac e is ics such as open space, con ac wi h he na u e, se e as he u u e
de elopmen o he a ea and ep esen he u al economy, his o y and loca ion. I is abou
eco ou ism, na u e holidays, cul u e and he i age sigh ings, hiking e c. and u he mo e se es
as a pla o m o local esiden s o showcase hei cul u e, he i age, es i als and li es yle o
he ou side wo ld. Simila ly, Jegdic, Sk abic and Milose ic (2017) cha ac e izes u al as being
close o na u e a eas, spa se se lemen s, and ag icul u e and o es y as one o he main
economic sec o s. Wi hin u al ou ism, he ac i i ies in hese a eas a e usually domina ed by
ou doo ac i i ies ela ed o u al en i onmen including he possibili y o expe ience he a m
cul u e, walking, ho se iding and a ious o he ac i i ies (Ryglo a, Raso ska and Sacha,
2017). In addi ion o ha , Lane (1994) lis s ou c oss-coun y skiing, u al he i age s udies,
and wilde ness holidays some o he ac i i ies and holiday ypes in u al des ina ions. Ru al
ou ism has many di e en s akeholde s i.e. local communi y, ou is s, local go e nmen ,
des ina ion managemen o ganiza ions and ou ope a o s. These s akeholde s wo k oge he
in a collabo a i e pa ne ship o aise he quali y o ou ism se ices and pu sue economic
de elopmen o he u al des ina ion and upli he li ing s anda d o he local communi y
(Nylande and Hall, 2005, p. 18). The u al ou ism is also used o p omo e as sus ainable
ou ism and eco- ou ism, wi h he main aim o minimizing he nega i e impac s o ou ism on
economic, social and en i onmen al aspec s o he u al des ina ion while p ese ing he
au hen ici y o he egion and i s cul u al alues (Jegdic e al., 2017).
The in ol emen o ou ism in u al a eas has changed i s pe cep ion. The in e ac ion be ween
mode ni y and adi ion can be clea ly seen in u al a eas whe e ou ism is a dominan indus y.
22
The inc ease in isi o numbe s modi ies ou ism’s scale and scope and in ime, i changes he
adi ional unde s anding o u al (Hall, Robe s and Mi chell, 2003, p. 227). Nowadays,
ou is s isi ing in he u al a eas do no limi hei ac i i ies ha a e only u al in na u e
(Sha pley, 2006, p. 147). Also, ou is s’ selec ion doesn’ always depend on u al des ina ions’
na u al se ings bu also he des ina ion-speci ic a ibu es especially he ou is acili ies.
T adi ional u al places ha e been mos ly associa ed wi h s agna ion and hey a e unde s ood
o be holding back om de elopmen . In ou is ic owns, hey a e open o cons an g ow h and
because o he social engagemen he ou is s b ing o he place, hese add some hing else o
he exis ing u ali y and ha makes hese ou is ic u al a eas bi di e en om adi ional u al
space. As seen in he ield esea ch conduc ed by Mölle e al. (2014, p. 28) in Sälen, Sweden;
he illage is conside ed by he locals as u al because o i s loca ion and ea u es like low
c iminali y, easie o mo e eely, poo public anspo sys em bu a he same ime he e a e
o he en e ainmen and acili ies ha make i mode n. This lou ishing o ou ism des ina ion
b ings he change in he pe cep ion o a illage as ei he u al o no as hese ho els, pa ks and
eso s ha e been buil o en e ain he ou is s, which a e a om he u al expe ience (Lane,
1994).
Hall e al. (2003, p. 4) s a e ha in hese ou is des ina ions, he addi ion o ec ea ion and
ou ism ac i i ies ha e changed he image o u al des ina ions om passi e o an ac i e ha
can b ing signi ican economic, en i onmen al and social change (Hall e al., 2003, p. 4). In
u al ou ism, landscapes ha e been he main a ac ion and in he pas li e a y and a is ic
igu es played an impo an ole on associa ing wild and emo e landscapes isi s o being
socially desi able (U y, 1995, p. 213). Ru al places a ac ou is s who wan o expe ience
he image o u ali y. As o people li ing especially in u ban en i onmen , coun yside has a
cul u al signi icance and hey gene ally associa e i o ha ing au hen ic expe ience. (Sha pley,
2006, p. 143). I could also be o ge connec ed o expe iencing u al ou ism in e e ence o
hei upb inging and pas expe iences as some o he isi o s s a ed in he explo a o y s udy
ca ied ou by Sha pley and Jepson (2011) on a u al des ina ion called Lake Dis ic in UK.
In Addi ion o hese pas expe iences, i could also be on he basis o he ma e ial knowledge
and emo ional connec ion ha ou is s ha e wi h he place in gene al (Espel and Beni o,
2005).
23
In many cases, he locals p ese ing he adi ional image o he place may no be eage o
welcome hem (Hall e al. 2003, p. 8). The p ocess o hei place being u ned in o a
ec ea ional space can c ea e a ied pe cep ions among he locals. Indi iduals eac o he
ou ism de elopmen in hei a ea on he basis o hei alues hey ela e o de elopmen in
gene al and how hey concei e hei s anda d o li e (Boyne, 2003, p. 34). This c ea es cons an
con lic s be ween wo ins i u ions in he u al a eas i.e. adi ional ins i u ions like amilies,
chu ches, ag icul u e e c. who a e na u alis s and wan o keep he space conse ed &
unspoiled and leisu e/ ou ism companies who iew u al a eas as a si e o p o i able
de elopmen . And, hese companies ha e u ned u al in o a leisu e esou ce which can ne e
e u n o i s o iginal condi ion (U y, 1995, p. 222). Simila ly, Sha pley (2003, p. 42) also
poin ou simila conce n o con lic especially in ega d o he ex en o use o u al esou ces
o social and economic pu poses as he e a e nume ous agencies and o ganiza ions in ol ed
in planning, managing and exploi a ion o he coun yside.
The ole o locals, se ice p o ide s and o he ou ism agen s ha e an impo an ole o play
o cons uc he image o a u al des ina ion. As discussed abo e, he p ac ice o ex e nal ou
ope a o s selling p omo ional ma e ials o hei des ina ion may no always go well wi h he
locals. In many cases i may eel ha , he imagined coun yside is jus he p omo ional ac ics
by ou ope a o s, and i may jus be limi ed o his and om ou is s’ pe spec i e, hey migh
no be able be able o expe ience i (Sha pley, 2006, p. 143). Ha ing said ha , he impo ance
o hese playe s canno be unde es ima ed. In hei esea ch; Shen, Wang, Quan and Xu (2019)
measu ed u ali y o u al ou ism des ina ions in ela ionship be ween u ali y and u al
ou ism in China. They ound ha u ali y doesn’ eally make he ounda ion o u al ou ism,
a he , he da a sugges ed, a des ina ion wi h less u al ea u es a e ge ing mo e ou ism
business han i s coun e pa s, he main eason being ha he image o he des ina ion was
p ope ly cons uc ed by ou is s and se ice p o ide s o de elope s. Tou is s ne e a i e o
a new des ina ion wi h ze o pe cep ion as hey ha e al eady subjec i ely a elled o ha
des ina ion be o e h ough a ious ou is p omo ional ma e ials. And, hese pe cep ions
depend a lo on how locals, ou ism se ice p o ide s and o he a el guides cons uc he
image o he des ina ion on he basis o wha a ou is should see a he des ina ion (Glads one,
2005, p. 104). Simila ly, Hogga and Paniagua (2001) also highligh he impo ance o hese
agen s s a ing ha , popula i y o a des ina ion also alls down o he non-local popula ions, he
ou ope a o s & agen s who sell he coun yside as image o u al ou ism is being sold by he
24
agen s. Along wi h he ou side playe s, he local en ep eneu s also an impo an ole o play
on c ea ing an app op ia e image o a des ina ion and main aining he posi i e image o
con inuously a ac ing ou is s o he des ina ion (Bu le and Russell, 2012, p. 132).
2.2 Hos -Gues ela ionship
The hospi ali y indus y consis s o as ca ego ies such as accommoda ion, ood
es ablishmen s, ec ea ion acili ies, anspo a ion, e en planning and o he ields wi hin he
ou ism indus y. The p ima y objec i e behind all hese ca ego ies wi hin hospi ali y is o
p o ide posi i e expe ience o hei gues s. Acco ding o Bell (2012, p. 29), hospi ali y is abou
encoun e s be ween people ha in ol e he mo emen o he gues o he e i o y o he hos .
The hos s a e he locals who a e welcoming he gues s and hese gues s as Höcke (2015, p.
94) desc ibes, a e a ele s ecei ing hospi ali y in hos s’ home. Once bo h he hos s and gues s
and in simila en i onmen , i c ea es in e ac ion be ween hem, which is undamen al and lies
a he cen al posi ion in ou ism (Saa inen and Manwa, 2008). Ch is ou and Sha pley (2019)
also s a e ha ou ism is de ined by he na u e o people’s in e ac ion and u he mo e p o ide
he easons o hese a ele s isi ing u al a eas as seeking o escape om busy ou ines and
ha e an u ge o mo e social in e ac ions. They u he s a e ha he u al ou ism is pe ec
se ing o ha ing philoxenic expe iences, he mos gene ous o m o hospi ali y.
In u al ou ism, he concep o hos -gues ela ionship is e y impo an . I is he esponsibili y
o he hos s o make he ou is s eel welcome and p o ide he gues s equi ed in o ma ion and
ecommenda ion abou he des ina ion (Tucke , 2003, p. 88). In he case o ou ism, he gues s
a e he ou is s who make he isi and he local communi ies a e he hos s whose main goal
is o p o ide ou is s wi h special and memo able a el expe iences. Fo gues s, in many
cases, hos s a e he sou ce o in o ma ion and hey cons an ly look o local knowledge and
guidance in a ious ac i i ies om local ood, cul u e o sigh seeing. Apa om his, he hos s
can also p o ide in o ma ion abou app op ia e ou is beha io s and local cus oms, his way,
hey will be able o in luence he gues s’ ac ions and beha io s du ing hei s ay. F om hos s’
pe spec i e, hey can also eel he sense o esponsibili y on helping ou gues s on ha ing he
bes o he expe iences, hus happily p o ide as much in o ma ion as possible. As Tucke
(2003, p. 83) u he explains, he p ocess o hos -gues in e ac ion ma u es in o ela ionship
du ing he du a ion o he isi and s ange o a iend ans o ma ion is made. This also b ings
25
a sense o ex a esponsibili y o he hos s o be mo e awa e o he gues s’ ac ions because
hey migh eel ha hey a e esponsible o he gues s ou side hei homes o nea by
su oundings. We can also see how he ela ionship be ween he hos s and gues s can be
socially cons uc ed. The hos s can c ea e a iendly mood and be hospi able o he gues s.
Fu he mo e, hey can c ea e heal hy ela ionship wi h he gues s by lea ning a ious
hospi ali y skills om he help o he ou ism expe s helping wi h he ou ism de elopmen
in he a ea. Fo ins ance, in he case o San Ramn, Nica agua; he ou ism expe s in he a ea
o e ed ainings and cou ses ha helped he hos s o become mo e con iden in hei skills o
becoming a good hos (Höcke , 2015, p. 224). Rheede and Dekke (2016) highligh s ha hos s
along wi h he skills, hey should also lea n how o include hose p ac ices wi hin he
o ganiza ion sys em. This makes i much easie o hem o con ey he impo ance o e en he
complex issues like sus ainable p ac ices in ega d o sa ing ene gy, wa e and was e educ ion
wi hou di ec ly en o cing hem.
Ch is ou, Fa maki and E angelou (2018) s a e ha du ing he gues s’ s ay, he hos s y o
igge nos algic ac i i ies, ha ela es o u al ou ism, h ough ac i i ies such as engaging
hem in adi ional ac i i ies and ocusing on au hen ic and u al ela ed elemen s. These
in e ac ions a e undamen al o ou ism (Saa inen and Manwa, 2008) and can ele a e he
expe ience o he ou is s and a he same ime, hey can help he hos s on co-c ea ing hei
own u al ou ism expe iences. As Höcke (2015, p. 245) desc ibes in he esea ch on
hospi ali y in San Ramn, ha e en hough he hos s had spen lo o money o e-deco a e he
oom o make i look good, hey wan ed o p o ide as au hen ic expe ience as possible o hei
gues in e ms o u al ou ism, hus, hey included a ious aspec s o domes ic li e like ea ing
local ood, playing oo ball wi h child en, lis ening o local adio e c. I should be no ed ha ,
du ing hese ac i i ies he e migh be a isk o ha ing a supe icial social encoun e be ween
he hos and hos and gues s i he la e decides no o pa icipa e. Along wi h he hos s, i is
also he esponsibili y o he ou is s o indulge hemsel es wi h he locals because highe he
social encoun e engaged by he gues s, highe hei ou ism expe ience (Kas enholz, Ca nei o,
Euesbio and Figuei edo, 2013). In any u al des ina ion, he e is he limi o ou ism g ow h
and he adi ional iew on hese des ina ions is ha hey a e somehow conse a i e socie y,
and hei social and cul u al no ms should be espec ed and handled e y ca e ully. When he
limi s a e c ossed, con lic s a ise be ween he gues s and hos s. These con lic s esul on
gues s’ nega i e ou ism expe ience and he meaning hey cons uc ega ding o u ali y could
32
3 METHODOLOGY
This chap e desc ibes p ocess aken by he au ho o conduc he esea ch. I includes he
esea ch me hod used and i s jus i ica ion, p ocess o da a collec ion and i s analysis. Finally,
desc ibes he e hical ma e s ela ing o his esea ch.
3.1 Resea ch Me hod
Fo my mas e ’s hesis I wan ed o explo e u al ou ism, especially in connec ion wi h u al
ou ism in Nepal. Ha ing been li ing in Finland o e 15 yea s and ha ing enjoyed Finnish
na u e and u al li e e e y now and hen, I also wan ed o unde s and Finnish people
pe spec i e on his. So, he hesis concep was es ablished o connec u al ou ism o Nepal
o Finnish ou is s’ u al ou ism expe iences. The quali a i e esea ch app oach was a jus i ied
choice o my esea ch as ques ions we e dealing wi h he expe iences o he ou is s who ha e
isi ed u al pa s o Nepal. Wi hin quali a i e esea ch, in e iews a e one o he mos used
echniques as i is an e ec i e way o documen ing indi idual’s pe spec i es opinions, alues
abou hei pe sonal expe iences (Saldana, 2011, p. 32). The quali a i e esea che elies on
esponden s’ in-dep h esponses on how esponden s unde s and and cons uc hei own
expe ience (Jackson, D ummond & Cama a, 2007). Thus, a semi-s uc u ed in e iew was he
bes op ion as a esea ch me hod because he da a e ol es a ound Finnish ou is s’ pe sonal
opinions, unde s andings, expe iences and subjec i i ies. The aim o he in e iew was o
p oduce a sys ema ic, c edible and anspa en da a ha was used o unde s and he concep o
u ali y.
3.2 Da a collec ion p ocess
A o al o se en semi-s uc u ed in-dep h in e iews we e aken wi h se en people who ha e
isi ed Nepal in he las wo yea s and spend ime in u al a eas o Nepal. An in e iew is a
social in e ac ion in which one o mo e people si oge he o consul o discuss wi h each o he
on a speci ic opic (Rapley, 2004, p. 15). In e iew is a con e sa ion be ween wo people,
whe e one plays he ole o in e iewe and manages he ype and low o he ques ions and
he la e plays he ole o he esponden eplying o ques ions (Gillham, 2000, p. 1). I
p o ides esea che s he oppo uni y o o ma he esea ch and subsequen sub ques ions
33
concen a ing on he aim o he s udy. The e was a o al o 15 di e en ques ions (see appendix
1) ha co e ed he main h ee esea ch sub-ques ions men ioned abo e: u ali y, hospi ali y
and au hen ici y.
The in e iews we e conduc ed in English and hei leng h was abou 30 minu es. These we e
aken du ing he mon h o Ma ch and Ap il 2017. The in e iew was eco ded on he phone
wi h hei p io consen , which was collec ed be o e conduc ing he in e iews. Sho no es
we e also aken du ing he p ocess. Two o he in e iews we e aken ace- o- ace and
emaining i e we e aken o e Skype, a elecommunica ions applica ion ha enables oice
calls and ideo cha s be ween use s. Ou o se en esponden s, wo o hem male and all o
hem we e con ac ed h ough he au ho s iends in Helsinki. The main eason o choosing
his in e iew o m was because he au ho al eady had a lis o opics and ques ions, he wan ed
o ask he esponden s. All o hem we e asked he same ques ions, which we e gene a ed
concen a ing on he objec i es o he esea ch and based on ele an p e ious esea ch and
heo e ical discussion. I p o ided he au ho he lexibili y o egula e he low o he da a
collec ion p ocess by deciding when and how he ques ions we e asked, and how he
esponden s answe ed hose ques ions acco dingly. This also in i ed mul iple anges o
esponses om he esponden s. These anges we e due o he ac ha some o he esponden s
had isi ed Nepal mul iple imes and s ayed longe han o he s, which made hem much mo e
awa e o he social and cul u al li es yles o he local people.
O e hal o he esponden s ha e a elled o Nepal mo e han once wi h a ying du a ion o
s ay om a mon h o e en o o e a yea . One o he esponden s had a elled o Nepal a
o al o 6 imes, he mos om he g oup. Las ime he esponden a eled in 2016 and li ed
in a u al illage si ua ed in wes e n egion o Nepal o o e 6 mon hs.
3.3 Da a Analysis
The me hod o con en analysis was chosen o analyze he da a. I is a sys ema ic examina ion
o ex s, isuals, media o ma e ial cul u e o analyze i s appa en and sugges i e meanings
(Saldana, 2011, p. 10). Fi s ly, all he con en s o he eco dings we e ansc ibed in o wo ds,
o aling 54 pages in o al. The ansc ip was ead se e al imes and da a was u he e ined
34
by emo ing i ele an in o ma ion mos ly epe i ion o same in o ma ion p esen ed in
di e en o ms in his case. Then om he emaining ex ma e ials was u he analyzed o
de eloping codes o gene a e a meaning (K ippendo , 2013, p. 24). An induc i e app oach
was aken, which is includes open coding, c ea ing ca ego ies and abs ac ion (Elo and
Kyngäs, 2008). The con en s o he da a we e coded and ca ego ized o ind simila pa e ns
om he esponses p o ided, which was u he ela ed o one ano he o answe he esea ch
ques ions abou u ali y, hospi ali y and au hen ici y.
3.4 Resea ch e hics
Resea ch e hics e e s o ollowing se o e hical p inciples when ca ying ou social esea ch
o in simple wo ds, good o igh is conside ed an e hical and in con as bad o w ong is
conside ed o be une hical (Hamme sley and T aianou, 2012, P. 16). Fo a eade i is e y
ha d o con empla e he eal dilemmas he esea che has o go h ough du ing he da a
collec ion p ocesses. The e hical guidelines a e clea ly s a ed s a ing wha esea che s should
o shouldn’ do, bu a he end i all comes down o he esea che ’s own alues and e hics
(Me iam, 2009, p. 230).
In ega d o his esea ch, he au ho sen a le e o consen o all he esponden s (see appendix
2) The le e included he con ac in o ma ion o he esea che , hesis supe iso and mos
impo an ly he objec i e o he esea ch and hei ole in i . The in e iew was eco ded and
he con en s o be included on he p in we e discussed wi h he esponden s be o ehand and
we e ca ied ou acco dance wi h hei wishes. Mo eo e , he in e iews we e ca ied ou once
bo h he pa ies ( he au ho and he esponden ) signed he le e o consen . The iden i ies o
he esponden s a e no e eled a he hey a e gi en a nume ical e m i.e. R1, R2, R3 and so
on, and pe sonal po ions ha we e sha ed du ing he in e iew hasn’ been quo ed o
p esen ed o p i acy easons.
Due o ime and inancial cons ain s he au ho couldn’ conduc ace- o- ace in e iews wi h
all he esponden s apa om wo. As emaining i e esponden s li ed in Helsinki, i was
qui e expensi e o a el o Helsinki back and o h o conduc he in e iew. So, wi h hem
35
Skype was used o conduc he in e iew as i allowed he au ho o in ol e esponden s
i espec i e o hei loca ion.
36
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Socio-cul u al and u al se ings
This chap e de ails how Finnish ou is s unde s ood he meaning o u ali y h ough u al
and adi ional se ings o u al Nepal. This chap e will ocus on he local se ings, cus om
and alues ha ou is s ha e expe ienced du ing hei s ay in he u al en i onmen .
Loca ion a ibu es and i s meanings o he ou is s
Fo mos o he esponden s, hei unde s anding o u al Nepal p ima ily cen e s a ound he
na u e and physical se ings o he des ina ion and hey s ongly pu o wa d he Finnish na u e
se ings in ela ion o he cons uc ion o Nepalese u ali y. Fo ins ance, as esea ch
esponden s R3 and R6 poin ou below, he silen and unspoiled na u al en i onmen in he
u al a eas was genuinely a big a ac ion o hem. As Häy ynen (2004) desc ibes he
opog aphic iden i y o Finland is based on i s na u al landscape ea u es and he coun yside
o be he na ional hea land. The u al pa s o Nepal p o ide simila ea u es wi h ample
amoun o na u e space, landscapes and wilde ness.
O cou se, he moun ains a e beau i ul, waking up and seeing he moun ains in he
mo ning gi es amazing eeling. (R6)
I eally lo ed he na u e, such di e en na u e wi hin a small coun y. I don’ know
whe e else I can see ha beau i ul na u e. (R3)
Mos esponden s desc ibe he physical ea u es o u al a ea ha e gi en hem posi i e eelings
and enhanced hei ou is ic expe ience. Fo esea ch esponden R2 ‘I hink o Moun E e es
i s when I hink o Nepal’, which could be ue o many o eigne s who ha e ne e hea d o
Nepal bu ha e ce ainly hea d o Moun E e es . In ea lie days ‘‘My name is X and I am
om Nepal, coun y o Moun E e es ’’ was commonly used by in e na ional s uden s om
Nepal while in oducing hemsel es. Tou is s om coun ies ich in na u al esou ces such as
Finland ha e easy access and deep ela ionship o na u e. As esea ch esponden R3 poin s
ou abo e, he is as ounded o ind di e en ype o na u al en i onmen al se ings in Nepal.
As a ma e o ac , despi e i s small size, Nepal has h ee dis inc opog aphic zones ha
37
ea u es wo ld’s highes moun ain anges o soil ich lowlands in he sou h. He u he sha ed
ha he has a elled o di e en pa o all hese egions and asse s ha u al Nepal’s s onges
ea u e is i s na u al scene y.
The sounds o bi ds singing and being in alone place in a quie illage ga e me a
di e en eeling you know? As a Finn I lo e na u e and always y o be in when
I ha e ime, he eeling is e y much like I am spending my ime in my summe
co age in Lapland. (R4)
As Nylande (2001, p. 77) poin s ou , a Finn’s pe spec i e on u ali y is p ima ily being a pa
o he na u e and inding quie ness by he side o he lake in a o es is big pa o he Finnish
cul u e. We can ela e his aspec o cul u e o how Finns cons uc he meaning o u ali y in
he con ex o Finland. Thei whole idea o u ali y is based on hei ela ionship and bond
wi h he na u e whe e hey spend hei summe and ou doo ac i i ies. As in esea ch
esponden R4’s case abo e, he u al se ing ills he oid o being in he ac ual summe
co age in Finland and also eminded he expe iences o being in he own summe co ages,
which a e usually loca ed in u al loca ions and a e modes in na u e (Ru al. i, 2020). These
summe co ages a e used by he Finns as hei second home and hey p e e o lea e he
complexi y and hec ic ci y li e o spend qui e ime in he middle o he woods and spend much
o hei ime doing na u al ac i i ies such as be y picking, ishing, swimming, walking in he
o es , swimming and sauna (Kie ä äinen, Rinne, Palonieni and Tuulen ie, 2016).
Fu he mo e, e e y hi d Finn would p e e li ing in coun yside and he coun yside is
desc ibed as clean, dynamic, peace ul and quie (Ru al. i, 2020). These se ing o openness
and close con ac wi h na u e is also desc ibed as u al by Lane (1994). F om hese
in e p e a ions, esea ch esponden R4’s unde s anding o u ali y is oo ed on how he
meaning o u ali y is cons uc ed on he basis o de ini ion o u ali y in Finland’s con ex .
Walking ho ough o es s in he u al place so a away om Finland made me
ealize he impo ance o na u e and ha e he same smell o eshness and eeling
o home was eally amazing, I el ha I was in Finland some imes. (R6)
In my opinion he e is no hing beau i ul in his wo ld hen silen en i onmen , you
canno buy i , simply canno . When I am a home, I am always going o o es o
38
ha e a un o walk a ound wi h my dog. I is so peace ul, and I simply lo e i . I
el he same du ing my s ay. I could jus walk o nea by o es and walk on my
own. (R7)
Bo h esea ch esponden s R6 and R7 desc ibe abo e ha hey had simila eelings o home,
and hei lo e o na u e, which gi es an insigh on hei connec ion wi h no only he physical
aspec o he na u al landscapes bu also hei emo ional connec ions wi h he place. This piece
o expe ience du ing hei ip plays an impo an ole on hei unde s anding o u ali y. I is
also no only limi ed o na u e as some o he esponden s ha e connec ed i o ac i i ies ha
hey used o do a home. Acco ding o YLE (2016) he e a e o e hal a million p i a ely
owned summe co ages in Finland. I shows ha he impo ance is gi en o o es , in ha
sense na u e, quie ness and soli ude, which is a away om he busy ci y li e. The u al na u al
en i onmen gi es hese esponden s he chance o ei he ec ea e o subs i u e hei ac i i ies
hey a e used o in Finland hus c ea ing a big impac in hei u al ou ism expe ience.
Ru al li es yle
Fo some esponden s, isi ing hese u al a eas was a chance o ge away om hei egula
li ing en i onmen and seeing some hing ha hey a e no used o on a daily li e. The desc ibe
how hese u al a eas ga e an old age eeling.
Fi s wo d ha comes o my mind is ‘con as ’. I is o ally opposi e how people
li e hei li e in he u al a eas compa ed o li e in he e (Helsinki). I el like I was
going back in his o y, e y basic li es yle like a ming in he hills, li le habi a ion.
Bu I lo e he con as , he colo , eligion, landscape and pollu ion ee a eas like
ha . (R1)
I eel like ime has s opped, seems like Finland 50-60 yea s ago o example he
ools hey use o wo k in he ield, simple, poo and no so de eloped li es yle, kind
o s agnan eeling. Bu a he same ime, I see beau i ul scene y, cul u e and e hnic
di e si y. (R3)
39
As Häy ynen (2004) poin s ou ha coun yside is cha ac e ized by pu e and unspoiled
inhabi an s and adi ionally in ac and which ac s as an au hen ic con as o he ci y. Many o
he esponden s emphasized how u al Nepal is s ill a away om he mode n ci iliza ion.
Bo h esea ch esponden s R1 and R3 abo e use wo ds such as ‘con as ’ and ‘s agnan ’ o
desc ibe he u al se ings. These e ms come om hei own unde s anding o he wo d
‘con as ’ and ‘s agnan ’ in he social con ex . The wo d con as is mean o de ine some hing
ha is used o compa e in o de o show di e ences and s agnan e e s o some hing ha is
no lowing o mo ing. These wo ds and hei meaning a e coined and explained by ou socie y
and we consequen ly a e augh by he same socie y o when and in wha con ex o use i
(Ge gan, 2015, p. 9). I is he social cons uc ion how bo h o hese esponden s ha e compa ed
i wi h hei own backg ound and he su oundings ha hey o iginally belong o. Tha is he
way o hem o unde s and he meaning o u ali y by expe iencing i and analyzing hei
ela ionship wi h he u al su oundings. As he esponden s desc ibe Nepal being u he back
in ime in ega d o ad ancemen s by o e hal a cen u y upon compa ison wi h Finland, hey
s ill ound he o he ameni ies such as na u e, cul u e and e hnic di e si y e y a ac i e. These
ameni ies did play a subs an ial pa on how hey gi e meaning o u ali y in Nepalese con ex .
Ha d condi ions, po e y and he li e looked di icul in he e, no ha much
com o able en i onmen o pu e u ban esiden s. I is no o you i you don’
like ha dship, bu I guess i is he pa o he cha m o he u al li es yle. (R5)
Nea es bus is wo days walk away and when people ge sick hen i becomes e en
mo e ough. (R3)
Acco ding o esea ch esponden R5 abo e, he cha m o he ou is s po ays he ha d
and poo li ing condi ions o he locals. The u al a eas wi h limi ed acili ies like heal h
ca e and anspo a ion gi e a di e en pe spec i e o he li ing condi ions compa ed o
ou is s’ usual no m. Resea ch esponden R2 s a es i as ‘coun yside eminds me o
de eloping issues & po e y’. So, i ’s no only abou he na u al su ounding ha is
con as , bu also di e ences in he li ing and wo king condi ions in hese u al a eas
ha c ea es a unique u al ou ism expe ience.
Social no ms and adi ion in u al socie y
40
When a elling o Nepal, ou is s ha e o be amilia wi h i s cus om and e ique es since i is
a s ong conse a i e Hindu socie y. The new gene a ion is much mo e open and lexible o
he ou is beha io s as hey a e exposed o he wes e n li es yle h ough In e ne , TV, social
media and a ious o he sou ces. Howe e , he olde gene a ion especially in he u al a eas
is s ill i m on adi ional belie s and cus oms and hese can be e iden du ing hei encoun e s
wi h he ou is s.
My boy iend’s g andpa en s we e asking him abou ou ela ionship, and he
said we a e jus iends. He ob iously didn’ wan o ell, as i ’s no he Nepalese
cus om. So, yea, a li le conse a i e bu I unde s and ha is he en i onmen
hey li e in. (R6)
In Nepalese cul u e, aking you gi l iend o you pa en s be o e ma iage is qui e a e in he
u al communi ies; on op o ha , a o eign gi l would be a big mis ake. In addi ion, he cas e
sys em in u al Nepal is s ill e y s ong; so, pa en s would wan hei child en o ma y gi ls
only om he same cas e. F om esea ch esponden R6’s pe spec i e abo e, i indeed sounds
a bi conse a i e as Finland is qui e lenien in e ms o ela ionship. Fo ins ance, he
cohabi a ion has been a common p ac ice among he Finns since 1970s (YLE, 2011) and
s a ing om Ma ch 1s , 2017 same sex ma iage was conside ed legal (YLE, 2017).
I eally like he ac in u al pa s ha people li e oge he as a big amily and
aking ca e o each o he . The olde gene a ion does no ha e o li e in elde ly
ca e homes; hey a e aken ca e by amily membe s and g andchild en. (R2)
Li ing oge he wi h a la ge amily was demanding...couldn’ ha e my own ime
as he e was always my boy iend’s amily membe a ound. (R6)
The amily s uc u e in Nepal is mos ly s ongly pa ia chal. Males a e he chie o he amily,
hey do physically demanding asks and he household cho es a e handled by women
(Pokha el, 2001), as esea ch esponden R6 s a es ‘ he ladies we e mos o he ime cooking
and cleaning’. And, he olde gene a ion (g andmas and g andpas) a e a also a home and a e
aken ca e o by he o he amily membe s ins ead o sending hem o e i emen homes, which
41
acco ding o esea ch esponden R2 ‘i is qui e common p ac ice in Finland, and we should
lea n abou ea men o elde ly people...’
4.2 Implica ions o hos -gues ela ionship in u al a eas
This chap e ela es o hospi ali y and aims o ind ou wha kind o ela ionship did gues s
ha e wi h hei local hos and he u al communi y hey we e exposed o. Fu he mo e, did
hese encoun e s help o enhance hei quali y o u al ou ism expe ience and b ing a di e en
meaning o u ali y o on he lip side, did hei p esence make he locals change hei alues
and li es yle. The main objec i e o hos communi y is o p o ide he bes ou ism expe ience
o he gues s. Fo his o happen, he hos s should be as much inclusi e as possible owa ds he
gues s. As he hos -gues ela ionship is conside ed as a social phenomenon (Cause ic &
Lynch, 2009), he e is a cons an sociocul u al exchange wi h each o he , and i will only esul
in a posi i e social encoun e i bo h he pa ies a e able o es ablish ela ionship o us
be ween each o he . Mos o he esponden s spen conside able amoun o ime in he u al
a eas, some o hem o many mon hs. Du ing hei s ay hey ha e been able o ealize he
change in he beha io o local people owa ds hem and slow p ocess o hei inclusion wi hin
he local communi y.
T ans o ma ion om s ange o iend
As Tucke (2003, p. 83) explains, he ela ionship is depended upon di e en social ules and
obliga ions. I ’s he esponsibili y o bo h he hos s and gues s o make su e he in e ac ion is
smoo h be ween hem du ing he s ay, which may no be posi i e all he ime. I is impo an
o bo h o hem o know hei ole wi hin he ela ionship, especially when ou is s use
homes ays and o li e wi h amily o hei iends whe e hey au oma ically gi e in o he ules
se by he hos s, he sense o anonymi y is los o hem.
I was 24 hou s among wi h local people. So day-by-day people s a ed ge ing
mo e and mo e iendlie wi h me. So, my connec ion wi h hem was no only as a
ou is , i s a ed o become ha I was hei iend and I s a ed aking pa in
celeb a ing es i als wi h hem. (R3)
48
5 CONCLUSIONS
The s udy aimed o ind ou how Finnish ou is s socially cons uc u ali y in a Nepalese
ou ism con ex . The s udy ocuses on h ee di e en esea ch ques ions o ind ou he answe .
Fi s ly, wha so o social and cul u al meaning Finnish ou is s a ach o Nepalese u ali y.
Secondly, a deepe look is o hos -gues ela ionship in u al Nepal and how hese in e ac ions
in luence hei unde s anding o u ali y. Finally, wha so o elemen s a e conside ed
au hen ic by Finns in he u al se ings and how hei u al au hen ic expe ience is cons uc ed.
A he end, u he discussion is made on he implica ions o ou ism de elopmen in Nepal,
ollowed by limi a ions o his s udy and a enues o u u e esea ch.
The s udy has h ee key indings how u ali y is cons uc ed by Finns in Nepalese con ex .
Each o hese ac o s has b ough a signi ican impac on how hey expe ienced hei ips in
u al Nepal. Fi s ly, u ali y o Nepal is cons uc ed on he basis o he socio-cul u al and u al
se ings. I connec s he u al loca ion a ibu es wi h he meanings i p o ides o he Finns. As
Finns inhe en ly a e in lo e and emo ionally connec ed o na u e, hei admi a ion o Nepalese
u al en i onmen comes wi h i s simila i ies wi h Finnish coun yside. These u al a eas gi e
hem he eeling o eshness, much needed soli ude and mos impo an ly he eeling o home.
On he o he hand, u ali y is also desc ibed in e ms o he li es yles by he locals in he u al
a eas. The ag icul u al backg ound, social exclusion o p ope heal h ca e, anspo a ion and
o he acili ies cumula e o o m an image ha acco ding o ew esponden s esembles imes
om he 60s. Like any o he socie ies, cul u e and adi ion in Nepal o ms he backbone o
i s socie y. Unlike in Finland, Nepal has a s ong pa ia chal socie y and many membe s o
mul iple gene a ions li e in he same house. Apa om ha , he amily alues and
ela ionships a e dic a ed by Nepalese cul u e and social ules.
Secondly, explo ing he hos -gues ela ionship in he u al a eas highligh ed he impo ance
o posi i e sociocul u al exchange be ween locals and he ou is s o os e be e ou ism
expe iences. These expe iences e en ually o m hei pe cep ion o he place, as B une (1994)
s a es ha he meaning o a place is also c ea ed when ou is s a e mo ing h ough he place
and in e ac ing wi h o he in e p e e s (in his case locals). A g adual change was e en ually
seen in he hos -gues ela ionship as he du a ion o he esponden s s ay leng hened. This
inc eased he equency o in e ac ions h ough ac i e pa icipa ion in daily household asks
49
and es i als, also p o ided ou is s o be amilia wi h he local language which always eases
he communica ion p ocess wi h he locals and minimizes any so o misunde s ands. This
helps hos s o open up o hei gues s and in e ac ion is no mo e limi ed in e ms o only
comme cial bene i s as explained in social exchange heo y. Du ing his p ocess, he image o
he gues s is being socially cons uc ed by he locals acco ding o hei con ibu ion and
engagemen wi h he local socie y. The esponden s ha e seen hemsel es being accep ed as
one o he locals, expe ienced be e engagemen and se ices o being able o speak he local
language, p o iding hem mo e eedom o enjoy es i als, which consequen ly makes hei
ou ism expe ience memo able.
Las ly, u ali y is explo ed h ough au hen ici y, which is conside ed a mo i a ion by Finns
while a eling o u al ou ism des ina ions. Tou is s mos ly esea ch abou hei des ina ions
p io o he ac ual isi s by inding as much in o ma ion as possible om magazines, blogs,
media and o he p omo ional si es. In hese pla o ms, an au hen ic and p is ine image o u al
Nepal is po ayed. The esponden s’ ip is mo i a ed by hese images along wi h
ecommenda ion o hei iends. The s udy inds ha he u al au hen ici y is in e p e ed and
unde s ood in mul iple ways and is di e en o Finns depending upon hei own iews and
pe spec i es. Cha ac e is ics such as moun ainous, na u al scene y, g een ields, mud houses,
cul u e & adi ion, local p oduc s e c. all ep esen au hen ici y in u al Nepal in a ying
deg ee. Tou is s ha e an impo an pa o play in main aining he au hen ici y o he place. As
Sha ma (2005, p. 168) s a es, he e could be a social ension wi hin he hos communi ies
be ween indi iduals who a e adop ing new alues due o he in luence o ou ism and he
o he s who a e s ill willing o main ain he adi ional way o li e. The ac o p esen ing he
local cul u e o he ou is s o c ea e an imp ession o au hen ici y is being p ac iced in many
u al a eas, and he choices he ou is s make o ei he enjoy he commodi ied o local and
au hen ic p oduc s de e mines au hen ic ep esen a ion o u ali y.
A his s age, i is impo an o unde s and he implica ions o ou ism de elopmen in u al
Nepal. Ru al ou ism can be c edi ed o economic and social upli ing in a ious u al
communi ies. The e ce ainly a e numbe o issues ha could es ain he de elopmen
p ocess. Fo example, lack o aining and expe ience among he people who a e in ol ed in
u al ou ism can be a limi he achie emen o de elopmen po en ial, insu icien capi al
among he poo u al communi ies o in es in ou ism ela ed business, sho age in u al
50
in as uc u e and low quali y o ou ism all cumula e o become a gian obs acle in making
ou ism as a de elopmen ool in u al a eas. Possible solu ions can be ac i ely engaging he
local communi y by empowe ing hem, which can be done by p o iding equi ed ou ism
ela ed skills, o ins ance English language and hospi ali y skills o long- e m communi y
bene i s, including hem in planning and implemen a ion o any ou ism ela ed de elopmen
policies in he a ea, egula ly handing hem p ope owne ship o communi y p ojec s and
incen i izing locals who ake ex a ini ia i es on sus ainable ou ism p ac ices. Ha ing said
ha , wi h ou ism de elopmen and se ing up o echnical and social in as uc u es, he h ea
always emains i he au hen ic alue o he u al a eas would s ill be in ac . How a e hey
in e p e ed by he ou is s who come o see adi ional idyllic u al image? Mo eo e , o he
epea ou is s, would he place hold he same alue as be o e?
The i s hing would be he u al communi ies sel -assessing hei cul u al and en i onmen al
asse s. This helps hem o de e mine wha pa s o he asse s hey wan o p ese e o be
com o able on commodi ying in e u n o he economic bene i s (Geo ge e al., 2009, p. 136)
and decide on how hey wan hei a ea o be po ayed o he ou is s. Fu he mo e, his can
be he ounda ion o o mula ing hei own s a egy on de eloping ou ism o hei a ea in a
sus ainable manne . Thus, o make he p ocess as smoo h as possible, he locals should be a
he cen e o he u al ou ism de elopmen ela ed p ocess. As P abhaka an, Nai and
Ramachand an (2014) s a e ha he bes way o de elop an a ea is by ha ing he local
communi ies coope a e oge he o ob ain same objec i e, which p o ides a pla o m o
highe in ol emen o he local amilies. They a e he ones engaging and c ea ing a ied
expe iences o he ou is s and he ones who unde s ands he uniqueness o he des ina ion
mo e han anyone (Do oban u & Nis o eanu, 2012). Wi h he help p ope in as uc u e and
de eloped compe ences, hey can c ea e an en i onmen ha can suppo he coc ea ion o
au hen ic ou ism expe ience, which in he long un is c ucial o ou ism de elopmen .
The e a e a ew limi a ions o his s udy. All he se en esponden s o he s udy we e
con ac ed h ough my Nepali iends. They could ha e p o ided a mo e conside a e e sions
o hei ou ism expe ience, a biased pe cep ion. Would an open call o in e iew ha e
b ough di e en da a? Fu he mo e, only wo ou o se en in e iews we e ca ied ou ace-
o- ace due o loca ion, ime and inancial cons ain s. The non e bal cues, body language,
manne isms in ace- o- ace in e iews migh ha e gene a ed some addi ional da a o he
51
s udy. The e we e some limi a ions on he lack and access o he da a on he subjec . I lacked
p io esea ch s udies especially in Nepalese con ex and p ope da a was no a ailable in
Nepal’s o icial ou ism si es. Also, in Finnish con ex , I could ha e e e ed o mo e Finnish
a icles i I we e luen in Finnish language. The imespan o he hesis w i ing p ocess had se
some limi a ions on he quali y o he s udy. I has aken me almos h ee yea s o inalize my
hesis, due o some pe sonal and p o essional easons. This has a ec ed my mo i a ion and
in e es in he subjec o he s udy, consequen ly a ec ing he quali y o his hesis. Finally,
he u al loca ions isi ed in Nepal can also pu some limi a ions on he da a. Mos o he
esponden s had a elled o Nepal mul iple imes and ha e had isi ed di e en u al a eas.
This could p o ide a mixed image o u ali y o hem as he ea u es o he u al a eas nea o
he ci ies a e a bi di e en o he ones ha a e emo ely loca ed. In ha assump ion, a mo e
gene alized e sion o da a is ob ained om hem. So, a mo e loca ion-based s udy o a u al
des ina ion migh p o ide much conc e e unde s a ing o u ali y.
The inding o he s udy gi es an unde s anding o u al ou ism in con ex o Nepal, which
can be bene icial o u al ou ism se ice p o ide s on iden i ying app oaches o po ay
Nepal’s u al ou ism image o ou is s. In his s udy, he esponden s s ongly exp essed hei
a ac ion o u al ou ism des ina ions o be he na u al and physical se ings o he u al
des ina ion. This can be highligh ed mo e by he ou ism se ice p o ide s in hei ma ke ing
and p omo ional ma e ials o a ac ou is s o u al des ina ions. Simila ly, his s udy also
shows he impo ance o he local communi y’s ole on making ou is s’ u al ou ism
expe ience un o ge able. As he in e ac ion o ou is s wi h he local communi y is seen as a
signi ican componen o u al ou ism in Nepal, he local communi y can be mo e awa e
owa ds i . They can be mo e o hcoming on welcoming ou is s in hei daily u al li es yle
and engage wi h he ou is s in pa icipa ing in es i als and o he ac i i ies o enhance he
ou is s’ o e all au hen ic u al ou ism expe ience. In ega d o es ablishing a u al ou ism
business, i will mos p obably be based a ound he concep o homes ays, p o iding
pe sonalized ou s and se ices. In his way, I can wo k oge he wi h he local communi y,
a ge he bes a ac ion si es wi hin he a ea and closely in e ac wi h he ou is s o
ex ensi ely enhance hei u al ou ism expe ience.
Fo u u e esea ch, o s a wi h, a mo e comp ehensi e s udy should be ca ied on
de e mining he cha ac e is ics o u al Nepal. Expanding on ha , locals’ and ou is s’
52
pe spec i es can be explo ed mo e in Nepalese u al se ings. As u al ou ism is being a ec ed
by mode niza ion, how does he image o u ali y changes and how hese images a e being
econs uc ed by he ou is s could be an in e es ing a ea o u u e esea ch. Mos o he ea lie
ou ism s udies in u al Nepal has ocused mos ly on i s economic, socio-cul u al and
en i onmen al impac . A mo e in-dep h s udies in each o he hemes is equi ed based on
social cons uc ion, which hasn’ been s udied be o e in Nepalese con ex . As in his s udy,
na u e has been iden i ied as one o he mo i a ions o Finns o a el o Nepal, he idea o
c oss-coun y ou ism ela ed esea ch be ween Nepal and Finland can also be in es iga ed,
especially wi h na u e as i s co e heme. All hese ideas would open new app oaches o
a ac ing mo e ou is s o he coun y and o e all p o iding a be e ou ism expe ience.
53
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64
APPENDIX 2
Le e o consen