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Abstract
The Central Himalaya provides a unique opportunity to pilgrims and tourists, as it holds various types of tourist destinations and are known as a tourism hotspot. Practicing cultural, natural, adventure, village, and health tourism has high potential for tourist satisfaction and socioeconomic development. This paper examines various types of tourism, their potential, and implications in the Central Himalaya. It relies on the review of existing literature and the author’s observations on tourism development in this region. Various types of tourism and their potential are described, and the tourism impact on the economy, environment, and culture is discussed. Some tourism practices, primarily cultural, natural, and adventure tourism, are well-developed and developing. However, village and health tourism are underdeveloped and have yet to be initiated. Tourism has high potential for the socio-economic development of the region. Meanwhile, tourism has adverse environmental impacts, such as the depletion of faunal and floral resources, land degradation, pollution, and solid waste dumping. Furthermore, this region lacks tourism infrastructure facilities. Providing suitable facilities – a range of accommodations, proper and smooth transportation, and institutional facilities including trained tour guides, publicity of tourist destinations, and promoting local culture, food, and beverages – will support tourism development.
