I received a Ph.D. in Community Resources and Development (Parks, Recreation, and Tourism concentration) from Arizona State University. I hold a Master’s degree in Recreation and Tourism from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. My research interests include human-environment interaction in tourism systems, common-pool resources, sustainable tourism, environmental education, and governance in protected areas. I employ strength-based, participatory approaches such as appreciative inquiry and asset-based community development to study rural communities. My current research focuses on diagnosis of tourism sustainability in protected area systems using social-ecological system approach.
Ecotourism has been increasingly promoted as an environmentally appropriate form of tourism acros... more Ecotourism has been increasingly promoted as an environmentally appropriate form of tourism across the globe. The impact of ecotourism on the destination environment, however, depends on on-site tourist behaviour. It is crucial for ecotourism planners and managers to understand the factors affecting on-site behaviours of ecotourists so that environmentally responsible behaviour can be encouraged. This paper explores the factors influencing tourist environmental behaviour (TEB) using the reasoned action approach. Data were collected through a survey of 230 tourists visiting the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal. Results indicated that the variation in TEB is explained by three psychological variables (i.e. environmental attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control) as well as one sociodemographic characteristic (i.e. age), and two trip attributes (i.e. trip duration and group size). Theoretical and managerial implications of research findings with respect to ecotourism development are discussed.
The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of tourism stakeholders regarding sustai... more The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of tourism stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism outcomes in protected areas. We compared the responses of residents with residents, and tourists with tourists, in two protected areas of Nepal, namely, the Annapurna Conservation Area and Chitwan National Park. Tourism sustainability was evaluated with six tourism impact subscales measuring negative and positive ecological, economic, and social impacts. Data were collected using the survey method. Respondents included 230 residents and 205 tourists in Annapurna, and 220 residents and 210 tourists in Chitwan. Data analysis involved a series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses with Annapurna and Chitwan as comparison groups and tourism impact subscales as latent constructs. Results revealed that residents and tourists perceive positive and negative impacts differently across protected areas. This suggests that the form of tourism development affects the sustainability outcomes in protected areas. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.
This study examines the role of social distance in the relationships between people of different ... more This study examines the role of social distance in the relationships between people of different faiths visiting the sacred sites of others, with Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha, as a case study. The findings of this study suggest that Hindus and Christians visited Lumbini because they considered Buddhists more closely aligned to their own faith than other groups were. Further, this paper examines how people view themselves as tourists, pilgrims, tourists and pilgrims, or none of these labels. The self-identified visitor type varies in terms of motivations. In common with extant religious tourism literature, the study shows that those who identify themselves as pilgrims have higher religious motivations, and those who identify themselves as tourists have higher recreational or cultural motivations. In this study, social distance determined the relational structures, similarities and dissimilarities between travelers of different faiths consuming the same tourism spaces.
Sustainable tourism is lauded for simultaneously benefitting local residents, tourists, and the e... more Sustainable tourism is lauded for simultaneously benefitting local residents, tourists, and the environment. Environmental interpretation is considered a vehicle for sustainable tourism as it minimizes the adverse environmental and social impacts of tourism by creating pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of interpretative tour guiding by comparing guided and nonguided tourists’ attitudes and behaviors. Data were collected from 230 visitors at the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, using self-administered questionnaires. Results showed that the effectiveness of interpretation varies in relation to a number of ecological and sociocultural attitudes and behaviors. The positive change in attitude and behavior indicated that interpretation can be an effective and desirable tool in sustainable tourism. The conditions when interpretation cannot produce desirable outcomes and the theoretical and managerial implications of study findings are also discussed.
Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upo... more Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upon grounded theory and the social constructivist paradigm, appreciative inquiry is a simple, effective, and epistemologically sound tool to understand the rural population's knowledge, needs, and priorities without alienating them from research. Based on the study conducted to comprehend the interrelationships among conservation, livelihood, and tourism development in three rural communities located in the vicinity of Chitwan National ...
Ecotourism has been increasingly promoted as an environmentally appropriate form of tourism acros... more Ecotourism has been increasingly promoted as an environmentally appropriate form of tourism across the globe. The impact of ecotourism on the destination environment, however, depends on on-site tourist behaviour. It is crucial for ecotourism planners and managers to understand the factors affecting on-site behaviours of ecotourists so that environmentally responsible behaviour can be encouraged. This paper explores the factors influencing tourist environmental behaviour (TEB) using the reasoned action approach. Data were collected through a survey of 230 tourists visiting the Annapurna Conservation Area in Nepal. Results indicated that the variation in TEB is explained by three psychological variables (i.e. environmental attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control) as well as one sociodemographic characteristic (i.e. age), and two trip attributes (i.e. trip duration and group size). Theoretical and managerial implications of research findings with respect to ecotourism development are discussed.
The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of tourism stakeholders regarding sustai... more The purpose of this study is to examine the perspectives of tourism stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism outcomes in protected areas. We compared the responses of residents with residents, and tourists with tourists, in two protected areas of Nepal, namely, the Annapurna Conservation Area and Chitwan National Park. Tourism sustainability was evaluated with six tourism impact subscales measuring negative and positive ecological, economic, and social impacts. Data were collected using the survey method. Respondents included 230 residents and 205 tourists in Annapurna, and 220 residents and 210 tourists in Chitwan. Data analysis involved a series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses with Annapurna and Chitwan as comparison groups and tourism impact subscales as latent constructs. Results revealed that residents and tourists perceive positive and negative impacts differently across protected areas. This suggests that the form of tourism development affects the sustainability outcomes in protected areas. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.
This study examines the role of social distance in the relationships between people of different ... more This study examines the role of social distance in the relationships between people of different faiths visiting the sacred sites of others, with Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha, as a case study. The findings of this study suggest that Hindus and Christians visited Lumbini because they considered Buddhists more closely aligned to their own faith than other groups were. Further, this paper examines how people view themselves as tourists, pilgrims, tourists and pilgrims, or none of these labels. The self-identified visitor type varies in terms of motivations. In common with extant religious tourism literature, the study shows that those who identify themselves as pilgrims have higher religious motivations, and those who identify themselves as tourists have higher recreational or cultural motivations. In this study, social distance determined the relational structures, similarities and dissimilarities between travelers of different faiths consuming the same tourism spaces.
Sustainable tourism is lauded for simultaneously benefitting local residents, tourists, and the e... more Sustainable tourism is lauded for simultaneously benefitting local residents, tourists, and the environment. Environmental interpretation is considered a vehicle for sustainable tourism as it minimizes the adverse environmental and social impacts of tourism by creating pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of interpretative tour guiding by comparing guided and nonguided tourists’ attitudes and behaviors. Data were collected from 230 visitors at the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, using self-administered questionnaires. Results showed that the effectiveness of interpretation varies in relation to a number of ecological and sociocultural attitudes and behaviors. The positive change in attitude and behavior indicated that interpretation can be an effective and desirable tool in sustainable tourism. The conditions when interpretation cannot produce desirable outcomes and the theoretical and managerial implications of study findings are also discussed.
Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upo... more Appreciative inquiry is a participatory research method based on positive psychology. Founded upon grounded theory and the social constructivist paradigm, appreciative inquiry is a simple, effective, and epistemologically sound tool to understand the rural population's knowledge, needs, and priorities without alienating them from research. Based on the study conducted to comprehend the interrelationships among conservation, livelihood, and tourism development in three rural communities located in the vicinity of Chitwan National ...
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Papers by Surya Poudel
positive and negative impacts differently across protected areas. This suggests that the form of tourism development affects the sustainability outcomes in protected areas. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.
Books by Surya Poudel
Conference Presentations by Surya Poudel
positive and negative impacts differently across protected areas. This suggests that the form of tourism development affects the sustainability outcomes in protected areas. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.