Tourism & Change: A Longitudinal Analysis on Lodge Development and Energy Consumption in Sagarmatha National Park

Abstract

Tourism in remote, high-altitude mountain areas presents complex challenges for sustainable development, particularly where there is limited energy infrastructure and environmental sensitivity. The tourism industry has an interdependent relationship with the economy, culture, and lifestyle of mountain communities. Within the industry, lodge accommodations and hotels are the most energy intensive components and are reflective of tourist activity because of their large economic value. Resource consumption within lodges can indicate changes within the socio-economic structure and development of destinations as they evolve to accommodate for tourism demand. This study examines longitudinal patterns of tourist lodge development and energy consumption in Sagarmatha National Park and Buffer Zone (SNPBZ), Nepal. It aims to characterize how tourism interacts with infrastructure and resource use over time to establish a historical database of change over time. Using spatial data, lodge surveys, and semi-structured interviews with lodge owners, this thesis analyzes temporal and spatial trends in lodge development and energy consumption. Data from 1997, 2011, and 2024 were compared to identify long-term shifts and patterns. The results show significant growth in both lodge development and capacities, particularly along the Everest and Farak routes. Energy use has shifted towards alternative sources such as LPG and electricity, though traditional fuels remain common in higher altitude areas. Findings also suggest a growing dependence on tourism revenue for access to sustainable energy sources. This study situates SNPBZ between the development and consolidation stages of Butler’s Tourism Area Lifecycle model, with early signs of stagnation emerging. Inconsistencies in tourist flows and climate variability challenge the resilience of the park’s energy infrastructure and raise questions about carrying capacity and adaptive capacity. This research contributes a longitudinal, place-based perspective to the understanding of sustainable tourism development and energy transitions in high-altitude protected areas. The Government of Nepal should develop formal policy and regulation that supports community-based energy disaster and resilience planning while also considering tourism flows to properly align energy and tourist infrastructure development with revenues. Further research should investigate the supply side dynamics of resource management and the extent to which tourism may place additional pressure on surrounding areas outside of park boundaries.

Keywords: Tourism Lodge development Energy consumption Sustainable Development Mountain Areas