An Assessment of Home Stay Tourism at Kaulepani Village of Lamjung Nepal

Homestay has emerged within sustainable development principles of working to benefit local people and to protect fragile natural environments and traditional cultures. Although Kaulepani homestay tourism has received the best homestay award on the occasion of 35th World Tourism Day by the Government of Nepal in 2014, the depth study on tourist's satisfaction has not been carried out yet. Key informant surveys, visitors' surveys, and household questionnaire surveys were carried out to assess detailed information on homestay at Kaulepani village and visitor’s satisfaction. As a result, opportunity to enhance the household economy and the utilization of free time were found to be the most important motivating factors to run the homestay program in the area. The homestay has contributed to raise income, promote greenery in the village, raise awareness among the people on sanitation and biodiversity conservation. There is a significant difference with respect to both homestay household and non-homestay household perspective. Along with this, visitors were found to be extremely satisfied with the services and hospitality provided by the villagers. Scenic beauty and cleanliness of the area are the key factors to attract tourist in this area whereas, tourist dislikes transportation facilities and means of communication in the area. Likewise, it has also helped to foster women empowerment in the village making them self- independent by earning money.