Over Rs. 2 million from tourism events held during the Dashain festival in the last two years has been used by a youth group in Annapurna Rural Municipality 1 in Myagdi to fund tourism infrastructure. In order to boost tourism in Dowa and the surrounding areas, the Manibarahi Youth Club has used the funds for trekking routes, visitor centers, information boards, and other community development projects. Over the previous two years, the group spent a total of Rs. 2,007,710 on tourism, physical infrastructure, and social events, according to club secretary Bikash Pun.
Instead of restricting the benefits of the festivals to their immediate activities, the club’s investment represents an attempt by the local community to employ revenue from cultural events for long-term development. The development and promotion of the trekking path that connects Dowa with Dhaulagiri Icefall has garnered the most tourism related expenditure among the club’s many projects. The goal of the project is to increase local communities’ chances to profit from increased tourism while also facilitating better access to the region’s natural assets.
Dowa Dhaulagiri Icefall Trail Gets Priority
The club spent Rs. 758,250 over the past two years on infrastructure development and promotion of the trekking route from Dowa to Dhaulagiri Icefall. Pun said the trail is considered an important project for connecting Dowa with major natural attractions in the surrounding area and increasing the area’s tourism potential. The club believes continued development of the route will make it easier for visitors to explore destinations beyond the main settlements and encourage tourism activity in the rural areas. It has also emphasized the need to continue work on the trail linking Sowang Danda and Dhaulagiri Icefall with Dowa.
The club has also contributed to a wider trail development project extending through Patal Kharka, Garekharka, Deurali Danda, Thulokhani, Dherasir, Guransini Khola, Bhiraauto, Surkemela and Haltude. Annapurna Rural Municipality allocated Rs. 1 million for the project during the last fiscal year, while the youth club contributed Rs. 425,765 and provided labor worth approximately Rs. 124,000. The combined effort has strengthened the community’s role in developing tourism infrastructure across several locations linked to Dowa.
Visitor Facilities And Information Infrastructure Expanded
Alongside trekking infrastructure, the club has invested in facilities intended to make visits more convenient and informative for tourists. It spent Rs. 381,000 to establish a drinking water facility at Surkemela, while another Rs. 103,000 was used to install an information board at Bhirkate Road Bridge, the entrance point to Dowa. The projects are designed to address basic visitor needs while providing information at important access points for people traveling through the area.
The club has also prepared 41 information boards for installation at different tourist destinations in Dowa, spending Rs. 274,000 on their preparation. The boards are intended to improve visitors’ access to information about local attractions and help strengthen the visibility of tourism sites within the area. Together with the water facility and trail improvements, the investments show the club’s focus on developing practical infrastructure that can support visitors as tourism activity expands.
Festival Income Supports Wider Community Development
The tourism investments have been made possible through income generated from fairs organized by the club during Dashain in 2081 and 2082 BS. The club recorded income of Rs. 1,519,000 in 2081 BS, of which Rs. 1,222,250 was spent, while it generated Rs. 1,038,647 in 2082 BS and spent Rs. 785,460. After its expenditures over the two years, the club currently has Rs. 549,937 in savings, according to Pun.
Beyond tourism, the organization has also contributed to broader community initiatives. It provided Rs. 700,000 toward the construction and land purchase of the Dowa Pokhara Society’s building and spent Rs. 419,000 on repairs to its own building, while the purchase of land in the club’s own name is currently in its final stage. Club chairman Thabahadur Garbuja said these activities reflect the organization’s wider contribution to local development, with tourism remaining a major area of investment.
Community Investment Aims To Extend Tourist Stays
The club claims that the purpose of its tourist projects is to increase the number of visitors to Dowa, encourage them to remain longer in the rural area, and provide more job possibilities and economic activity for locals. The organization aims to establish the fundamental conditions required for travelers to more pleasantly explore the area by enhancing paths, drinking water facilities, and visitor information. By allocating locally produced resources to infrastructure that may benefit both tourists and locals, the strategy also puts local communities at the heart of tourism growth.
Pun emphasized that continued investment will be necessary to complete and strengthen the trekking routes connecting Dowa with Sowang Danda and Dhaulagiri Icefall. With the club already contributing its own funds and labor alongside the rural municipality’s budget, the initiative demonstrates how community organizations can supplement public investment in tourism infrastructure. The ongoing work is expected to help improve Dowa’s connectivity with surrounding attractions and create a stronger foundation for tourism-led economic activity in the area.
