--By Raju Baskota

Home Stay System has been commenced in this area with the similar motive. Locals of the area said the home stay systems were set up to make easy access to Humla for national and international tourists. 

The first home stay system in Humla started at Buraunse Village which is still waiting tourists’ inflow in the village. Thousands of tourists travel through Simikot, the headquarters of Humla, to go to Tibet but most of them are still unaware about Buraunse Village which is only some distance away from Simikot. This is because of lack of adequate promotional activities. 

Home Stay System had begun one year ago with the initiation of Great Himalaya Trail which was initiated by SNV. The Great Himalaya Trail is one of the longest and highest walking trails in the world. Winding beneath the world’s highest peaks and visiting some of the most remote communities on earth, it passes through lush green valleys, arid high plateaus and incredible landscapes. 

But the stakeholders explain that lack of tourism promotional activities has still kept this place in shadow. 

Albeit there is enormous potentiality of tourism development in Buraunse village, limited number of tourist visit this place and they come through some local travel agencies of village. 

“We can attract adequate number of tourists in the village only if the village as well as its visiting destinations is promoted,” said Junga Bahadur Lama, Sales and Marketing Director of Firente Treks and Expedition Market. 

Pama Tanzin, one of the locals involved in Home Stay System said that the system has been started in five houses. It is virtually impossible to attract tourists unless there are enough promotional activities, he added. 

He further informed that the home stays was started after seeing the possibilities of tourist arrival in the village as it was near to the district headquarter, Simikot. 

The village is so rich for local and typical rites and rituals which are very helpful to attract more footfalls in the village, Tanzin reiterated. 

SNV has informed that along with those five home stay systems, other activities will also be launched for the promotion of tourism. 

“Home Stay systems have been launched in the village and other places for the feasibility of tourists conducting 5 days trek from Simikot,” Director Janga Bahadur Lama said. 

Also, locals are going to launch Home Stay facilities in more villages. The locals of Torpa, Nimatang and Bargaun villages are encouraged to launch at least one Home Stay in their Villages, Lama said. He assured that necessary initiations are being taken for the promotion of tourism activities at the area. 

Lama is one of the locals of Buraunse village involved in tourism business. Great Himalaya Trial has informed that it has helped a lot for access of tourists at local level and promotion of backward district. 

Lokendra Lama, mediator of Trail Tourism Development said that the areas like Buraunse, Torpa, Nimatang, Raling Gumba and Bargaun, which are not included in main trekking route, are also being promoted as tourism route. SNV is performing necessary tasks for the promotion of these villages. Though SNV has specified Hilsa from Simikot as the main route, it is mulling to promote other rural settlements as alternative and subsidiary routes. SNVhas been working for the branding of the tourism route at the area.