Commercialization and Tourism of Tibet’s Sacred Mountains :: Travel Economics Papers

Commercialization and Tourism of Tibet’s Sacred Mountains Tourism is emerging as a major industry, and in recent decades, it has developed rapidly in mountainous regions throughout the world, especially in the Himalayas. Presently it is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The contemporary global middle-class spends a large amount of their disposable income on recreation and leisure. That money is increasingly being spent on activities such as mountaineering and trekking in the Himalayas and on the Tibetan plateau. This growth in the tourism sector has increased the influx of capital into the Tibetan economy while at the same time negatively changing the socio-cultural aspects of Tibetan life and the environment in which Tibetan communities make their home. The increase in tourism in Tibet and the consequent commercialization of Tibet’s sacred mountains may lead to a loss of traditional forms of cultural expression among the diverse indigenous people of Tibet. Sacred Worldview The Tibetan people behold a sacred worldview that embodies adoration and worship for their mountains. â€Å"As though realizing that their very existence depended on the water, which flowed down from the mountains, they worshipped them† (Cameron 1984: 31). To show respect for the mountains, the Tibetans lined mountain tracks with shrines, adorned prayer-flags on mountain slopes, and they thought of mountain peaks as gods. Even the names the Tibetans give their mountains show respect. They call Mount Everest the â€Å"Goddess mother of the world† and Annapurna the â€Å"Bringer of Life† (Cameron 1984: 21). The Tibetan civilization and religion in fact has deep roots in an appreciation of the environment (Wardle et al. 1996: vi). In the Buddhist tradition, spaces become sacred by their association with the Buddha or with other sacred persons (Eckel 2002: 65). Buddhism encourages this placement of value on land and nature. Buddhists believe that they live in harmony with nature, are interdependent with it, and continuity exists. Therefore, any destruction of nature that may be caused by tourism is viewed as sacrilegious. Types of Tourists Humans in the Himalayas over time traveled for the purposes of trade, resources, work, pilgrimage, or socializing. Some confirmations that travel has been an ongoing feature of the mountainous regions are the intricate systems of walking trails, resting places, and mountain passes, and presence of cultural traditions such as inn keeping and porters. Trade, livestock movements, journeys to work and ceremony are all traditional events that link the Himalayan places to one another over time (Karan and Zurick 1999: 16). Commercialization and Tourism of Tibet’s Sacred Mountains :: Travel Economics Papers Commercialization and Tourism of Tibet’s Sacred Mountains Tourism is emerging as a major industry, and in recent decades, it has developed rapidly in mountainous regions throughout the world, especially in the Himalayas. Presently it is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The contemporary global middle-class spends a large amount of their disposable income on recreation and leisure. That money is increasingly being spent on activities such as mountaineering and trekking in the Himalayas and on the Tibetan plateau. This growth in the tourism sector has increased the influx of capital into the Tibetan economy while at the same time negatively changing the socio-cultural aspects of Tibetan life and the environment in which Tibetan communities make their home. The increase in tourism in Tibet and the consequent commercialization of Tibet’s sacred mountains may lead to a loss of traditional forms of cultural expression among the diverse indigenous people of Tibet. Sacred Worldview The Tibetan people behold a sacred worldview that embodies adoration and worship for their mountains. â€Å"As though realizing that their very existence depended on the water, which flowed down from the mountains, they worshipped them† (Cameron 1984: 31). To show respect for the mountains, the Tibetans lined mountain tracks with shrines, adorned prayer-flags on mountain slopes, and they thought of mountain peaks as gods. Even the names the Tibetans give their mountains show respect. They call Mount Everest the â€Å"Goddess mother of the world† and Annapurna the â€Å"Bringer of Life† (Cameron 1984: 21). The Tibetan civilization and religion in fact has deep roots in an appreciation of the environment (Wardle et al. 1996: vi). In the Buddhist tradition, spaces become sacred by their association with the Buddha or with other sacred persons (Eckel 2002: 65). Buddhism encourages this placement of value on land and nature. Buddhists believe that they live in harmony with nature, are interdependent with it, and continuity exists. Therefore, any destruction of nature that may be caused by tourism is viewed as sacrilegious. Types of Tourists Humans in the Himalayas over time traveled for the purposes of trade, resources, work, pilgrimage, or socializing. Some confirmations that travel has been an ongoing feature of the mountainous regions are the intricate systems of walking trails, resting places, and mountain passes, and presence of cultural traditions such as inn keeping and porters. Trade, livestock movements, journeys to work and ceremony are all traditional events that link the Himalayan places to one another over time (Karan and Zurick 1999: 16).