Tourism or conservation? A controversy in Chitwan National Park, Nepal

This chapter reflects on whether tourism and conservation in Nepal's Chitwan National Park can exist in mutual harmony. The case study examines conflictual issues between tourism entrepreneurs and conservation activists. It looks into the case of the renewal of a 15-year contract to operate concessionaires within Chitwan National Park that became a national controversy and left more than half a dozen hotels (ecolodges) inside the park shut for 6 months. The chapter identifies four dimensions to understand this controversy and offers recommendations for policymakers and other stakeholders engaged in the tourism planning process.