Religious tourism and entrepreneurship: A case of Manakamana temple in Nepal

Religious tourism and entrepreneurship are closely interconnected with Nepal’s unique religious history, customs, culture, and tradition. Holy places such as Manakamana temple are central to the success of local entrepreneurs. This study explores the relationship between religious tourism and entrepreneurship in Nepal and investigates the livelihood of local business owners, business sustainability, and the challenges facing tourism-dependent businesses by their business sizes. The study was conducted in the area surrounding Manakamana temple, located in the Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality ward nos. 2 and 3, Gorkha district, Nepal. A mixed method featuring qualitative and quantitative analyses of primary data was used to produce relevant findings. Among the key findings were that Nepal’s religious places provide an excellent opportunity to develop entrepreneurship that contributes directly to improvements in the health, education, and nutrition of business owners and their families. Using survey and interview results, the author identifies policies and support measures that could/should be adopted by local governments to benefit and encourage local entrepreneurs.