ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the interface between tourism and nationalism in Nepal. It investigates how tourism provides a stage to showcase Nepal’s national identity and helps in the expression of nationalism. The book shows that despite huge change in the political landscape of the country, the touristic image of Nepal relies on the Western-created image, and to a great extent there is a continuity of the agenda of constructing a singular Nepali ‘national identity’ and representing a particular ‘version’ of nationalism. It explores the representation of Nepal in some tourism media and argues that such representations provide a platform to articulate national identity and express nationalism. The book also argues that the agency of national actors in Lumbini is informed by power struggle or claim over heritage, which is the result of perceived threat to the Lum-bini heritage.
