TRPAP was launched in September 2001 under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) with the technical and financial assistance from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Nepal, Department for International Development (DFID)/ Nepal and SNV/Nepal. The Project has been designed, so that it would be handed over to Nepal Tourism Board (the National Tourism Organisation) after phasing out, with the establishment of Sustainable Tourism Development Unit (STDU) in the Board.
The programme is operating in six pilot sites of Nepal, which include altogether 48 Village Development Committees (VDCs) covering 160,732 people from 28,337 households. These districts were chosen based on the existing tourism development and its potential, and the extent to which significant elements of poverty and marginalized social groups were in need of support.
By developing linkages with the rural populace, the programme encourages and involves grassroots people in the decision making process, to help ensure that benefits from tourism can reach the rural poor. The focus of the programme is always towards the disadvantaged stratum of rural people who live below the poverty line.
