© 2026 Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Education.
Lessons from Nepal's Recent Floods. An international online conference hosted by the Asian Institute of Technology and Management (AITM), Nepal, and the Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Education (JTHE), on 18, 19 and 20 November 2026 via Zoom. Nepal's recent floods bring the relationship between tourism, development and disaster risk into sharp focus. Decisions about infrastructure, land use, business investment and environmental protection shape both the opportunities tourism creates and the risks communities face. This conference brings international scholars into dialogue with Nepali academics and tourism practitioners. Across three days, participants will examine how recovery can support decent livelihoods, responsible hospitality businesses, healthier ecosystems and greater community influence over development.
Times shown in Asia/Kathmandu
Online
Key dates
01 / About
Nepal's recent floods bring the relationship between tourism, development and disaster risk into sharp focus. Decisions about infrastructure, land use, business investment and environmental protection shape both the opportunities tourism creates and the risks communities face.
This conference brings international scholars into dialogue with Nepali academics and tourism practitioners. Across three days, participants will examine how recovery can support decent livelihoods, responsible hospitality businesses, healthier ecosystems and greater community influence over development.
Conference themes
Six connected themes guide the invited talks and moderated discussions. Nepal is the focal case, with international perspectives on destinations facing environmental and development pressures.
Flood and landslide exposure; preparedness and early warning; local knowledge; visitor and worker safety; recovery planning and risk communication.
Land use planning; roads, accommodation and river corridors; the relationship between hydropower and tourism; ecosystem protection; public investment and recovery governance.
Homestays and local ownership; women's enterprise; youth employment; marginalised and Indigenous communities; benefit sharing; migration and livelihood diversification.
Small business continuity; local supply chains; workforce wellbeing; responsible procurement; rebuilding visitor trust; financing and insuring recovery.
Trekking and adventure tourism; river conservation; protected areas; changing visitor pressures; guiding livelihoods; environmental stewardship and safe operations.
Sustainability and disaster risk curricula; experiential learning; partnerships between communities and colleges; participatory research; teaching cases; professional skills and policy uptake.
The conference connects academic research, industry experience and professional learning. Each day closes with a moderated dialogue on practical priorities for communities, businesses, educators and policymakers.
03 / Programme
3 days · Asia/Kathmandu
Attending
Three days of invited talks and discussion bring international research into dialogue with Nepal's tourism and hospitality experience. Each day has its own theme and its own start time:
Nepal time is Nepal Standard Time (UTC+05:45). Daily start times vary to suit speakers in different parts of the world.
Researchers, tourism and hospitality educators, postgraduate and undergraduate students, destination managers, hotel and homestay operators, guides, community organisations, development practitioners and policymakers.
Each three-hour session opens with a welcome, followed by four invited talks of 25 minutes, each with 5 minutes for questions, and a short break. A 30-minute moderated dialogue with the audience follows, and the day closes with takeaways. Speakers will be announced soon.
Sessions are in English.
04 / Attend
Registration is free. Register once to take part in all three daily sessions online.