1. Home
  2. News
  3. Strengthening Tourism Planning in Destinations through Participatory SVF Methodology

Strengthening Tourism Planning in Destinations through Participatory SVF Methodology

Nepal
Sustainable tourism
28.04.2026
Tourism is a key pillar for Nepal’s economic development. Swisscontact in Nepal is committed to creating opportunities for inclusive economic growth. 

Through its development programme, Developing Inclusive and Green Opportunities (DIGO), Swisscontact supports to create additional jobs and income in Nepal’s tourism sector while generating positive environmental impacts.

One of DIGO’s key focus areas is supporting municipalities in strengthening destination‑level tourism planning. This is achieved through a participatory planning process that brings together multiple tourism stakeholders to generate insights and develop evidence‑based tourism strategies. For this purpose, DIGO applies the Strategic Visitor Flow (SVF) methodology.

Strategic Visitor Flow (SVF) methodology

Strategic Visitor Flow (SVF) is a participatory tourism planning methodology that analyses how visitors move within a destination, why they travel, and how they spend their time and money. The methodology helps destinations optimise visitor distribution, enhance visitor experience, and maximise local economic benefits while reducing pressure on overused sites.

Swisscontact has applied the SVF methodology in several countries, including Laos, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Indonesia, and Colombia. Under DIGO, the approach is being adapted and applied in Nepal for the first time. The SVF methodology contains the following key elements: participatory multistakeholder SVF workshops; SVF mapping, visualisation, and analysis; public consultation and stakeholder validation; and the formulation of recommendations for tourism strategies and action plans.

As such the project brings together a diverse range of tourism actors to foster open dialogue and develop a deeper understanding of tourism demand. This evidence-based approach supports the formulation of sustainable tourism development plans and strategies.

Stakeholder Validation Workshop

On 10th April, 2026, DIGO supported Pokhara Metropolitan City in Pokhara to conduct a stakeholder validation workshop to further validate, review and refine the recommendations generated through the visitor flow analysis. The goal of this workshop was to provide the municipality with validated recommendations that could be incorporated into their tourism action plans, initiatives, and strategies that lead to sustainable destinations, and product development and diversification. Additionally, DIGO also seeks to work with municipality to implement these recommendations.

"When developing tourism plans, we need to look not only at the services we offer, but also at how visitors behave and what they expect from a destination. "
Prakash Regmi, Principal, Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management College, Pokhara
"Value based tourism helps create long term benefits for local communities and destinations. It is more sustainable than focusing only on increasing numbers."
Samjhana Baral, Administrative Manager, 3Sisters Adventure Trekking /Empowering Women of Nepal (EWN)
"Tourism efforts in Pokhara are often fragmented. Planning based on research and shared data can help us work in a more coordinated way, with sustainability as a common goal."
Manahar Kadariya, Head of Economic Development Division, Pokhara Metropolitan City

The Build-up

Earlier, using SVF methodology DIGO facilitated workshops engaging participants from hotel associations, individual hoteliers, travel and trekking agencies, travel and tour guides, and representatives from local governments. During these workshops, participants jointly mapped visitor movements, identified key attractions, services, challenges and analyzed opportunities within the destination using the visitor flow mapping tool. So far, DIGO has conducted four SVF workshops and two Destinorama events, which are broader public forums designed to validate, refine, and build consensus around the findings from SVF workshops. Through these participatory exercises, 19 visitor flows in Pokhara Metropolitan City and eight visitor flows in Madi Rural Municipality were identified and mapped, providing an evidence base for more strategic and coordinated tourism planning.

Next steps

DIGO will continue supporting the municipalities in tourism planning through the application of the SVF methodology, engaging a wide range of stakeholders in jointly analyzing tourism dynamics and identifying priorities. Through this process, existing visitor flows will be further elaborated and validated, while previously unidentified flows will also be mapped. In doing so, DIGO seeks to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based tourism planning process within local government. 

DIGO project is co-financed by Happel Foundation. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA. 

2025 - 2028
Nepal
Sustainable tourism
Developing Inclusive and Green Opportunities (DIGO)
The project aims to support the adoption of sustainable tourism practices and products in two destinations of Nepal by strengthening the capacities of tourism enterprises and upskilling tourism professionals, benefiting both the local population and the environment. 
Learn more