Small Business and Livelihood: A Study of Pashupatinath UNESCO Heritage Site of Nepal

Abstract

Small businesses in world heritage sites provide services to visitors and livelihood for residents. Besides the cultural and religious values promoted by these businesses, they also provide socioeconomic support to their owners. The Pashupatinath temple is known as Hindu’s major religious and pilgrimage destination in South Asia. Hundreds of businesses around the temple provide services to visitors. This study evaluates the socioeconomic impacts of these small businesses around Pashupatinath temple. Using a survey of 110 businesses, binary logistic regression models find that the owners of larger businesses selling religious supplies in this area are more likely to own houses in Kathmandu and to be more satisfied with their businesses. The study also finds that businesses without permanent stalls faced severe hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the socioeconomic status of a business owner through house ownership in Kathmandu, and finds that small businesses operating in the premises of the religious heritage site of Pashupatinath temple have a positive relation to the livelihood of the business owners and their families. It concludes that small-scale business in world heritage sites directly contributes to local livelihoods and economies.

Harmonizing Heritage and Artificial Neural Networks: The Role of Sustainable Tourism in UNESCO World Heritage Sites

“…By harnessing the power of AI, ANNs can contribute to the classification, conservation, and sustainable development of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. While there have been many studies [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] conducted on these sites using traditional research methods, the classification of these structures using artificial intelligence (AI) still offers a unique perspective.…”