KATHMANDU: The Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has urged trekking agencies and guides to use the original and authentic name “Namgung Gonpa” instead of “Namduna Gaun” while promoting the destination in Dolpa.

In a circular issued from its Ganesththan, Maligaon headquarters in Kathmandu on March 11, TAAN Secretary General Sonam Gyaljen Sherpa urged all to correctly identify and market the site — a monastery located in Ward No. 3 of the Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality in Dolpa district's Saldang Valley.

The association said it had received a formal email request from Namgung Gonpa itself, asking TAAN to intervene and ensure the site is promoted under its proper name.

The association noted that trekking tourism is one of Nepal’s unique tourism products and has played a significant role in promoting the country globally. 

"The beautiful landscapes, geographical features, biodiversity and cultural heritage encountered along trekking routes are of immense value," the TAAN stated, adding that the villages and religious and cultural sites of Nepal's hill and Himalayan regions enrich and sustain the trekking experience.

However, TAAN warned that the use of incorrect terminology or misinterpretation of cultural and religious sites for tourism promotion could undermine the authenticity and identity of such heritage in the long run.

Citing the example of Swayambhunath Stupa, which is widely promoted internationally as the “Monkey Temple”, the association said such naming practices can gradually overshadow the original cultural identity of heritage sites.

In this context, TAAN said the site currently promoted by some trekking agencies and guides as “Namduna Gaun” should instead be promoted and marketed by its correct name, “Namgung Gonpa.”

The association has requested its member agencies and trekking guides to ensure the use of the original name while promoting the destination in trekking itineraries and tourism materials.