| Abstract: |
Mountain communities in the eastern Himalayas are being subjected to rapid
developmental pressures that threaten to disrupt their traditional livelihoods
and culture. Ecotourism is seen as a solution towards balancing development
and environmental conservation. I investigate the potential for effective
ecotourism initiatives and alternative livelihood options that cause minimum
damage to the local environment and promote greater understanding of
indigenous cultures among tourists from across the world. I identify four
major activities that include nature based tourism, homestays, trekking and
sale of handicrafts and other locally made items. To understand the challenges
involved in implementing some of these initiatives, I also visited successful
sites in Sikkim and West Bengal to study their best practices. The
complexities of each activity and the potential challenges uncovered through
this study demonstrate the need for detailed field research on ecotourism
potential before their actual implementation. |