Sustainable Nature-based Tourism, Involvement of Indigenous Women and Development: A Case of North-East India

Abstract

Nature-based tourism is an important source of livelihood of the indigenous tribal society of North-East India including Meghalaya, where a substantial number of women have been involved in various tourism related hospitality and business activities along with their male counterparts. Here, the development of scope of employment and income in the growing hospitality sector and transport business with the growing demand by the nature loving tourists has created a scope for their livelihood through sustainable environmental management. This paper tries to explore how a substantial section of indigenous women population of North-East India manage their livelihood through the growing nature-based tourism activities and the maintenance of nature itself. It is examined on the basis of empirical observation through a primary survey conducted in three prime tourist sites in Meghalaya. The multiplier result suggests that though women are mostly involved in relatively inferior occupations and earn less per capita, they are more benefitted from the growth of tourism in the area.