Nature conservation and poverty alleviation through sustainable ecotourism: the case of Lolab Valley, India

• DOI: 10.1007/s44274-024-00181-8
• Publication Date: 2025-01-03T01:14:13Z
• Authors: Lone Rafiya Majeed; Sumaira Rashid; Deeplata Sharma; Lone Fawad Majeed; Mansoor Ahmad Bhat
• Keywords: Sustainable Tourism; Alternative tourism; Local Community; Viewpoints

Abstract Ecotourism is an important link between environmental conservation and poverty alleviation, as it generates income, empowers local communities, provides educational benefits. This study focuses on the Lolab Valley in remote Himalayan regions, emphasising its potential one of India's premier sustainable tourism destinations. The primary goal this to look into future development ecotourism area understand perceptions awareness 2020 2023. To accomplish this, fieldwork was carried out that involved focus groups semi-structured interviews, enabling a thorough investigation viewpoints locals tourism. create baseline understanding different types area, such mountain, water, culinary, heritage, ethnographic, creative tourism, qualitative data were gathered examined. Based our findings, travellers strongly favour travel over mass In particular, option participants preferred most mountain (44%), followed by heritage (20%), anthropological (14%), water (13%), (9%). suggests community has undergone substantial change practices. demonstrates significance underscores strong support for initiatives. Furthermore, role shared economies mitigating region. can make natural resources maintain welfare communities promoting