Community Based Ecotourism and Community Development in East Khasi Hills District Meghalaya

This paper seeks to provide a glimpse of the practice of community-based ecotourism is few selected ecotourism destinations in East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya. Ecotourism development in the villages of North East India has been driven by a combination of socio-economic, environmental, and strategic factors. The region's rich biodiversity and scenic landscapes, have made it a prime location for ecotourism. Tourism in Meghalaya has a very long history and can be dated back to the colonial period when the colonial rulers made Shillong a hill station capital as a retreat from the scorching heat and humid summers. Meghalaya is blessed with rich flora-fauna and biodiversity that has a potential of being one of the hotspots of ecotourism in the northeast India. The findings revealed that, in the context of Meghalaya, ecotourism has been initiated through and community-based initiative emphasising on the active participation and contribution of members of the host communities in its growth and progress. Community-based ecotourism in the selected villages has brought about social and economic benefits to the households and to the community as well. The practice of community-based approach to ecotourism management ensures active participation of the members of the host communities in the process of conservation and sharing of benefits.