Promoting Sustainable Tourism & Empowering Local Community through Tourism Entrepreneurship: a case study of Mawlynnong Village in Meghalaya

Abstract

In a developing country like India, tourism acts as a catalyst for development. In the recent years, tourism has been associated with a number of economic, cultural and environmental challenges. Therefore the need of sustainable tourism business arises.
Mawlynnong, a small village situated in the east Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, is a hot spot of Meghalaya Tourism. In the year 2003, Mawlynnong held the title of being the cleanest village in Asia and in 2005, the cleanest village of India by Discover India. After the title being conferred, it has attracted a number of national as well as international tourists to visit and spend their leisure time which in turn generates revenue in different ways to the local people involved in the exchange of goods and services. In spite of thousands of people visiting the place and all the fame, it has been able to develop itself over a period of time in a sustainable way.
The aim of this paper is to throw light on importance of sustainability in Tourism industry in the present era and how it paves way for empowerment of local community through a case study on Mawlyynong village of Meghalaya, India.