The Namche Conference: May 24-26, 2003 People, Park, and Mountain Ecotourism Participants and Presentations: Ms. Pratima Singh

Ms. Pratima Singh Senior Research Fellow, School of Planning, Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad, India. Email: singhpratima@yahoo.com: singh@icenet.net Abstract: Eco-Tourism potential of three states of the North Eastern region of India. The North Eastern region of India comprising of seven states, viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura; despite having diverse and abundant resources and extremely high eco-tourism potential; is one of the least developed regions in the country and infact even in South Asia. The eco-tourism potential becomes all the more pertinent and requiring to be developed due to the strategic location of this region. However, there are certain issues of under development of the region that need to be addressed urgently, apart from the ongoing efforts from both the Central and State Governments. This paper, based upon two research studies conducted during 2000-2001, focuses on three states of this region viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland and explores the eco-tourism opportunities existing in the region. Also, the issues and measures needed to be taken for development of the people of the region as well as the region as a whole and particularly the eco-tourism sector have been examined in the studies using various techniques including use of geographical information system.

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