Ecotourism for sustainable development in nagaland: Prospects and challenges

Since ecotourism combines environmental preservation with social and economic development, it has been recognized as a sustainable alternative to traditional tourism. It emphasizes ethical travel to natural areas that preserves biodiversity and cultures while giving local communities access to sources of income. Nagaland has a lot of potential for ecotourism because it is a state with some of the lushest forests, diverse flora and fauna, vibrant landscapes, tribal culture, and a welcoming local population. As a result of the state's realization of this, ecotourism has emerged as a key theme for future development in the tourism industry. Although there is hope for the future, obstacles to the industry's growth include things like inadequate infrastructure, adverse travel regulations, insurgency-related problems, a lack of visibility, and lax enforcement of policies. Furthermore, there is little empirical assessment of how ecotourism initiatives affect local culture, indigenous knowledge, and ecological stability. Based on secondary data from government publications, scholarly works, and statistics handbooks, together with a few chosen field records from locations including Dzukou Valley, Khonoma, and Mount Saramati, the research paper discusses the potential and issues of ecotourism in Nagaland. According to the report, while some communities have successfully embraced ecotourism as a means of producing income and conserving biodiversity, structural problems have limited its potential. According to the literature now available, community activities, infrastructure development, climate-proof regulations, and creative marketing are all desperately needed to turn Nagaland into a sustainable ecotourism destination. Ecotourism may be transformed into a feasible development pathway towards inclusive and self-sustainable developments in the region by improving the cooperation between governments, local inhabitants, and private sector citizens.