• Dr. Kushal Singh

Abstract: Village tourism is a relatively recent activity that is incessantly improving its operating mechanism. It has emerged as a significant alternative for local socio-economic development because it makes use of the local natural resources, cultural heritage, traditions, and customs of the villages in strengthening the rural economy. However, rural tourism needs to be implemented/practiced with due sensitivity toward the conservation of ecology, environment, and indigenous culture in the countryside. The rural landscape in the province of Himachal Pradesh is replete with a comely, picturesque natural environment as well as a special cultural heritage that surely facilitates and promotes tourist activities. The present paper examines the major aspects of rural tourism development in Himachal Pradesh, besides considering viable strategies, methods, and techniques to promote tourism in the hilly terrain of this province. Since rural tourism is an activity, complementary to agriculture, with ample scope for economic development, it can be a way for the development and strengthening of the rural community in the state. The present paper intends to study how rural tourism can be one of the forms of tourism that incorporates the aspects of sustainable development along with essential provisos for the protection of the environment and development of entrepreneurship, alongside due preservation of long-established ethnic village traditions, customs, values, and practices. Keywords: Rural tourism, village traditions, local economy, Himachal Pradesh, ecology, and environment.

Rural tourism, village traditions, local economy, Himachal Pradesh, ecology and environment

"PROBLEM & PROSPECT OF RURAL TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: IMPECT ON LOCAL ECONOMY, CULTURE AND ECOLOGY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 12, page no.e361-e367, December-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2212450.pdf

"PROBLEM & PROSPECT OF RURAL TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: IMPECT ON LOCAL ECONOMY, CULTURE AND ECOLOGY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 12, page no. ppe361-e367, December-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2212450.pdf