• Hilal Ahmad Kumar
• Muzamil Wali

The era which saw the rise of mass tourism was a time of great optimism and enthusiasm not only for holidays themselves but also for the developmental potential of tourism. Despite the predominance of “boosterism” in the tourism arena the limitations and damages of mass tourism became apparent as early as the 1970s with the degradation of tourist destinations particularly those that are having fragile eco-systems. As a result, mass tourism was called into question. Negative impacts included crowding, environmental degradation, pollution, urban sprawl and loss of habitats. Economical disenchantment with tourism arose as the benefits that are assumed to accompany tourism development were often counterbalanced by leakages, inflation and the costs of associated damages of both an environmental and socio-cultural nature. Socially, tourism could damage a culture by commodifying it or undermining it through the impact of the demonstration effect. People could be displaced from their land, land might be taken for alternative productive usage and workers and other community resources might be diverted to cater to tourism. These negative ecological, social and economic aspects are magnified with the explosion of tourism in recent decades. Alternative tourism has been proposed as a response that can provide solutions to the economic, ecological and social difficulties that can accompany uncontrolled mass tourism. In this background the current paper highlights the possibilities and viabilities of alternative tourism in Jammu and Kashmir which falls in Himalayan region and therefore becomes important to look at the better options as for as tourism is concerned in Jammu and Kashmir. The paper also highlights the possible opportunities and challenges in realizing the option of alternative tourism in Jammu and Kashmir

Alternative tourism, Mass tourism, sustainable tourism, Jammu and Kashmir

"ALTERNATIVE TOURISM IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR: CHALLENGES AND OPPURTUNITIES ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no.619-631, February-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902282.pdf

"ALTERNATIVE TOURISM IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR: CHALLENGES AND OPPURTUNITIES ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 2, page no. pp619-631, February-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1902282.pdf