| Summary: | Jammu and Kashmir is a State in India that has emerged from one and a half decades of long armed
insurgency. Naturally, this political turmoil has negatively impacted the state’s economy. The industrial
sector of the state is not well developed and tourism is one of the main sources of revenue. However,
mainstream tourism does not seem to be progressing which demands other alternatives be sought. One
of the best possible alternatives could be rural tourism development. Rural development is increasingly
associated with entrepreneurship, which is considered as a central force of economic growth and
development. Tourism’s role in rural development is basically an economic one and can help to sustain
and improve the quality of life in rural areas. Tourism involves mostly small enterprises, so the role of
tourism entrepreneurs can be very important for the development of rural tourism. Of all the economic
sectors, tourism is perhaps the one in which the greatest degree of involvement is needed by the
entrepreneurial sector in formulating sustainable development strategies. Rural tourism entrepreneurship
has gained increasing importance as it is seen as a major driving force behind rural tourism. This study
aims to highlight the importance and potential of rural tourism in a Kashmir region where about 73 percent
of the population live in rural areas. Kashmir has a lot to offer tourists, such as its scenic beauty, a
kaleidoscope of traditions, a variety of cultures and an array of opportunities to explore the outdoors
through sporting and adventure activities. This study attempts to prove that, if managed and organized in
a proper way, rural tourism could bring the economic prosperity back to the people of the Kashmir region
after recent disasters and crises.
|
|---|