Sustainable Livelihood through Ecotourism and Changing Cultural Behavior in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, recognized globally as Devbhoomi, possesses exceptional tourism potential owing to its Himalayan landscapes, rich cultural heritage, pilgrimage centres, and biodiversity. Despite this endowment, the state continues to face persistent socio-economic challenges including rural poverty, unemployment, and large-scale outmigration. While tourism contributes approximately 4.4–5.83% to Uttara hand’s Gross State Domestic Product, its development has remained disproportionately concentrated in religious and pilgrimage-based activities, leaving ecotourism, adventure, and community-based forms significantly underutilized. This paper examines the potential of homestay-based ecotourism as a sustainable livelihood strategy for local communities, with particular focus on Tiwargaon village in the Tehri Garhwal district. The study documents a community-led intervention in which skill development programs in water sports, guiding, tour operations, and traditional food preparation were organized to equip local residents — particularly unemployed youth and women — with tourism-related capacities. The outcomes demonstrate that homestay-based ecotourism can generate direct and indirect employment, reverse outmigration, and catalyse broader socio-cultural transformation. Within the study period, 52 families engaged in homestay tourism, 14 youth secured employment in motorboat operations, and women actively participated in cultural programming for visitors. Tiwargaon has since been designated an official tourist village by the Government of Uttarakhand. The study further proposes an integrated framework combining road-trip circuits, community-based tourism, biodiversity conservation, and indigenous cultural promotion. The findings offer policy-relevant insights for government agencies, tourism planners, and rural development stakeholders seeking to align tourism growth with inclusive and environmentally sustainable regional development.