Amrita Acharya

Valuation of Tourist Sites in North East India: a Case Study of East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya Amrita Acharya

The state of Meghalaya, also known as the ?Scotland of East? is blessed with vast tracts of evergreen forests, silvery waterfalls, swift mountain rivers and a cool, temperate climate. These natural blessings make the state a favourite tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists alike. Though growth of tourism in the state has been on the rise in the past few years, it still constitutes a small portion of the net state domestic product, and this calls for necessary action for further development and preservation of the natural resources of the state. However, the growth in tourism here, like in many other places has also adversely affected the invaluable natural resources including flora and fauna of the state. This is primarily due to the lack of proper planning of tourism related activities and the absence of reliable valuation of the existing natural resources associated with tourism in this area. This book is the first attempt to estimate the recreation value and economic impact of the most- frequented tourist sites of this region, so that economically viable and environmentally sustainable measures for the growth of tourism can be adopted.