Transformation in Ecotourism Landscape: From Go-Green Farms to Eco-Green Lodges

Abstract

The state of Gujarat in its tourism policy (2015-2020) has mentioned “that the tourism in Gujarat emphasis on improving livelihood linkages and providing increasing investment opportunities by promoting tourism entrepreneurship”. The attempt was thought to be important as to encourage the local people for selfemployment by acquiring skills of hospitality and entrepreneurship. In this paper, I examine in what ways the livelihood (socioeconomic changes) of local communities in Sasan Gir is getting affected as they take part in tourism entrepreneurship encouraged by the state agencies. I discuss findings from the villages around Gir National Park and Sanctuary and providing case study on Bhojde- a village heavily dependent on tourism. The investigation finds answers to the questions like why there is rising entrepreneurial tendency among the local farmers to change the traditional profession of farming and a desire to become an hotelier, in what problems entrepreneurs are stuck in and why, who benefits, who are the different stakeholders involved, and which are the political and bureaucratic agencies involved? The reason behind calling the home stays activity in the beginning as entrepreneurial and legal and then after two years bracketing it as illegal, is also questionable.