Tribal Entrepreneurship through Rural Tourism and Development: A Case Study on Hee Gaon, Sikkim

Abstract

Rural tourism, recent inclusion of tourism sector is working to boost up rural economy and development by generating opportunities for rural entrepreneurship. Taking rural development and subsequent entrepreneurship into count present study focuses on HeeGaon in West Sikkim. Sikkim known for its diversified ethnic cultures and blissful beauty offered by diversified topography, comprises hills and forests charmed and cajoled tourists throughout the world. HeeGaon a village of Western Sikkim has families from Limboo Tribes (as per the Central Government rule they are termed as the Scheduled Tribes or ST) due to lack of proper lands and knowledge generally migrate to cities for steady earnings. But the things have changed in the hands of people like Mr. Birendra Tambling who with the help of NGOs created entrepreneurship by resorting on ‘Home Stay’. Present study by the help of Tambling’s case tries to find out the livelihood processes of tribal people in the district to enhance rural and tribal entrepreneurship(in this case).It also suggests remedial measures to solve the problem of rural entrepreneurship(in broader view) in consultation with experts facilitating entrepreneurship model specially that of Geddes Economic Model.