Rural TourismEntrepreneurs: Opportunities and Challenges in North East Indian Perspective

Abstract

This paper attempts to study on opportunities and challenges for rural tourism entrepreneurs in North- East Indian perspective. Rural tourism can help in shaping our societies economic position. There is a scope of rural tourism in all parts of India. The primary data collected through field survey and secondary data by using different books and journals. A total of 100 respondents selected to represent all the corners of Assam. Applying five-grade SERVQUAL method of PZB, a two-column questionnaire composed of 17 important factors considering rural tourism has been formulated according to expectation of tourists and the actual situation. A convenience sampling technique followed while selecting the respondents. The study observed that the government should encourage private enterprises to promote tourism in rural areas. For developing the rural tourism we need to understand the rural environment, demography, socio-cultural, economic and political background of that place. Further, the state of Assam has a huge opportunity to develop the rural tourism but the government should need to take an active role in eliminating the different challenges before the entrepreneurs. The rural tourism not only creates employment opportunity but also helps to develop the value education for the students.