Development of Mountain-Based Rural Tourism: A Case Study of Dhotrey Village of Darjeeling, West Bengal

Abstract

Mountain-based rural tourism has emerged as a sustainable alternative for economic development in remote and ecologically sensitive areas. This study explores the developmental problems and prospects of rural tourism in Dhotrey, a small Himalayan village located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Dhotrey has seen increasing tourist interest due to its natural beauty and trekking opportunities. However, the growth of tourism in the region is constrained by inadequate infrastructure, poor connectivity, limited healthcare, environmental pressures, and the lack of trained manpower. Through field surveys, interviews, and secondary data analysis, this study identifies these challenges and evaluates the village\'s potential for sustainable tourism development. The SWOT-AHP analysis have been used to find out the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of Dhotrey, which concludes by recommending a participatory development model that combines government support, local community involvement, and environmental conservation to harness tourism as a tool for rural upliftment.

Introduction

The text examines the evolution of tourism with a strong focus on sustainable, eco-, wellness, community-based, and adventure tourism, highlighting the need to balance economic growth with environmental conservation and socio-cultural well-being. Tourism has become one of the fastest-growing global economic sectors and was long viewed as a tool for regional development and poverty reduction. However, earlier tourism development often ignored environmental limits, leading to resource degradation. Contemporary approaches now emphasize sustainability, stakeholder involvement, ecological preservation, and community empowerment to prevent over-tourism and protect fragile natural destinations.

Special attention is given to adventure and eco-tourism as forms of “serious leisure,” where travelers seek learning and interaction with natural systems rather than mere recreation. The Himalayan region is presented as a major hub for adventure tourism activities such as trekking, rafting, mountaineering, and paragliding, which contribute to local employment, infrastructure development, and improved living standards when managed sustainably.

The study specifically focuses on Dhotrey village, located in the buffer zone of Singalila National Park in Darjeeling district, West Bengal. Dhotrey is an important entry point for the Sandakaphu–Phalut trekking corridor and is gaining popularity due to its pristine environment, rich biodiversity, scenic Himalayan views, and absence of motorable road tourism. The village has emerged as an alternative trekking base to Manebhanjyang, which faces accommodation pressure due to heavy tourist influx.

The research aims to (1) assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of tourism development in Dhotrey and (2) promote sustainable tourism through local community involvement. Using field surveys, questionnaires, SWOT-AHP analysis, and GIS-based NDVI analysis, the study evaluates tourism impacts, vegetation cover, and community livelihoods.

Findings show that tourism has significantly influenced the socio-economic structure of Dhotrey. Local men primarily work as guides and porters, while women manage homestays through self-help groups, playing a crucial role in sustaining tourism-based livelihoods. Although tourism income is seasonal and weather-dependent, the rising number of trekkers has increased demand for homestays, positioning Dhotrey as a growing eco- and trekking tourism destination. The study underscores the importance of planned, community-driven, and environmentally sensitive tourism development to ensure long-term sustainability and conservation of Dhotrey’s natural and cultural resources.

Conclusion

Mountainous tourism always presents a unique blend of challenges and opportunities and the concept of sustainable tourism has also gone through some fundamental changes. Concept of sustainable tourism have changed to incorporate these additional elements as the focus for tourists growth changed from the 1960s, when it was primarily focused on economic gains to the 1980s and 1990s when it was more concerned with environmental issues and community involvement. Now community development and environmental conservation are viewed with equal importance to attain long term sustainability. Promotions that offer presents to customers in order to encourage reservations are on the other end of the spectrum. These kinds of promotions don\'t have a real financial component, and thus don\'t have the negative performance repercussions that come with promotions that are more closely tied to real money (Sharma et al. 2025). Over the past decade the appeal of mountain based rural tourism has led to a significant increase in Dhotrey and surrounding regions. As the dependence of local people of the study area on tourism is high due to limited farming opportunities for livelihood, increasing tourism has two benefits , it encourages local to use natural resources less excessively which give them more sources for employment. So, it was worthwhile to study the SWOT analysis and community development with equal importance. Its strength lies in the breathtaking natural landscapes, adventure opportunities and rich cultural experiences that attract tourists with various interests. Consequently mountain based rural tourism contributes significantly to the region’s economic development. However weakness such as limited infrastructure, accessibility issues and seasonal limitations may hinder consistent growth of the study area. Although the area presents significant opportunities for sustainable tourism development, soft trekking and improved connectivity, all of which can boost the local economy and promote conservation. On the other hand threat to environmental degradation and overtourism poses serious threat to long term sustainability of the region.Overall success in mountainous tourism depends on careful planning, sustainable practices and collaboration among stakeholders to balance development with preservation.

References

Mountainous tourism always presents a unique blend of challenges and opportunities and the concept of sustainable tourism has also gone through some fundamental changes. Concept of sustainable tourism have changed to incorporate these additional elements as the focus for tourists growth changed from the 1960s, when it was primarily focused on economic gains to the 1980s and 1990s when it was more concerned with environmental issues and community involvement. Now community development and environmental conservation are viewed with equal importance to attain long term sustainability. Promotions that offer presents to customers in order to encourage reservations are on the other end of the spectrum. These kinds of promotions don\'t have a real financial component, and thus don\'t have the negative performance repercussions that come with promotions that are more closely tied to real money (Sharma et al. 2025). Over the past decade the appeal of mountain based rural tourism has led to a significant increase in Dhotrey and surrounding regions. As the dependence of local people of the study area on tourism is high due to limited farming opportunities for livelihood, increasing tourism has two benefits , it encourages local to use natural resources less excessively which give them more sources for employment. So, it was worthwhile to study the SWOT analysis and community development with equal importance. Its strength lies in the breathtaking natural landscapes, adventure opportunities and rich cultural experiences that attract tourists with various interests. Consequently mountain based rural tourism contributes significantly to the region’s economic development. However weakness such as limited infrastructure, accessibility issues and seasonal limitations may hinder consistent growth of the study area. Although the area presents significant opportunities for sustainable tourism development, soft trekking and improved connectivity, all of which can boost the local economy and promote conservation. On the other hand threat to environmental degradation and overtourism poses serious threat to long term sustainability of the region.Overall success in mountainous tourism depends on careful planning, sustainable practices and collaboration among stakeholders to balance development with preservation.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Jayasree Mandal, Sanjoy Kumar Sadhukhan. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.