Abstract

The present study attempts to examine the role of tourism development in Assam state of India for employment generation and alleviation of poverty. Situated in the north-eastern region of India, Assam state is land of varied exhilarating existing and potential tourist sites of various categories including nature tourism, tea tourism, ethnic tourism, spiritual tourism etc. These tourist sites are scattered in different locations of the state. However, conditions of existing tourist destinations are not in good conditions and not very encouraging for tourists. As a result, the inflows of very limited tourists, particularly foreign tourists, have been observed in Assam in the past few decades. Consequently, revenue earnings from tourism sector have been very negligible. Assam is one of the economically poor states of India, both in income measure and multi-dimensional poverty index. At present, more than 38% of the total population is still living below poverty line. In this background, the present study attempts to examine following specific objectives: (i) to examine the status and various problems behind existing tourism sector development in Assam state, and (ii) to examine the tourism development via increasing peak season or solving tourism related problems and how it can reduce poverty and create more employment opportunities by opening up small businesses and generate revenues. The study is mainly based on primary data from two rounds of field trips to ten tourist locations in Assam. Findings will be useful to policy makers and government to develop sustainable tourism development, which in turn, will be helpful in poverty alleviation and employment generation, mainly for local people, by creating small businesses, generating revenues and other tourism facilities.