Homestays at Korzok: Supplementing Rural Livelihoods and Supporting Green Tourism in the Indian Himalayas

Ladakh presents some unique challenges for development and nature conservation initiatives. Since opening to tourism in 1974, its unique landscapes, biodiversity, and culture have attracted adventure-seeking tourists from all over the world. Tourism, especially in the past few decades, has developed very rapidly, bringing many economic and social changes with adverse environmental impacts. By recognizing the threats posed by unplanned tourism, a number of organizations and institutions working in the area felt the urgency to initiate sustainable community-based tourism projects that would protect the local wildlife and natural resources and offer alternative livelihood opportunities to the local population. The homestay model in Ladakh is designed on the principle of equitable access and hence is available for adoption by households across economic classes. This article uses the particular case of Korzok homestays, implemented by the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF-India) near the Ramsar wetland Tsomoriri, to illustrate how community development needs can be integrated with conservation goals. It elaborates on the evolution of the initiative, some early impacts, and how the initiative might evolve in the future. A general list of recommendations is also presented.