Abstract ID: 3.10679 | Accepted as Talk | Talk | TBA | TBA

Leh (Ladakh), a high-altitude town nestled in the western section of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) owing to its natural beauty and spiritual significance as a centre of Tibetan Buddhism, has witnessed a mass influx of tourists during the past two decades. As a highly seasonal economic activity which shares the timeframe with the short-lived agricultural season of Ladakh, the tourism sector is now an established remunerative industry that serves employment opportunities to the local populace and contributes significantly to the economy of the region. This paper examines the growth of tourism as a major livelihood activity, and the attendant changes in infrastructure and local agro-economy in Leh town. The analysis of secondary data related to tourism sourced from government publications and statistics, and primary data generated through a survey among the businesses and Focus Group Discussions with tour operators and other stakeholders, reveals that while tourism emerged organically in response to the growing demand for tourism in a remote region long considered economically under-developed, it has however, become the mainstay of the urban economy of Leh town with better non-farm employment opportunities and assured incomes for the Ladakhis. Tourism-related infrastructure has burgeoned in the region, largely as an unregulated and unplanned activity with Leh town as the nodal centre. On the other hand, it has created large market opportunities for extra-regional migrant workers from other parts of India, who work in Ladakhi-owned establishments during the tourist season. While tourism-dependent livelihoods continue to grow, serious environmental implications such as increased waste generation, congestion and vehicular pollution are widely noted along with subsistence agriculture being practiced over a stressed land and water resource base. The future of tourism-based livelihoods vest on an eco-friendly sustainable tourism model in a fragile ecosystem.