Local Cultures – Global Spaces
Abstract
The G20 presidency has brought India onto the global tourist map. It has also launched the “Travel for LiFE” initiative, which aims to promote responsible and sustainable tourism. Simultaneously the Indian Government will be enacting the ‘Act East Policy’ to find local solutions, incorporating people’s active participation in development of the North East Region (NER) of India. The north-east Indian state of Mizoram is on the verge of transforming into a global place, owing to its representation as “India’s Overland Gateway to Southeast Asia”. Mizoram is now finding itself at the crossroads between global tourism and local development and must rely upon its Civil Societies to prepare the roadmap for sustainable tourism. Several civil societies in Mizoram like YMA, MHEP (Women’s Self-Help group), and Churches are major force behind resource mobilisation. Through various developmental activities and social services these civil societies provide local level infrastructural services, instil civic sense, control drug abuse, teach basic hygiene practice, public speaking etc. Tourism being a multidisciplinary domain, this study explores the role of Civil Societies as facilitator of resource mobilization for sustainable tourism in Mizoram. Civil societies often collaborate with government and non-government stakeholders to develop, implement, manage and maintain sustainable tourism practices in any place. Through civil societies, local authorities can ensure public participation thereby increase ownership among the local people. Therefore, study explores the opportunities and challenges faced by the civil societies of Mizoram in influencing decision making within local communities through structure and semi-structured interviews of local population, members of civil society and expert opinion.
Anjali Verma is an Environmental Consultant (State Coordinator for SLWM under SBM under WASH Institute) based in Mizoram. She also has 8 years of teaching experience from several institutions, including tenured positions as a lecturer at NIT Calicut and NIT Hamirpur. She is presently enrolled at NIT Rourkela in the Executive PhD program to pursue her doctoral research.
Dr Nabanita Saha is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Planning and Architecture, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India. Following the completion of her master program in City Planning, she worked on various urban planning consultancy projects under the aegis of Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, IIT Kharagpur, India. She obtained her PhD from IIT Kharagpur in 2020. Her research focuses on the effects of globalisation on Indian cities. Currently, she is also heading various architecture and urban planning related consultancy projects.