Philippine E-Journals

Potentials of Ecotourism Around Shella, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, India

Bathsheba Goswami Pyngrope

 

Abstract:

The area around Shella selected for the present study is an interesting area with an evolutionary history, uniqueness and individuality of its own. The study area has great potential for ecotourism owing to the presence of a rolling topography, vast hills and deep valleys and associated landforms with varied and complex features. The area also has dissected plateaus, scarp zones with numerous waterfalls and flood plains. As this area is located very close to the Bangladesh border, no study related to development of ecotourism, has so far been carried out particularly in this area; therefore, an attempt is made to assess the landscape from an aesthetic point of view as a means to identify sites or places of tourist destination. The area is also known for its rich biodiversity of the oriental region, where a variety of indigenous flora and fauna are encountered, some of which are rare in the world. The area is also known for its rich culture and tradition which usually have a very strong bondage with the natural environment. Physical features have attracted man from time immemorial, and many of the features that make a landscape attractive are mostly of Geomorphological interests. In fact, the most attractive place of tourist interest is the geomorphic sites such as escarpments, waterfalls, rivers, gorges, etc. The physical landscape can be considered like any other natural resource which can be used for recreational purposes. The landscape and its associated features of the study area shall be investigated and assessed from an aesthetic point of view to identify and record ecotourism destination.