Issues, Challenges and Scope for Tourism Development in Kumaun Region of Uttarakhand

Tourism industry in the modern era is emerging one of the largest service-sector industry which is contributing inmany ways towards economies through generating national income as well as by creating job opportunities especially for localpopulation and thus become an avenue of socio-economic development and cultural exchange. Travel and Tourism is not only anactivity for leisure and entertainment but it is also enriching and energizing activity. Uttarakhandone of the most beautiful state inthe northern belt known as ‚Devbhoomi‛ or ‘Abode of Gods’ is a site of temples and pilgrimage, endowed with salubriousclimate, exotic greenery, rich flora besides its rich culture. ‚Kumaon‛one of the two region of the state Uttarakhandattracts largenumbers of tourists and is becoming as one of the preferred choice of visit among travellers. Beside all this the tourism industry inthe Kumaunregion is facing some issues and challenges which need to be considered to capitalize the potential of tourism in theKumaun region. The present study tries to examine the Challenges and scope of tourism development in the Kumaun region ofthe Uttarakhand state, the nature of the research is qualitative and employs the secondary sources of data. The results of the studyreveals that there are challenges for tourism development, but with certain improvements and proper planning the region can bedeveloped as one of the best tourist destination because there is vast scope in new forms of tourism and which can be capitalizedwith proper and efficient planning and execution