Community Development through Pro Poor Tourism: A case study of Bankura District in West Bengal

SANTANU DASGUPTA*, INDRANIL ROYCHOWDHURY** AND INDRATANU DEY*** *Santanu Dasgupta, Assistant Professor, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur, West Bengal santanu_dg@rediffmail.com **Indranil Roychowdhury, Associate Professor, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur, West Bengal, indraroychowdhury@rediffmail.com ***Indratanu Dey, Assistant Professor, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur, West Bengal indratanu@yahoo.com

Abstract Pro Poor Tourism is new and innovative addition to the tourism sector. This form of tourism has been introduced to strengthen the economic well being of communities. It emphasizes on work participation of poorer people of the society. It generates employment through self-help sector and establishes a connection in development of tourism by upgrading the level of livelihood status of poor people. Poverty eradication is thus possible and the socio economic status of poor people is improved. It encourages poor people to participate more effectively in their developmental processes. Active participation in this field includes sincere participation in work for all poor people from different local communities belonging to below poverty line of an area. Strategies have been developed to implement this type of tourism in backward but tourism potential areas in several developing countries to generate local employment, proper utilization and management of resource. Investment from different levels of the society is encouraged to micro level development to pull tourists to enhance economic prosperity of the area. The social interaction with communities in this approach will create awareness among the local inhabitants. Here, the ultimate objective is to achieve the net benefits that go in favor of poor people. The researchers, in this paper, highlights about the tourism potential of Bankura district in West Bengal. The study seeks to introduce and develop Pro-poor tourism to improve the living standard of poor communities as well as rejuvenate local economy. Keywords: Community Development, Pro Poor, Tourism Potential