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American Journal of  Environmental
Economics (AJEE) 

Ecotourism Source of  Poverty Alleviation and Natural Conservation in Kashmir India
Bilal Ahmad Khan1*

Volume 1 Issue 1, Year 2022
ISSN: 2833-7905 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajee.v1i1.356
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajee

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received:  June 26, 2022

Accepted: July 10, 2022

Published: July 14, 2022

TEcotourism is associated with nature and poverty alleviation. Ecotourism is believed to be 
significant for the generation of  income, sustainability of  the environment, political enable-
ment of  local societies as well as for educational purposes. Ecotourism generate economic 
benefits at local to national level and thus create incentives to preserve the resources. With its 
backward and forward linkages with other sectors of  the economy, ecotourism is an effective 
tool for poverty alleviation and ensuring growth with equity. The Jammu and Kashmir has 
a vast potential to become one of  the India’s best ecotourism destination and having nu-
merous attractive and beautiful tourist spots. Ecotourism helps in sustainable development. 
Ecotourism is believed to be associated with various challenges which are environmental 
deterioration, inability to contribute to local economy as well as cultural exploitation and 
deterioration. The study would attempt to explore the potential sites of  ecotourism for 
future development in Kashmir and would examine the correlation between ecotourism and 
natural conservation with regard to the perception of  tourist and conservation agencies. The 
study is exploratory in nature but empirical tools are also applied to highlight the potential 
of  ecotourism. Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with diverse geographical features, offers a 
plethora of  attractions to tourists. A balance between development and the environment 
should be created. 

Keywords

Phytochemical Properties, African 
Yam Bean, Pigeon Pea, Pawpaw 
Leaf  Powder, Moringa Seed and 
Pawpaw Seed

1 CSCSNEI, JNU, New Delhi, India
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: bilalahmadk9@gmail.com

INTRODUCTION
The eco-friendly tourism movement evolved in the 
1970s as a reaction to many negative consequences 
of  tourism prostitution, crime, drugs trafficking, and 
cultural devastation, destruction of  natural landscape 
and natural resources, and economic discrepancies. 
The movement grew to include cultural organizations, 
educational groups, ethnic institutions and friendship 
tours. Active participation and grass root involvement of  
local communities at different level is felt. Benefit sharing 
was greatly highlighted where the local community stands 
at the core of  the debate. Conservationists and planners 
were realized the role of  community in controlling the 
wilderness of  the tourist destinations. 
The concept of  ecotourism was coined in 1981 by 
Hector Ceballos-Lascurain, a Mexican environmentalist, 
through the Spanish term “turisimoecologico”. He has 
been involved in the conservation of  rainforest areas 
by promoting ecological tourism and he was one of  the 
very first promoters of  ecotourism. In the 1990s, he took 
part, along other practitioners and established scholars, in 
international discussions on the potential of  ecotourism, 
and offered guidelines for active involvement by local 
communities and on the management of  protected areas 
(Ceballos Lascurain, 1993)
Ecotourism is a subset of  the tourism industry that 
reflects an ethos of  responsible involvement with the 
environment and with local cultures. Ecotourism includes, 
but is not limited to, nature hiking, diving, wildlife viewing, 
and cultural tourism, usually with some attention given to 
the ecosystem, biodiversity education, or sustainability. 
Hctor Ceballos Lascurain used to describe nature based 

travel to relatively undisturbed areas with an emphasis on 
education. Since then, ecotourism has been one of  the 
fastest growing sectors of  global tourism. Ecotourism has 
been widely promoted as an important conservation tool 
and one way for people to have a positive impact on the 
environment. Ecotourism has the potential to improve 
public education on cultural and biological diversity, 
conserve wild habitats, and improve economic conditions 
for host nations (Buckley 2009). Ecotourism guarantees 
the sustainable use of  environmental resources, while 
generating economic opportunities for the local people 
(Kiper T.  2013).
The foundation of  ecotourism is associated with poverty 
alleviation all over the world. That is, ecotourism is believed 
to be significant for income generation, improvement 
of  people’s standards of  living, sustainability of  the 
environment, political enablement of  local societies as 
well as for educational purposes. The interaction between 
tourists and poor local communities through ecotourism 
has an immense potential to enhance the political, 
economic, social and cultural aspects of  those poor local 
communities (Ahmad, 2014).
The most accepted and agreeable definition of  ecotourism 
today is defined by, The Ecotourism International 
Society in North Bennington. By 1989, the International 
Ecotourism Society was launched and they defined 
ecotourism as, “responsible travel to natural areas that 
conserves the environment and improves the well-being 
of  local people”. 

METHODOLOGY 
The data for the study was collected from both primary 

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and secondary sources. Primary data was collected from 
tourists and conservation agencies with the help of  
structured questionnaires. The survey was intended to 
understand the perception of  tourists and conservation 
agencies towards Ecotourism and Environmental 
conservation. Secondary data is collected from 
government agencies, research reports, statistical reports 
and articles published in news papers, electronic media 
and websites.
The primary information can be used as supplementary 
in the form of  comments, interviews, observations, 
opinion, site analysis and community analysis etc. Mostly 
primary data was collected through interviews with the 
local community and local authorities.

Objectives
The proposed study would attempt to achieve the 
following objectives:  

1. To explore the potential sites for future development 
of  ecotourism in Kashmir.

2. To examine the correlation between ecotourism and 
natural conservation with regard to the perception of  
tourist and conservation agencies.
Data collection process proceeded by an interplay of  
questionnaire and unstructured interview. Although the 
data collected is largely based on quantitative research 
techniques but face to face, unstructured interviews 
were also conducted simultaneously to substantiate the 
results obtained from questionnaire. The results were 
checked for reliability through Cronbach’s alpha and 
the validity was ensured through measurement of  total 
item correlation. As the results fulfilled the given criteria 
for initial assessment and purification, the researcher 
proceeded with the updated questionnaire for data 
collection. The data collected through questionnaires 
was analyzed using a multi-method statistical approach. 
Predominantly, statistical methods such as Factor 
analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Reliability 
Analysis, Spearman’s correlation, Pearson’s correlation 
and T-Test were used to analyze the collected data.

DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
Ecotourism has immense potential to help the global 
fight against poverty. A WTO initiated study that in 
developing countries, particularly in the least developed 
countries, tourism is almost universally the leading source 
of  economic growth, foreign exchange, investment and 
job creation. Ecotourism has the potential to help reduce 
rural outmigration to urban areas, increase employment 
opportunities for the urban poor, and give them 
additional income to provide for their families in the 
rural areas. Tourism provides employment opportunities 

by diversifying and increasing incomes that help reduce 
the vulnerability of  the poor. Through increased national 
income, additional funds can be diverted to poverty 
reduction programs. 
Ecotourism is accepted as a means that can satisfy 
local people. “It provides a means of  empowerment 
to disadvantaged groups such as many native people 
(including women) by opening an economic and 
management role for them in ecotourism” (Gauthier, 
1993). Tourism can contribute in other significant 
ways to poverty reduction. For instance, it can help 
communities to reclaim their cultural pride, sense of  
ownership and control over local development, reduce 
vulnerability through diversification and develop skills 
and entrepreneurial capacity (WTO, 2002).  
Ecotourism is now one of  the fastest growing segments 
of  the economy in many parts of  the world. It signifies 
travel to relatively remote and undisturbed natural settings 
where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are seen as the 
main attractions. Besides protection and conservation of  
environment, it involves empowerment and participation 
of  the local communities as important beneficiaries of  
the tourist activity. Earnings from visitors are generally 
ploughed back into preserving and conserving the natural 
environs of  the destination and enhancing the cultural 
integrity of  the local people. It is now being widely 
recognized that ecotourism, if  properly envisioned, can 
have a substantial impact on both rural economy and 
poverty alleviation. 
It is essential to involve the local communities in these 
activities as one of  the primary stakeholders, as tourists 
expect to see ecotourism as a sustainable practice and, 
besides acquiring new knowledge and experience, they 
want to ensure that their visit also has a positive impact 
on the local community and natural resources. This 
would require formulation of  stringent policies across a 
number of  public services, so as to permit a new balance 
of  social forces to meet the needs and aspirations of  host 
communities while at the same time safeguarding the 
environmental resource base concerned (Dar, 2014).
Kashmir is a land of  numerous valleys and places which 
are very beautiful and attracts and fascinate the tourists 
throughout world. In this work, the researcher aimed 
to assess the contribution of  ecotourism in alleviating 
poverty in Kashmir valley, which is covered by the mighty 
Himalaya blessed with coniferous forests, large lush green 
meadows, rich wildlife and fresh water bodies in the form 
of  lakes, rivers, streams and springs. The Kashmir Valley 
has a long list of  places which reflects the nature’s beauty 
at its best which attract tourists and ecotourism becomes 
accessible and conceivable and places are universally 
acknowledged by different names

Table 1.1
Srinagar – 
Heaven On 
Earth

Srinagar is undoubtedly one of  the most beautiful and famous places to visit in Kashmir as well as 
in India. From boating to trekking, bird watching to water skiing, Srinagar place has it all. Srinagar 
is a first stopover for every traveler and there are long list of  places to visit in Srinagar. This city is 
enclosed by the green mountains and the main highlight being the Dal Lake which is the gem of  
the city. This place gives a close outlook to the Kashmiri cuisine and the state’s culture.

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Gulmarg – Ski 
Your Way

Famously known as the ‘Meadow of  Flowers’, Gulmarg is a treat to the eyes with its spread of  
vibrant flowers against snow capped mountains as backgrounds. Gulmarg is considered to be one 
of  the best places to visit in Kashmir for all right reasons. This region of  Kashmir is also known as 
the adventurer’s paradise because of  its vast options of  skiing in the snow while enjoying the views 
around. The best time to visit Kashmir for snowfall is in winter season i.e. December-January.

Sonamarg – 
The Land Of  
Gold

Sonamarg, as the name suggests, is famous as the ‘Meadow of  Gold’. An endless stream of  
stunning flowers and undulated trekking routes are its attractions. The best season to visit 
Kashmir would be in summer i.e. May-June.

Pulwama – All 
About Natural 
Springs 
& Apple 
Orchards

Famously named as the “Rice Bowl Of  Kashmir”, this quaint village in Jammu and Kashmir is 
a great place to witness the nature’s real beauty. Situated at a distance of  40 Kms from Srinagar, 
this place has many tourist sites. This multi hued city offers amiable weather, pleasant odor 
saffron fields, and malleable citizens.

Pahalgam – 
Get Allured By 
Picturesque 
Views

Pahalgam is considered as an illustration of  the heaven on earth which is situated at an altitude 
of  2740 m. It is situated at distance of  95 Kms from Srinagar and surrounded by dense forests, 
beautiful lakes and meadows of  flowers. Tranquility and serenity are the other names of  
Pahalgam. This tiny town is known to suck out all the stress of  every visitor and is therefore 
counted amongst the best places to visit in Kashmir.

Anantnag 
– Home To 
Temples

Adorned with flourishing gardens and freshwater springs, Anantnag is a divine destination. 
There is a number of  famous tourist places such as Verinag and Daksum which everyone comes 
Kashmir visits here.

Nishat Garden 
– Perfect For A 
Laid-Back Day

This one is considered to be amongst the largest Mughal Gardens located on the banks of  Dal 
Lake. Nishat Garden is also known by the name the Garden of  Bliss and rightly so, as there are 
breathtaking Zabarwan Mountains in the backdrop. This garden is historically famous and Asaf  
Khan, who was the brother of  Nur Jahan designed it. 

Shalimar 
Garden – 
Photographer’s 
Paradise

This garden was established in the year 1616 by the well-known Emperor Jehangir especially 
for his wife, Nur Jahan. After some time, another garden named Faiz Baksh was added to this 
one. One sees a canal inside the garden that has been embellished with polished stones at the 
boundaries. 

Yusmarg – Sit 
In Tranquility

This is considered to be the best place when it comes to observing the natural aspects of  
Kashmir. This is one of  the top tourist places in Kashmir that is not much explored. 4 kilometers 
downhill from this place, one sees the beautiful Nil Nag Lake. 

Vaishno Devi 
– Haven For 
Pilgrims

Nestled in Trikuta Hills, Vaishno Devi is a town famous for the temple that goes by the name of  
the town. It is said that Vaishno Devi is a manifestation of  Goddess Durga from Hindu mythology. 
This place is sacred as it is counted among one of  the 108 Shakti Peeth. Services like palanquins, 
ponies, and helicopters are also available for those who cannot walk or wants to read early. 

Patnitop – 
Picture-Perfect 
Paradise

Endless meadows and picturesque views describe Patnitop the best. Blanketed by the sky-high 
Himalayas covered with snow, Patnitop has created a niche in the tourism industry due to its 
surreal beauty. Along with this, the place also offers some thrilling activities. It proves to be one 
of  the top tourist places in Kashmir.

Amarnath 
– Marvel At 
The Natural 
Occurences

Amarnath is a haven for pilgrims and is counted among the top places to visit in Kashmir. 
Worshippers of  Lord Shiva visit this place every year to take blessings and witness the enshrined 
image of  Shiva. People from all over the world resort to this place and indulge ‘Amarnath Yatra’. 
It is believed that this is the same cave where Lord Shiva told about the secret of  life and eternity 
to Goddess Parvati. 

Dachigam 
National 
Park -Flora & 
Fauna

Kashmir not only has an abundance of  beauty but also has abundant flora and fauna. Dachigam 
national Park is where you will find indigneous species of  plants and animals. Even the landscapes 
of  this place are truly mesmerizing. It is only 22 km from Srinagar and can be reached easily by 
taking a private taxi. Its natural beauty makes it one of  the most-visited Kashmir tourist places.

Khilanmarg – 
Paradise For 
Skiing

Only those who have visited Khilandmarg will agree that it is the most beautiful place in kashmir. 
The valley put you in a trance because of  its alluring landscapes and breathtaking panoramas. It is 
6 km ahead of  Gulmarg and only a few people dare to visit this place. In summers, the aromatic 
flowers are the major attraction while skiing in winters lures tourists to this place.

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The list of  beautiful places to visit in Kashmir is quite 
long. These places are quite famous and boast nature’s 
finest beauty. These tourist places that one must visit 
strengthen and revitalize tourism industry and enlighten 
and appraised ecotourism. 
Kashmir attracts lots of  tourists to visit the religious 
and historical sites due to great cultural heritage and 
social cohesion. The annually holy Hindu pilgrimage 
traditionally culminated on the auspicious day of  Shravan 
Purnima as per Hindu Calender depicted from 2001-18 
chanting of  religious hymns and prayers Ecotourism 

resulted into participation of  local communities in 
tourism sector which has improved the socio-economic 
condition of  people in Kashmir and helped in reduction 
of  poverty. It can lead to social, educational, economic 
and technological empowerment in Kashmir (Malik, I, 
2016).
Ecotourism promotes an enhanced appreciation of  
natural environments and environmental education by 
exposing visitors and locals to nature and conservation. 
It encourages travelers to protect the environment and 
contribute to local communities. Tourism meets the needs 
local residents while protecting future opportunities. The 
valley of  Kashmir is dotted with the places of  great 
tourism potential. However, natural resource depletion 
and environmental degradation associated with tourism 
are often serious problems in tourism rich region of  

Table 1.2
Pilgrims Visited Amarnath Shrine from 2008 to 2018 
(lakhs)
Year Pilgrims Visited Amarnath Shrine
2001 1.91
2002 1.10
2003 1.70
2004 4.00
2005 3.88
2006 3.47
2007 2.96
2008 5.33
2009 3.81
2010 4.55
2011 6.21
2012 6.35
2013 3.54
2014 3.72
2015 3.5
2016 2.2
2017 2.60
2018 2.85
Sources: Deccan Herald (DH) News Service, Srinagar, July 27, 
2019, www.deccanherald.com 
Report: Additional Chief  Executive Officer (ACEO) of  Shri 
Amarnathji Shrine Board, 2018

Kashmir. There is a greater need to regulate tourism and 
the environment, not only to preserve environment for 
future generation but in the interest of  tourism business 
and quality of  life of  local residents.

Table 1.3
Tourist Arrivals to Kashmir Valley since 1955
Year Indian Foreign Total
1955 48190 2830 51020
1965 35700 7430 43130
1975 148320 19300 167620
1985 465600 38020 503620
1995 320 8200 8520
2005 585700 19680 605380
2010 701504 25984 736488
2015 1274276 37666 1311942
Source: Directorate of  Tourism Kashmir
Note: - 2020 Trend not evaluated due to outbreak of  Covid-19.  

The current status of  ecotourism development in Jammu 
and Kashmir is still young and very small. It has gradually 
grown since eighties. The potential ecotourism activities 
attractive to different type of  visitors/ tourist in Jammu 
and Kashmir are: 

Table 1.4
Forest based 
activities-

Travelling to natural areas, taking part 
in treks and long excursions, trekking, 
jeep safari jungle tours, camping, 
wildlife viewing, bird watching and 
visit to wetlands.

River bound 
activities:
Culture bound 
activities:

Viewing of  river borders wildlife, 
rafting, canoeing, fishing, boating.
In view of  the immense possibilities 
and spread of  cultural riches in the state, 
we also propose that some cultural 
visits can be involved within the larger 
framework of  ecotourism activities. 
These include visitations to temples 
located within parks and so on.

Ecotourism is accepted as a means that can satisfy both 
local people in need of  gainful economic activity as well 
as conservationists. Tourism can contribute in other 
significant ways to poverty reduction. For instance, it can 
help communities to reclaim their cultural pride, sense of  
ownership and control over local development, reduce 
vulnerability through diversification and develop skills 
and entrepreneurial capacity (WTO, 2002). 
Ecotourism to some degree and other forms of  tourism 
have been successful in reducing poverty in the areas 
where this business is established. With sufficient care 
and planning ecotourism has great potential for poverty 
alleviation. It can be a tool not only for the economic 
improvement of  local host economy but also the country 
as a whole. It can also help address other dimensions of  
poverty and complement conservation efforts (Richard, 
Paul & Trent, 2017).

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Ecotourism has become an important strategy for local 
development in underdeveloped regions. Many studies 
show that tourism development has significant impacts 
on impoverished rural communities where the option 
for development is limited. Development of  ecotourism 
impact poorer positively and help them to come out of  
poverty. It is an approach to open opportunities for the 
poor. There is a need for enhancement of  the linkage 
between ecotourism and poor so that they can reap the 
benefits of  tourism development. Evidence shows that 
sustainable tourism is a great tool for development and 
poverty alleviation in developing region. Forecasts of  high 
tourism growth in developing regions, where widespread 
poverty exists, has led to considerable interest in tourism 
as a tool for poverty alleviation (Wear & Neil, 2009). 
It is a powerful tool for growth in developing countries. 
Tourism creates important opportunities to diversify the 
local economy by providing jobs, generating income, 
diversifying the economy, protecting the environment, and 
promoting cross-cultural awareness. Many international 
initiatives have revealed that tourism can make a 
substantial contribution to socioeconomic development 

and help to improve living conditions for local people 
in different destinations (WTO, 2004). The study reveals 
that tourism has not only provided a supplementary 
income and new employment opportunities to the rural 
community, but also has increased the appreciation of  
local culture and rural lifestyle. The following ecotourism 
sites have been explored that act as a Catalyst of  Poverty 
Alleviation. 
These Ecotourism sites has become a major source of  
income for local people either through direct employment 
such as managers, guides, housekeepers, and boat drivers, 
or from sales of  foods, handicrafts, transportation or other 
services. Eventually have implications in the livelihoods 
of  local people; particularly of  those whose paid work 
opportunities and income sources are somehow limited. 
Apart from natural beauty, this region is dotted with 
several religious sites, places and other historical 
monuments which are important determinants of  
ecotourism development in the region. There are various 
determinants of  ecotourism potential including physical, 
cultural, social and historical in this region. 

Table 1.5
Hokersar This wetland is located close to Srinagar and can be developed as a popular ecotourism site with 

basic accommodation for overnight guests. This will provide an opportunity for the birdwatcher to 
make the most of  the visit rather than travelling back and forth to Srinagar.  In conjunction with 
Dachigam, this site holds great potential for further development and transformation into an ideal 
ecotourism venture. The wetlands of  Hokersar and Shallbaug could be used for bird watching by 
the bird lovers by travelling through Shikaras. Watch towers at strategic locations should be planned. 

Dachigam 
National Park

Dachigam is a beautiful National Park with lush forests, fast flowing rivers, stunning landscapes and 
of  courses the dramatic seasonal changes. The park is proximate to the popular tourist destinations 
of  Gulmarg and also not very far from Srinagar city. 
The park has tremendous tourism potential considering the diversity in terrain and its proximity 
to Srinagar. With the revival of  tourism over the past few years, there has been an unprecedented 
increase in the flow of  tourists to this National Park The famous Mughal Gardens Nishat, Shalimar 
and Cheshmashahi are located near to the Dachigam National Park.  

Gulmarg 
Wildlife 
Sanctuary

Much of  the sanctuary is suitable for mountaineering. Sites like Alphatri, Khilanmarg, etc. located in 
this area have since a long time remained favourite destinations for rock climbers and trekkers. The 
sanctuary, therefore, can have a vital role in boosting the tourism potential of  the area. Gulmarg 
like Pahalgam is also a popular tourist destination. However, the Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary needs 
a large-scale infra-structure development for habitat improvement/protection/conservation and 
management for developing as an ecotourism spot. 

Bangus Valley An unexplored region, Bangus Valley is situated in the northwestern region of  Tehsil Handwara in 
the Kupwara district. 128 kilometres away from Srinagar, this pristine site is perched at an altitude 
of  10,000 ft above the sea level. A unique blend of  ecological systems can be found here including 
grasslands, flora, fauna, Coniferous forests etc. Sprawling over an area of  more than 300 square 
kilometres, the valley is bifurcated into two: the main valley, known as “Bodh Bangus”, and the 
smaller valley or “Lokut Bangus”. 

Sattbarran 
Kalaroos

Located in the gorgeous Lolab Valley in Kupwara, Sattbarran Kalaroos is a unique sight. A beautiful 
place bathed in the ancient architecture, it is situated in the region of  Kalaroos on the outskirts of  
the Madmadav village. The ancient caves dating back to the stone-age are located on the backside 
of  Sattbarran, where one can witness the hand paintings done on the walls dating back to the 
period of  stone-age. It is believed that these caves hold tunnels which lead till Central or North 
Asia, all the way up to Russia. 

Wayan Wayan is a beautiful place, which is a famous picnic spot for the locals in Kupwara. Recently 
Kashmir University Satellite Campus has been established here.

Source: - Ecotourism Development Plan for Jammu and Kashmir, 2015                           

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Figure 1: Ecotourism’s Economic Impact and Leakage

PHYSICAL DETERMINANTS
Valleys
Kashmir is famous for the elongated Valley through 
which the river Jhelum flows, and this main Valley is 
garlanded by various small side valleys. These side valleys 
are dotted with transparent lakes, gushing streams, green 
turf, magnificent trees, mountains and cool and pleasant 
atmosphere (Hussain, 1998). Lidder Valley is a picturesque 
valley that forms one of  the main attractions among 
the tourism destinations in and around the pleasant hill 
station of  Pahalgam. The Lidder Valley is decorated with 
beautiful brooks and streams. One remarkable feature of  
the Lidder Valley is the presence of  pleasing glaciers.  
Sind Valley is another beautiful small side valley which 
lies to the northeast of  Srinagar and is carved by the river 
Sind. This is an area of  massive snow-capped mountains, 
glacial lakes and fast flowing rivers. The majestic Zojila 
pass marks the boundary from the Sind valley to the 
Ladakh region. Lolab Valley is another beautiful valley 
which is an untouched and unexplored tourist destination 
with dense forest ranges. Bangus Valley is also an 
upcoming destination which is surrounded all sides by 
dense forests and snow covered mountains. This Valley 
is most attractive and is famous for adventure tourism.

Meadows
Meadows are considered as an important determinant of  
tourism development and form a very prominent part 
of  tourist attractions in Kashmir. The slopes available at 
Sonamarg, Yusmarg, Pahalgam and Gulmarg etc. provide 
a wide scope for development of  summer as well as 
winter tourism. These meadows attract tourists in large 
numbers due to its mesmerizing beauty. Some of  the 

famous meadows in Kashmir are:
Gulmarg meadow- Gulmarg is undoubtedly the best-
known meadow of  the Kashmir and one of  the most 
splendid hill resorts. This green meadow of  flowers 
receives tourists throughout the year. It has an undulating 
topography which adds to its scenic beauty and majestic 
charm. The scenery here is comparable with the loveliest 
regions of  Switzerland. Apart from the beautiful scenery, 
nature has provided this region with a great variety of  
flora and fauna. All the basic amenities i.e.; hotels, 
market, boarding houses and transport etc. are available 
at Gulmarg (Hussain, 2005). It also has the highest golf  
course in the world at an altitude of  2,650 m, which is one 
of  the major attractions of  hill stations
Sonmarg- The word Sonmarg literally means the meadow 
of  gold. This beautiful tourist resort lies in the Sindh 
Valley of  Kashmir 87 kilometers away from Srinagar 
at an altitude of  3000 meters and is situated on the 
Srinagar-Ladakh road. This green meadow is surrounded 
on all sides by mountains and spread with bright colored 
flowers. This golden meadow is girdled by dense forests 
of  fir, birch and sycamore with river Sind meandering 
quite slowly and steadily. It provides a base to the snow 
line and number of  glaciers. These mighty glaciers and 
silent lakes add to the magnificence of  this place.
Yusmarg: Yusmarg green meadow plays an important 
role in attracting tourists to Kashmir valley. This green 
meadow is located 47 Km from the Srinagar and lies in 
the Budgam district of  Jammu and Kashmir. It is referred 
to as “mini Gulmarg” as its scenic beauty and topography 
resemble that of  Gulmarg.
Daksum: Daksum meadow is counted as one of  the 
best meadows of  Kashmir Valley in terms of  tourist 

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attraction. It is a natural scenic spot situated at a distance 
of  40 km from Anantnag District and about 85 km 
from Srinagar. It offers trekking to the Sinthan top. 
The landscape of  Daksum is quite irregular. There are 
snowcapped mountains in the background that further 
add to the beauty of  this place.
Lakes
Kashmir is decorated by a number of  big and small lakes 
found all along the length and breadth of  the valley. 
Besides these lakes, which are fed by melting snows 
from the mountains, there are hosts of  mountain tarns 
formed glared by the glacial action and other phenomenal 
activities of  range nature. Some of  the beautiful lakes that 
attract the hearts and minds of  the tourists are:
Dal Lake: Dal Lake is counted among the best and well-
known tourist destinations of  Kashmir. It is famous all 
over the world and is described as Lake par excellence by 
Sir Walter Lawrence. Dal Lake houses the world famous 
shikaras and houseboats which provides an opportunity 
for tourists to enjoy the atmosphere of  peace and 
calmness in the lake. It is one of  the most beautiful lakes 
and is second largest in the Jammu & Kashmir. The lake 
is 8 Km long and 4 Km wide and covers an area of  26 
sq. kms. It lies in the east of  Srinagar city, at the foot 
of  Zabarwan hills, with Shankaracharya hill (Takhti-
Sulaiman) in its south and the Hariparbat fort on its west 
(Khan, 2007). The fascinating lake is dotted by islands, 
floating gardens, fields of  lotus blossoms and houseboats 
that add more charm to this picturesque splendour of  
nature.
Nageen Lake: Nageen Lake is small and most lovely part 
of  Dal Lake and is separated from the large Dal Lake by 
a small narrow causeway. It is known as the “Jewel in the 
Ring”. It has deep blue waters and is encircled by a ring 
of  green trees from which it derives its name. It has also 
a number of  houseboats moored around its parameter. 
Nageen Lake is another popular venue for water sports 
like water skiing, swimming, diving and sailing. This 
lake is also favorite among tourists who are in search of  
peaceful houseboat holiday.
Wullar Lake: Wullar Lake is said to be the largest 
freshwater lake of  Asia. It is approximately 60 Km from 
the city of  Srinagar and falls in under the jurisdiction 
of  district Baramulla. The lake is 19 km long and 10 km 
wide and is spread over an area of  125 km in an elliptical 
form. The average depth of  the lake is about 12 feet. This 
lake is surrounded by mountains and hills. The sunset is 
worth seen at Wullar Lake which creates a magical show 
by reflecting the magic of  surrounding hills. The lake is 
popular for adventure sports activities like water sports, 
yachting, and water skiing. The river Jhelum enters the 
lake in the south and leaves it from the west. The streams 
of  Madmati, Erin and Bohnar flow into the lake from the 
eastern side.
Manasbal Lake: Manasbal lake is considered as one of  
the best lakes of  Kashmir in terms of  tourist attraction. 
This lake is located in Ganderbal district about 30 Km 
north of  Srinagar city. It is a popular bird-watching area 

and is ideal water sport resort. It offers one of  the best 
campaign sites in Kashmir (Khan, 2007).
Harwan Lake: Harwan Lake is situated at a distance of  
21 km from Srinagar and is about 278 meters long, 137 
meters wide and 18 meters deep. This lake is the main 
source of  water supply to Srinagar city. The scenic beauty 
of  this lake attracts visitors in large numbers especially 
local visitors.
Hokarsar Lake: Hokarsar Lake is located on the 
Baramulla road about 13 km from Srinagar. This Lake 
is surrounded by willow trees grown in abundance on its 
bank. The willow trees enrich the beauty of  this lake in all 
seasons. It is spreading on about 5 km in length and 1.5 
km in width and is worth beautiful.
Mountain Lakes: Kousarnag Lake is the largest mountain 
lake in Kashmir. This lake is surrounded by some of  the 
most picturesque peaks of  Pir Panjal range and this lake 
lies at an altitude of  13,000 feet above sea level. This lake 
is fed by glaciers and is said to be the source of  river 
Jhelum. In spring and summer, the water is some 40 feet 
higher than in winter. In the spring season, the surface 
is covered with icebergs which are driven about by the 
wind. Sheshnag lake is another mountainous lake lies 
beyond Pahalgam. This three kilometers stretch of  water 
has an exquisite pale-blue colour similar to that of  Lake 
Lucerne. The Apharwat Lake or Alpather Lake is also a 
mountainous lake that lies near Gulmarg. This lake is also 
called frozen lake because of  its freezing cold water. It 
remains snow-covered for most of  the year and is 13,000 
feet above sea level.
Rivers and Streams
Kashmir region is gifted with a large number of  rivers 
and streams. The rivers and streams form a secondary 
component of  the physical landscape and play an 
important role in attracting tourists. Jhelum River which 
originates in Verinag spring has emerged as a major 
tourism attraction. The Mangla Dam built on the river 
is one of  the largest earth-fill dams and a great tourist 
spot. The nine bridges which were built long ago over the 
river Jhelum also provide as hot tourism sites. The river is 
navigable from Khanabal to Baramulla and is one of  the 
prime beauties of  the valley. Dudhganga River is another 
important river of  Kashmir which rises in the central part 
of  the Pir Panjal range round mountain Tata Kuti. 
The source of  Sindh River lies in the sacred Gangabal 
lake on mount Haramukh and passes through the famous 
resort of  Sonamarg. The river of  Veshav is an important 
river flowing through the district of  Kulgam in south 
Kashmir. Aharbal’s waterfall, on this river, is very much 
famous and attracts a large number of  visitors to enjoy 
the beauty of  nature

Glaciers
Glaciers of  Kashmir Valley play a prominent role in 
attracting tourists. The higher reaches of  Kashmir are 
spread with small and large glaciers. The most important 
of  all the glaciers in Kashmir region is Kolahoi glacier 
which lies in the north western Himalayan range at an 

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elevation of  4700 meters. It is situated 26 kilometers north 
of  Pahalgam and 16 kilometers south from Sonmarg. 
Kolahoi glacier is the source of  Lidder River. Thajiwas is 
another important glacier from the tourist point of  view. 
This glacier provides trekking source to tourists. Apart 
from these two glaciers, there are many small glaciers of  
local importance (Mir, 2013).

Ecological Determinants
Biodiversity Regions 
Kashmir is rich in forest wealth. It occupies about 8,128 
Sq Km of  forest area which is about 50.97 percent of  the 
total forest area of  J&K. District Kupwara covers largest 
forest area in Kashmir and has about 1703 Sq. Kms. 
(71%) of  its area under forests followed by Baramulla 
district which has 2690 Sq. Kms. (59%) of  its areas under 
forests. The forest area of  Kashmir is covered by a tall 
and wide variety of  trees along with a wide variety of  
bushes. In different seasons they appear in different 
colours adding more beauty to the Kashmir. With its 
variety of  geographical regions, climate and vegetation 
has many delights to offer the wildlife enthusiast. The 
presence of  mountains, foothills and plains in the region 
abode a diverse species of  flora and fauna. Some of  the 
best-known animals found in the region are snow leopard, 
Common leopard, Brown bear, Hangul or Kashmiri stag, 
Bharal, red fox, Musk deer, langur, Himalayan black bear 
etc. Some birds which are found in Kashmir are Black 
eagle, Griffon vultures, Black and yellow grosbeak, 
Hobbys, Kestrels and Monal pheasants. There are several 
National parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries that have been 
established in Kashmir for the conservation of  rare 
species of  animals. Some of  them are touristically very 
much importance such as (Mir, 2014).

Dachigam National Park
Dachigam National Park has attained global fame for its 
rich faunal and floral wealth. This Park was constituted 
into a national park in 1981 with the main purpose of  
protecting the Kashmir stag or Hangul. It is located in the 
Zabarwan Range of  the western Himalayas about 18 km 
northeast of  Srinagar. Dachigam National Park comprises 
an area of  141 Sq. Km and is approximately 22.5 Km 
long, 8 Km wide. The National Park is divided into lower 
and upper Dachigam areas on the basis of  forest types 
and altitudinal range. Dachigam National Park is famous 
for the Kashmir Stag or “Hangul” endangered red deer 
species in the country.

Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve 
Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve is one of  the most important 
and beautiful tourist places which capture the hearts and 
minds of  tourists towards this tourist destination. It is 
located in Gulmarg 48 Km away from Srinagar summer 
capital of  Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area of  about 
180 Sq. Km and is situated at an altitude of  2400 to 4300 
meters above sea level. Nature has gifted this Biosphere 
Reserve with multiple species of  rare, endangered and 

protected species. The main species found in Gulmarg 
Biosphere Reserve are Hangul, Brown Bear, Musk Deer, 
Serow, Leopard, Red Fox, and Black Bear etc. This 
Biosphere Reserve is also dominating in the rich green 
cover of  the area accounting for over ninety percent of  
vegetation. The principal species are Aesculus indica, Pinus 
griffithii, Cedrus deodar, Abies pindow etc. The major 
shrubs are Sorbaria Tomentosa, Indigofera Heterantha, 
etc. The ground surface of  Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve 
is also very rich and Dicotyledonous herbs dominate the 
area, comprising of  Rumex Patientia, etc. The Gulmarg 
Biosphere Reserve also provides a home to a good 
population of  pheasants and upland birds both resident 
and migratory.

Overa Wildlife Sanctuary
Overa Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Pahalgam in 
Anantnag district of  Jammu and Kashmir about 76 Kms 
away from Srinagar. It covers an area of  about 32.27 Sq. 
Kms. The Sanctuary lies in Lidder Valley Forest Division 
surrounded by Sindh Forest Division in the north; Lidder 
Forest in the south; Pahalgam in the east; and Dachigam 
National Park in the west. This wildlife sanctuary is 
characterized by stunning mountain landscapes, grass-
clad hills and deep valleys (Khan, et.,al, 2012). The 
sanctuary provides refuge to 13 species of  mammals 
most of  which are on the verge of  extinction. Some of  
them are musk deer, hangul, serow, langur, leopard, etc. 
The Overa Wildlife Sanctuary gives the glimpse of  the 
rich variety of  Kashmir’s floral species. The main species 
are Pinus griffithii, Cedrus deodara, Morus Alba, Abies 
pindrow, Juglans regia etc.

Historical Determinants
The beautiful valley of  Kashmir attracted the kings and 
emperors who constructed numerous temples and palaces, 
which are still present in elegance and grandeur. This region 
is dotted with a number of  gardens, shrines, monuments and 
historical sites

Historical Mughal Gardens
The beautiful valley of  Kashmir boasts a number of  
historical gardens which are considered as one of  the best 
determinants of  tourism development. These gardens are 
both visited by both domestic as well as foreign tourist 
throughout the year. Some of  the famous historical 
gardens of  Kashmir Valley are:
Shalimar Garden: Shalimar garden is the most beautiful 
of  all the gardens of  Kashmir. It lies 15 Km to the east 
of  Srinagar and is situated on the shore of  Dal lake. This 
beautiful garden was laid out by Jahangir in 1619 A.D. 
for his wife Noor Jahan. This garden covers an area of  
approximately 539 m by 182 m and is arranged into four 
terraces, rising one above the other. The top and fourth 
terrace of  the garden which is called the “Adobe of  Love” 
was at one point of  time reserved for Mughal Emperors 
and ladies of  the court. There is also a water canal lined 
with polished stones running through the center of  

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the Shalimar Bagh. Shalimar garden offers an amazing 
view over the other gardens, lakes and shallow terraces. 
Other attractions of  Shalimar garden include a number 
of  fountains and innumerable varieties of  flowers that 
bloom in spring and autumn.
Nishat Garden: Nishat garden is one of  the largest 
Mughal gardens of  Kashmir. It is located on the bank of  
Dal Lake. The garden was designed by Asif  Khan brother 
of  Noor Jahan in 1633 A.D. Within the garden are ruins 
of  some of  the building dating back to the Mughal period. 
Nishat garden offers a splendid view of  the Dal Lake as 
well as the snow capped Pir Panjal mountain range which 
stands far away to the west of  the valley. The garden is 
arranged in a number of  terraces one above another, 
each representing a different zodiac sign. The terraces are 
ornamented with a beautiful flower, the cypresses and the 
mighty Chinars. The other attractions of  Nishat garden 
include its blooming flowerbeds, trees, fountains, etc. 
This famous tourist spot also offers shopping facilities 
to its visitors. 
Cheshmashahi Garden: Cheshmashahi garden is 
architecturally the most charming Mughal garden, located 
about 9 Kms from the heart of  Srinagar city. This garden 
was set up by Shah Jahan in 1632 A.D on the foot hills 
of  Zabarwan Mountains. This garden is quite famous for 
spring of  energizing digestive mineral water inside it. This 
water is credited with medicinal properties and is highly 
prized. Cheshmashahi garden offers a striking view of  the 
scenic Dal Lake and Jawahar Lal Nehru Botanical garden. 
The garden has a number of  terraces and fountains built 
right through its center. The variety of  fruits, flowers 
and chinar trees that grow in the garden also adds more 
beauty and charm to Cheshmashahi garden. 
Naseem Bagh:  Naseem Bagh of  Srinagar is the oldest of  
the Kashmiri‟s Mughal Gardens. This garden was built 
by Akbar in 1586 and is situated on the western side of  
Dal Lake and offers a splendid view of  the Dal Lake. It is 
about one kilometer beyond Hazratbal. Naseem Bagh is 
one of  the favorite destinations in tourism itinerary. This 
garden is dotted with hundreds of  magnificent chinar 
trees which are very much beautiful and attractive. The 
breezes of  the Dal Lake make it an abode of  calm and 
peaceful (Khan, 2007).   
Harwan Garden: Harwan garden has very much 
importance from the tourist point of  view. This famous 
beautiful garden is located in the district of  Srinagar. It 
is beautiful tourist spot and is very much popular among 
excursionists. A beautiful canal, fed from a lake just 
behind the garden passes through its center. The canal is 
bordered with blossoming flowerbeds and Chinar trees. 
Harwan garden does not have the usual terraces, artificial 
fountains, etc like other gardens of  Kashmir. It has been 
deliberately kept devoid of  these man-made things. The 
main attraction of  Harwan garden which has made it one 
of  the best tourist spot is its natural beauty that is present 
in plenty.  
Achabal Garden: Achabal Garden is situated in Anantnag 
district at a distance of  58 Km from Srinagar. It served 

as the pleasure retreat of  the Mughal Empress Noor 
Jahan. Achabal Garden is adorned with one of  the best 
Mughal Gardens in India. The beautifully laid out garden 
in the Mughal (Persian) style sparkles with a charm 
and character, which is quite unique to it. This garden 
is beautifully decorated with chinar trees. The other 
attractions of  Achabal Garden that make this garden 
more attractive are its stepped terraces, conventional 
elegance, ornamental shrubs, gleaming fountains and 
flowering water (Rehman, 2005)  
Tulip Garden: Tulip garden is one of  the most beautiful 
flower garden located in the foothills of  the Zabarwan 
mountain range with an overview of  picturesque world 
famous Dal Lake. Tulip Garden is surrounded on three 
sides by the Nishat Bagh and Chashma Shahi Mughal 
Gardens of  Srinagar.  It spreads over an area of  about 
12 hectares. Earlier this garden was known as Siraj Bagh 
but later its name was renamed as Indira Gandi Tulip 
Garden (Naik, 2008).  Tulip garden is the Asia’s largest 
garden that has around two million multicolored tulips 
of  more than 70 varieties that ornament and add colour 
to 12 acres of  the Kashmiri Landscape. This garden 
resembles beautiful carpets that has hundreds of  colours 
and provide a heavenly view and display their beauty to 
the thousands of  visitors. A Tulip Festival is held annually 
in Kashmir in the month of  April since 2007 to promote 
tourism of  Kashmir and has been quite successful in 
attracting people from all over the globe. Thousands of  
tourists from different places come each year to celebrate 
tulip festival in Kashmir.

RELIGIOUS DETERMINANTS
Kashmir Valley is well-known for its cultural uniqueness 
right from the olden days. It has from times immemorial 
been the home of  gods and godess, renowned mystics, 
sadhus, pandiths, rishis, peers and faqirs. The numerous 
temples, shrines, mosques, which have survived the rav-
ages of  time and in clemencies of  weather are living tes-
timonials to prove the fact. There has been a very unique 
tradition among the people of  Kashmir for preaching and 
worshipping of  each other‟s religious and pilgrimage 
centers. There are well renowned Hindu shrines co-ex-
isting with the equal famous Muslim pilgrimage centers 
that are in the highest esteem by the people of  every faith. 
Kashmir is the abode of  Holy shrines; this aspect is re-
sponsible for attracting a large number of  devotees every 
year, which has ultimately led to a boom in the tourism in-
dustry (Bhat, 2013). Some of  the important sacred places 
that attract tourist are:

Masjids and Shrines
Jamia Masjid of  Srinagar- Jamia Masjid is located in the 
core of  the old city of  Srinagar. This mosque was origi-
nally built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400, and enlarged by his 
son Zain-Ul- Abidin. The principal characteristics of  the 
mosque are the four minars (Pillars) and eight wooden 
columns as support. This mosque is visited by thousands 
of  people for the Friday prayers. It has also very much 

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importance from the tourist point of  view and it plays 
an important role in increasing the economy of  Kashmir 
(Naik, 2008). 
Hazratbal Shrine- Hazratbal Shrine is the most sacred 
Muslim shrine located on the western shore of  Dal lake. 
The architecture of  the shrine is a combination of  Mu-
ghals and traditional Kashmiris. This shrine has special 
sanctity as the Prophet Mohammad‟s (S.A.W) relic that 
is the „Moi-e-Muqqadus‟ is preserved in this shrine. This 
relic was brought thousands of  years ago from Medina by 
Sayed Abdullah in 111 A.H and is usually displayed to the 
public on certain sacred and holy days (Hussain, et, al., 
1985). This shrine provides an opportunity for the people 
to participate in the colourful and exciting fairs that are 
being held every year. This shrine attracts thousands of  
devotees from all over the country who pay homage at 
the shrine (Rehman, 2005).
Khanqah of  Shah-E-Hamdan- Khanqah of  Shah-E-
Hamdan shrine-cum-mosque stands on the right bank of  
Jhelum in Srinagar city. This historical shrine was built 
in 1395 by the renowned Iraqui mystic, scholar and poet 
Mir Sayed Hamdani, popularly known as Shah Hamdan 
in the Kashmir Valley. He came from Persia in the 13th 
century and spread Islam in Kashmir. At Khanqah Moha-
lla a festival is held every year on 6th Zilhaj (the 12th lu-
nar month) at the anniversary of  the great saint in which 
thousands of  people participate. 
Kheer Bhavani- Kheer Bhavani spring is the most sacred 
place for Hindus. It is situated at Tulmulla in the Srinagar 
district. Hindus must abstain from meat on the days when 
visiting Kheer Bhavani or the milk goddess. An annual 
festival is being held here in May or June when a number 
of  devotees visit this place to offer prayers. The beautiful 
spring of  clear water overshadowed by fabulous shady 
trees and full of  sacred fish adds an ethereal beauty to this 
place (Mir, 2008). 
Charar-e-Sharief  Shrine- Charar-e-Sharief  shrine is lo-
cated in Budgam district about 35 Kilometres from Sri-
nagar. It is 600 years old Muslim shrine. This pilgrimage 
destination is considered one of  the most sacred Muslim 
shrines because it entombs leading Rishi (Saint) of  Kash-
mir, popularly known as Hazrat Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din 
Wali. On the eve of  festival his wooden stick, shoes etc 
are displayed to pilgrims. This sacred place provides an 
opportunity for tourists to learn about the history of  the 
sacred place of  worship (Hussain, 2000).
Amarnath Shrine- Amarnath cave is one the most sa-
cred pilgrimage destination of  Hindus. It is located at an 
altitude of  5000 meters inside the glacial gorge in the Hi-
malayas about 141 Kms from the Srinagar and 45 Kms 
from Pahalgam tourist destination. The cave is 9 meters 
deep and is 14 meters high in the middle (Raina, 2002). It 
is one of  oldest and the holiest of  all Hindu shrines and 
is said to be over 5000 years old. This sacred shrine has 
a mythological and historical importance as according to 
the Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva has explained the secret 
of  creation and immortality to his wife, Goddess Parvati 
in this cave.  

The Amarnath cave is visited by millions of  Hindu pil-
grims on the full moon day on the month of  Sawan (Ju-
ly-August) every year. According to a common faith, the 
self-formed ice lingam in the cave reaches the maximum 
height on Purnima in the month of  Sawan (July-August), 
when Shiva is supposed to have divulged to Parvati the 
secret of  salvation. On this day millions of  pilgrims ne-
gotiating the most difficult ridges arrive at the holy cave 
for worship or Dharshan of  Lord Shiva. The Holy “Am-
arnath Cave”, enclosed by the awe-inspiring Himalayas, 
attracts tourists to experience the beauty, apart from of-
fering worship. (Naik, 2008).
Shrine of  Khwaja Moinuddin Naqshbandi- The 
shrine of  Khanqah of  Khwaja Moinuddin Naqshbandi is 
popularly known as Naqshband Shrine, which is located 
in the core of  Srinagar city. It was built by Emperor Shah 
Jahan. This shrine has an important religious significance 
because the sacred hair of  Prophet Muhammad was kept 
at this mosque before moving it to the Hazratbal Mosque. 
This sacred place is visited by thousands of  Muslim dev-
otees every year.
Ziarat Muqam Shah Wali Sahib- The shrine is of  fa-
mous Saint Zaiti Shah Wali, located in village Muqam 
Shah in district Kupwara. The Shrine of  Zaiti Shah, his 
sister‟s tomb, his brother’s tomb and a Jamia Masjid are
located in the same premises in the village. The shrine 
is treated equally sacred by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. 
There are so many spiritual and super natural activities 
attributed to the saint. The shrine is a hot spot of  pilgrim-
age tourism. A threeday mela (Festival) is being held in 
May every year at the Shrine in which people are partici-
pating in large numbers (Mir and Ahmed, 2015).  
Makhdum Sahib Shrine- Makhdum Sahib Shrine main-
ly a double story mosque lies the Srinagar city. This shrine 
has been built after the name of  Sufi Saint Makhdum 
Sahib or Hazrat Sultan. It is located below the historical 
Hari Parbat Fort and has been constructed as per the ar-
chaeological values and ancient culture of  the Mughals. 
This shrine is open all round the year for the visitors. 
Dastgir Sahib Shrine- Dastgir Sahib Shrine is considered 
as one of  the most sacred places of  worship and an im-
portant historical religious site in Kashmir. For many cen-
turies, this shrine has been well known for its communal 
harmony and syncretism. There are panels in this shrine 
are colourful and have been carved for wrenching down 
the Aytal Kursi. This shrine is open throughout the year 
for visitors. Pilgrims come to this shrine and tie threads 
or pieces of  clothes to the wooden ledge for fulfilling 
their needs. 
Shrine of  Shah Zain-ud-Din - Shrine of  Shah Zain-Ud-
Din is very much famous shrine located at Aishmuqam 
Village of  Anantnag district of  J&K. It is about 74 Kms 
away from the Srinagar city. Inside the shrine there lies a 
grave of  famous Sufi saint Sheikh Zain-Ud-din. His an-
niversary is celebrated on the 13th of  Baisakhi. Not only 
Muslims but people from every faith and from far and 
wide in the valley participate (Hussain, et., al, 1985). Be-
sides these there are many other historical shrines which 

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have very much significance among pilgrims and that 
plays a key role in boosting the tourism sector, such as 
Baba Rishi Shrine, Mosque of  Saint Madin Sahib, Temple 
of  Sarika Devi, Pandrethan, Shrine of  Syed Janbaz wali, 
Pampur shrine etc.

Historical Heritage Sites
Kashmir has a complex cultural and historical fabric. The 
many historical monuments and places of  worship are 
long-standing evidence of  the historical unity of  Kash-
mir. There are several temples that are more than 1000 
years old as well as ancient mosques that are landmarks 
of  Kashmir. Numerous Gurudwaras and monasteries can 
be found in many places of  Valley which are most signifi-
cant in the development of  tourism of  Kashmir.

Monuments
Shankaracharya Temple- Shankaracharya Temple is 
one of  the best historical monuments of  Kashmir which 
is situated on the top of  Takht-e-Sulaiman hill, to the 
south-east of  Srinagar city. The ancient temple is believed 
to have been built about 2500 years ago by King Gopad-
itya. Dating back to 250 BC, it is believed that it was the 
place where the great philosopher and saint Shankaracha-
rya stayed when he visited Kashmir ten centuries ago. It 
was then this place came to be known by his name instead 
of  its former name Gopadri. The temple of  Shankara-
charya commands one of  the finest views in the whole 
Kashmir. The view of  the city with its green, turfed roofs, 
covered in the spring with iris, tulip and variety of  other 
flowers is without a doubt unique. 
Pari Mahal- Pari Mahal is situated in Srinagar and the 
Mahal was initially a Buddhist Monastery, which was later 
converted into an observatory and a school of  astrology 
by Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of  Mughal Emperor Shah 
Jahan. He devoted the Place to his Sufi teacher Mulla 
Shah. It is enriched with a number of  charming foun-
tains. The five storey building is almost ruined, but the 
remnants are still maintained by the Government. The 
picture sight of  Dal Lake and illuminative images of  Pari 
Mahal at night is an important tourist attraction.
Hari Parbat Fort- The Hari Parbat hill crowned by the 
Pathan fort, which is able to be seen from every part 
of  the city, has from time immemorial been a place of  
great sanctity in Kashmir. It is an ancient Mughal Fort 
which is situated to the western side of  the Dal Lake. 
The surrounding walls of  the fort were built by Mughal 
Emperor Akbar in 1590. But the present fort was built 
in 1808 under the reign of  Shuja Shah Durrani and Atta 
Muhammad Khan, an Afghan governor. The presence of  
the Muslim shrine Makhdoom Sahib, Hindu temple, Sikh 
shrine Chatti Padshahi and the Chakreshwari in the vicin-
ity add to the significance of  the fort. 
Tomb of  Zain-ul-Abidin’s Mother- Tomb of  Zain-
ul-Abidin‟s Mother is located in the area of  Sri Ranbir 
Ganj of  old city Srinagar. This monument has very much 
importance because it is that historical monument which 
is unlike and unparallel from others. However, it is attrac-

tive in a couple of  ways, the first being in the structural 
design of  the main mausoleum itself, and second in the 
evidence of  it having being built at the site of  an earli-
er Hindu temple.  This ancient monument was built by 
Zain-ul-Abidin (A.D. 1421-1472) in the memory of  his 
beloved mother.  The main characteristics of  this tomb 
are the glazed and moulded blue bricks, which are stud-
ded at intervals in the exterior walls, the semicircular brick 
projections, on the drum of  the main dome. 
Awantipora Temples- The famous Awantipora Tem-
ples are believed to have been built in honour of  God 
Mahadev by Awanti Varma. These temples are located in 
Awantipora twenty-nine kilometers away from Srinagar. 
The temples although in ruins, are of  great archaeological 
importance. King Awantivarman founded the city in the 
9th century. There are two main temples, one of  which is 
Shiva-Avantishvara, which is larger and marked by mas-
sive walls. The sculptured relief  is principally found on 
the walls of  the entrance and the flank
walls of  the stairs depict men and women in the act of  
drinking, lovemaking and other such merriments. The 
base is either a plain square block with the upper edge 
(Rehman, 2005).
Sri Pratap Singh Museum- Sri Pratap Singh Museum 
has a historical well as archaeological importance, as it 
was the one-time summer place of  the past kings of  the 
princely state of  Kashmir. Sri Pratap Singh Museum was 
established in 1898. The main characteristics of  this mu-
seum are that it houses some of  the exceptional terracotta 
heads of  3rd century that were collected from the Bud-
dhist place in Ushkur Baramulla of  Kashmir. It has many 
moulded terracotta plaques dating back to 4th and 5th 
century from Harwan (Mir and Ahmed, 2015). 
Tomb of  Madin Sahib- Tomb of  Madin Sahib is a 
unique tomb and is has historical importance from the 
very beginning. This historical monument was built in the 
memory of  Saint Madin Sahib and the inscription on the 
lintel of  the entrance of  the tomb records the date of  
its erection as A.H 1483 in the regin of  Zain-Ul-Abidin. 
This tomb lies towards the north side of  Madin Sahib 
Mosque in Zadibal area of  Srinagar city of  Kashmir. It 
has the 15th century Kashmiri architectural style with the 
peripheral walls decorated with tiles (Bhat, 2014).
The main objective of  study is to analyze the correlation 
between Ecotourism and natural Conservation based on 
primary data collected from tourists and Conservation 
Agencies. Keeping in mind the mentioned objectives, a 
structured questionnaire was developed and used as an 
instrument to gauge the factors measuring Ecotourism 
and natural Conservation.  For this purpose factor anal-
ysis was done to extract various constructs. In the pres-
ent study Spearman’s and Pearson Correlation is used to 
study the correlation between Ecotourism and natural 
Conservation with regard to the perception of  Tourists 
and Conservation agencies. As shown in the table above, 
it is observed that the gender composition of  the tour-
ists was nearly even, male (52%) and female (48%). The 
large number of  the respondents were tourists (92.6%) 

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Table 1.6
Demographic profile of  respondents
Demographics Category Frequency Percent
Gender Male 210 52

Female 198 48
Total 408 100

Type Tourist 378 92.6
Conservation Agency 30 7.4
Total 408 100

Nationality Indian 366 89.70
Foreigner 42 10.29
Total 408 100

Age 20 – 39 342 83.8
40-59 62 15.2
60-79 4 1
Total 408 100

Education Primary school 11 2.6
High school 28 6.8
College 72 17.64
University 297 72.8
Total 408 100

Income Below Rs. 50000 152 37.25
Rs. 50000 – 99999 168 41.17
Rs. 100000 -149999 48 11.76
Rs. 150000- 199999 40 9.80
Total 408 100

followed by conservation agency (7.4%). More than half  
of  the respondents were Indian (89.70%) and the rest 
(10.29%) were foreigners. Majority of  the respondents 
(83.8%) were of  the age group of  20-39 years while only 
1% of  the respondents were above 59 years of  age. Most 
of  the respondents had an education till university lev-
el (72.8%) followed by the college level (17.64%), only a 
handful had been to primary school (2.6%). The majority 
of  the respondents had an income between Rs. 50000 – 
99999 below (41.17%).
In the current study, factor analysis was carried on two 
data sets i.e. Ecotourism and natural conservation to re-
duce the variables and to determine the underlying fac-
tors of  two constructs. Moreover, it explained the dimen-
sions associated with data variability.
Measures of  Ecotourism 
20 items (20 Questions in questionnaire) of  ecotourism 
were explored retained by pilot study statistics. All the 
preliminary number of  items (20) was subjected to factor 
analysis, which later got reduced to 18 items and were 
retained for attaining reliable results. After initial refine-
ment and purification, 5 factors were produced by PCA.
Comprehensive Process of  Factor Analysis on Ecotour-
ism 

The process of  factor analysis conducted has been ex-
plained below:

Table 1.7
KMO and Bartlett's Test (Against items that meas-ure 
Ecotourism)
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of  Sampling 
Adequacy

0.594

Bartlett's Test of  
Sphericity

Approx. Chi-Square 1952.511

Df  191
Sig. 0

From the above table it can be seen that the dataset un-
derstudy is suitable for Exploratory Factor Analysis, as the 
KMO value is 0.594. The dataset indicates that the sam-
ple is adequate and we may proceed with the Factor Anal-
ysis. For Factor Analysis to be recommended suitable, the 
Bartlett’s Test of  Sphericity must be less than 0.05. Bart-
lett’s Test of  Sphericity in the table above also indicates 
that our results are statistically significant. Bartlett’s Test 
of  Sphericity relates to the significance of  the study and 
thereby shows the validity and suitability of  the responses 
collected to the problem being addressed through study. 

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Therefore, Factor Analysis can be used for the dataset. 
Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has been used as 
Extraction Method. PCA is an extraction procedure that 
tries to reduce the number of  variables to a smaller set 
of  variables. With the help of  this method unique results 
may be determined. Thus, the original data may be recon-
structed from the result. As this method takes the total 
variation among the variables, therefore, the solution gen-
erated will include as many factors as there are variables 
although it is unlikely that they will meet all the criteria 
for retention. In other words, the variables which have 
over 30% extracting are included to study further. PCA 
uses an orthogonal transformation to convert a set of  
observations of  possibly correlated variables into a set of  
values of  linearly uncorrelated variables called principal 
components that are interpreted as dimensions.
Since there is no single variable in the table above that is 
less than 30%, all the items will be considered for making 
the factors.
As per the methodology of  PCA, the total factors that 
will be made are 5 as there are five Eigen values greater 
than 1 and those 5 factors will comprise of  51.818% of  
the total information. Another important aspect that 
needs mention is the Rotated Component Matrix. While 
deciding how many factors one would analyze is whether 
a variable might relate to more than one factor. Rotation 
maximizes high item loadings and minimizes low item 
loadings, thereby producing a more interpretable and 
simplified solution. The rotated component matrix is one 
which helps to inspect the extracted factors from different 

Table 1.8
Communalities (Ecotourism)

Initial Extraction
ECET4 1 0.554
ECET5 1 0.563
ECET6 1 0.476
ECET7 1 0.411
ECET8 1 0.534
ECET10 1 0.383
ECET11 1 0.675
ECET12 1 0.519
ECET13 1 0.563
ECET14 1 0.694
ECET16 1 0.608
ECET17 1 0.415
ECET18 1 0.531
ECET21 1 0.391
ECET22 1 0.623
ECET23 1 0.489
ECET24 1 0.307
ECET46 1 0.411
ECET48 1 0.552
ECET57 1 0.655
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis

Table 1.9
Total Variance Explained (Ecotourism)
Component Initial Eigen values Extraction Sums of  Squared 

Loadings
Rotation Sums of  Squared 
Loadings

Total % of  
Variance

Cumulative
 %

Total % of  
Vari-ance

Cumulative 
%

Total % of  
Variance

Cumu-lative 
%

1 3.757 18.784 18.784 3.757 18.784 18.784 2.297 11.486 11.486
2 1.923 9.614 28.397 1.923 9.614 28.397 2.157 10.787 22.273
3 1.785 8.926 37.323 1.785 8.926 37.323 2.125 10.626 32.899
4 1.546 7.729 45.052 1.546 7.729 45.052 1.916 9.581 42.48
5 1.353 6.766 51.818 1.353 6.766 51.818 1.867 9.337 51.818
6 - -
19 0.29 1.448 98.751 0.29 1.448 98.751
20 0.25 1.249 100 0.25 1.249 100

angle to see if  the inference from all of  them points to 
one output. On the basis of  this matrix, the factors are 
constructed; that is, a specific variable gets a place in a 
particular factor. In the present study PCA with Varimax 
rotation is used. Varimax is an orthogonal rotation that 
from the perspective of  individual subjects measured 
on the variables, seeks a basis that most economically 
represents each individual—that is, each individual can 
be well described by a linear combination of  only a 
dimensions. Varimax is so called because it maximizes the 
sum of  the variances of  the squared loadings (squared 

correlations between variables and dimensions). Principal 
component analysis with varimax rotation was used to 
factor the belief  statements of  the respondents. This 
analysis yielded five factors with Eigen values greater than 
1. The factors on the basis of  Rotated Component Matrix 
by using Varimax with Kaiser Normalization method are:
FACTOR1: ECET5, ECET6, ECET46, ECET57 
explained 18.784% of  the total variance. 
FACTOR2: ECET8, ECET17, ECET21, ECET22 
explained 9.614 % of  the total variance. 
FACTOR3: ECET10, ECET11, ECET12, ECET23 

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Table 1.10
Rotated Component Matrix (Ecotourism)

Components
1 2 3 4 5

ECET5 0.739
ECET57 0.685 0.346
ECET6 0.567
ECET46 0.487
ECET22 0.684 0.336
ECET8 0.666
ECET17 0.607
ECET21 0.488    0.334
ECET48 0.429     0.486       
ECET13 0.345 0.409 0.384 -0.335
ECET11 0.795     
ECET23 0.627    
ECET12 0.555     
ECET10 0.489
ECET14 0.817   
ECET7 0.472  
ECET24 0.447
ECET4 0.729
ECET16 0.413 0.649
ECET18 0.472 0.504
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.   
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization
a. Rotation converged in 12 iterations

explained 8.926% of  the total variance. 
FACTOR4:  ECET7, ECET14, ECET24 explained 
7.729% of  the total variance. 
FACTOR5:  ECET4, ECET16, ECET18 explained 
6.766% of  the total variance.

Measures of  natural Conservation 
Initially it was performed on all 29 items that were 
explored and retained by pilot study. But based on the 
initial exploratory results, preliminary number of  items 
(29) was further reduced to 21 for attaining reliable 
results. After initial refinement and purification, only 5 
factors were produced by Principal Component Analysis.

Comprehensive Process of  Factor Analysis on 
natural Conservation 
The process of  factor analysis conducted by the researcher 
has been explained below
From the above Table it can be seen that the dataset 
understudy is suitable for Exploratory Factor Analysis, as 
the KMO value is 0.817. The dataset indicates that the 
sample is adequate and we may proceed with the Factor 
Analysis. This also gets satisfied as the Bartlett’s Test of  
Sphericity in the table above indicates that our results are 
statistically significant. 

Table 2.1
KMO and Bartlett’s Test (Against items that measure 
Ecotourism)
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of  Sampling 
Adequacy

0.817

Bartlett’s Test of  
Sphericity

Approx. Chi-Square 5816.666

Df  406
Sig. 0

In case of  factor analysis of  natural conservation Principal 
Component Analysis (PCA) has been used as Extraction 
Method. With the help of  this method unique results 
were determined. The variables which were extracted 
over 30% were included to study further.
The below table indicates that all the variables may be 
considered for constructing factors because all extractions 
are over 30%.

Table 2.2
Communalities (Natural Conservation)

Initial Extraction
ECET15 1 0.514
ECET20 1 0.635
ECET26 1 0.476
ECET27 1 0.673
ECET28 1 0.557
ECET29 1 0.407
ECET30 1 0.593
ECET31 1 0.507
ECET32 1 0.648
ECET33 1 0.678
ECET34 1 0.491
ECET35 1 0.636
ECET36 1 0.66
ECET37 1 0.393
ECET38 1 0.593
ECET39 1 0.654
ECET41 1 0.449
ECET42 1 0.572
ECET43 1 0.637
ECET44 1 0.58
ECET47 1 0.511
ECET50 1 0.484
ECET51 1 0.492
ECET52 1 0.505
ECET53 1 0.613
ECET54 1 0.387
ECET58 1 0.667
ECET59 1 0.639
ECET60 1 0.526
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis

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Total Variance Explained (Natural Conservation)
Since there are five Eigen values which are greater than one 
in table, this indicates that one may construct five factors 
by using PCA approach of  extraction. The constructed 

five factors explained 56.22% of  the variations as a total. 
On the basis of  this matrix, the factors were constructed; 
that is, a specific variable was placed in a particular factor. 
In the present study PCA with Varimax rotation was used. 

Table 2.3
Total Variance Explained (Ecotourism)
Component Initial Eigen values Extraction Sums of  Squared 

Loadings
Rotation Sums of  Squared 
Loadings

Total % of  
Variance

Cumulative 
%

Total % of  
Vari-ance

Cumulative 
%

Total % of  
Vari-ance

Cumulative 
%

1 9.015 31.086 31.086 9.015 31.086 31.086 5.278 18.199 18.199
2 2.341 8.072 39.157 2.341 8.072 39.157 3.231 11.142 29.341
3 1.843 6.356 45.514 1.843 6.356 45.514 2.931 10.106 39.447
4 1.642 5.663 51.177 1.642 5.663 51.177 2.684 9.255 48.703
5 1.327 4.576 55.753 1.327 4.576 55.753 2.045 7.05 55.753
--
20

Table 2.4
Rotated Component Matrix (Natural Conservation)

Components
1 2 3 4 5

ECET32 0.723
ECET27 0.698 0.301
ECET15 0.682
ECET33 0.673 0.301 0.364
ECET20 0.662 -0.404
ECET28 0.651
ECET39 0.639 0.305 0.37
ECET26 0.609
ECET44 0.547 0.373 0.303
ECET42 0.541 0.34
ECET29 0.522
ECET53 0.709
ECET41 0.614
ECET36 0.6 0.53
ECET52 0.596
ECET51 0.533 0.3
ECET38 0.706
ECET30 0.652
ECET31 0.645
ECET60 0.506 0.396
ECET59 0.501 0.464 -0.341
ECET47 0.434 0.445
ECET58 0.79
ECET50 0.322 0.522
ECET43 0.378 0.493 0.497
ECET37 0.452
ECET54 0.327 0.348

ECET35 0.302 0.665
ECET34 0.349 0.561
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.   
Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization
a. Rotation converged in 10 iterations

The Rotated Component Matrix helps us to construct 
factors as given bellow.  
FACTOR1: ECET15, ECET20, ECET26, ECET27, 
ECET28, ECET29, ECET32, ECET33, ECET39 
FACTOR2: ECET41, ECET51, ECET52, ECET53 
FACTOR3: ECET37, ECET50, ECET58 
FACTOR4: ECET30, ECET31, ECET38 
FACTOR5: ECET34, ECET35

Reliability Analysis
The purpose of  a reliability analysis is to determine how 
well a set of  items, i.e., observed variables, go together 
into a single scale. Reliability analysis also reveals how 
strongly each item in the scale is associated with the 
overall scale. This is called item-total correlations. 
Reliability analysis is usually based on reliability coefficient 
which is named as Cronbach’s alpha. This coefficient has 
a maximum value of  1.0. Generally speaking, when a 
collection of  items (i.e., a scale) has a Cronbach’s alpha 
of  .70 or larger; the scale is considered to be reliable. The 
value of  this measure shows the percentage of  reliability 
of  the data. It has been proposed that Cronbach’s 
measure α can be viewed as the expected correlation of  
several tests that measure the same construct. By using 
this definition, it is implicitly assumed that the average 
correlation of  a set of  items is an accurate estimate of  
the average correlation of  all items that pertain to one 
construct.  In the current study, the researcher has run 
a separate reliability analysis for the items related to 
Ecotourism and a separate reliability analysis for the 
items measuring natural conservation.
Reliability Analysis (For items that measure Ecotourism)

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The dataset under study comprises of  the reliability 
analysis of  the items that measure “Ecotourism” and the 
same have been shown below. Throughout the analysis the 
researcher bears in mind that for a scale to be considered 

sufficiently reliable, the Cronbach’s measure α must be 
greater than 0.70.
Scale and Reliability Statistics (Against items that measure 
Ecotourism)

Table 2.5
No. of  Items Mean Variance Std. Deviation
20 38.64 45.393 6.737
The mean value of  20 items is 38.64 with 6.737 average distances from mean.
Reliability Coefficient (Against items that measure Ecotourism)

Table 2.6
Total Cas-es No. of  Valid Cases No. of  Exclude Cases No. of  Items Cronbach’s Alpha (α)
408 364 44 20 0.749
(100%) -89.20% -10.80%
As α = 74.9 %, one may conclude that the study (data set) is reliable.
Item- Total Statistics (Ecotourism)

Table 2.7
Scale Mean if  Item 
Deleted

Scale Variance if  Item 
Deleted 

Corrected Item 
Total Correlation 

Cronbach's Alpha if  Item 
Deleted

ECET4 36.51 42.627 0.167 0.751
ECET5 36.85 42.054 0.325 0.738
ECET6 36.92 41.954 0.33 0.738
ECET7 36.59 42.884 0.20 0.747
ECET8 36.2 41.077 0.244 0.747
ECET10 36.83 41.899 0.348 0.737
ECET11 36.99 41.911 0.301 0.74
ECET12 36.87 41.459 0.366 0.735
ECET13 36.67 41.161 0.342 0.737
ECET14 37.09 42.737 0.221 0.745
ECET16 36.44 39.96 0.356 0.735
ECET17 36.61 42.173 0.354 0.737
ECET18 36.68 42.143 0.308 0.739
ECET21 36.42 41.008 0.307 0.74
ECET22 36.26 38.129 0.497 0.721
ECET23 37.02 41.917 0.374 0.736
ECET24 36.37 41.075 0.231 0.748
ECET46 36.77 41.391 0.339 0.737
ECET48 36.87 40.027 0.416 0.73
ECET57 37.15 42.58 0.306 0.74
(ECET...  is the item code of  the statements used in questionnaire. Please refer to Annexure.) 

Table shows the correlation between each item and a scale 
score that excludes that item (uses all the other items, 
but not that one).  The maximum item- total correlation 
is of  ECET22 which is 0.497 and minimum item-total 
correlation is of  ECET4 which is 0.167. One may look 
for items that, if  deleted, will lead to substantial increase 
in the scale of  α.

Reliability Analysis (For items that measure Natural 

Conservation) 
The dataset under study comprises of  the reliability 
analysis of  the items that measure 
“Natural Conservation” and the same have been shown 
below. Throughout the analysis the researcher bears in 
mind that for a scale to be considered sufficiently reliable, 
the Cronbach’s measure α must be greater than 0.70. 
Scale Statistics (Against that measure Natural 
Conservation)

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Table 2.8
No. of  Items Mean Variance Std. Deviation
29 47.81 137.121 11.71
The mean value of  29 items is 47.81 with of  11.710 average distances from mean. 
Reliability Coefficient (Against that measure Natural Conservation)

Table 2.9
Total Cases No. of  Valid Cases No. of  Exclude Cases No. of  Items Cronbach’s Alpha (α)
408 386 22 29 0.92
(-100%) -94.60% -5.40%
As α = 92 %, one may conclude that the under study data set is reliable.
Item-Total Statistics (Natural Conservation)

Table 2.10
Scale Mean if  Item 
Deleted

Scale Variance if  Item 
Deleted 

Corrected Item 
Total Correlation 

Cronbach's Alpha if  Item 
Deleted

ECET15 46.17 127.889 0.511 0.918
ECET20 46.41 131.587 0.378 0.919
ECET26 46.12 126.97 0.472 0.918
ECET27 46.34 128.568 0.588 0.917
ECET28 46.21 128.238 0.604 0.916
ECET29 46.48 130.782 0.496 0.918
ECET30 46.16 126.965 0.517 0.918
ECET31 46.19 128.267 0.49 0.918
ECET32 46.33 127.577 0.672 0.916
ECET33 46.24 127.287 0.602 0.916
ECET34 46.16 129.653 0.445 0.918
ECET35 46.08 128.301 0.503 0.918
ECET36 46.02 129.916 0.389 0.919
ECET37 46.31 130.611 0.467 0.918
ECET38 46.08 125.739 0.495 0.918
ECET39 46.39 126.853 0.663 0.916
ECET41 45.84 128.997 0.329 0.922
ECET42 46.1 124.954 0.709 0.915
ECET43 46.1 126.416 0.622 0.916
ECET44 46.28 125.819 0.666 0.915
ECET47 46.01 129.333 0.468 0.918
ECET50 46.07 127.453 0.606 0.916
(ECET...  is the item code of  the statements used in questionnaire. Please refer to Annexure)

Table shows the correlation between each item and a scale 
score that excludes that item (uses all the other items, 
but not that one).  The maximum item-total correlation 
is of  ECET42 which is 0.709 and minimum item-total 
correlation is of  ECET41 which is 0.329. All other items 
also have positively correlation. One may look for items 
that, if  deleted, will lead to a - substantial increase in the 

scale a.

Respondents: Tourist Only  
The below dataset has been achieved after taking into 
consideration the responses of  the tourists group only. 
The Rotated Component Matrix, helped in constructing 
new factors as given below:

Table 2.11
ECOTOURISM - NEW VARIABLES (RESPONDENTS: TOURIST ONLY)
Factor-1: Creating Awareness and 
Local Involvement.

The variable ―Creating Awareness and Local Involvement is the mean of   
the items ECET5, ECET6, ECET46 and ECET57

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Factor-2: Minimizing Negative 
Impact on Environment

Factor -2: The variable ―Minimizing Negative Impact on Environment is 
the mean of   the items ECET8, ECET17, ECET21 and ECET22

Factor-3: Mix of  Tourism and 
natural Conservation

Factor -3: The variable ― Mix of  Tourism and natural Conservation is the 
mean of   the items ECET10, ECET11, ECET12 and ECET23

Factor-4: Upliftment of  Local 
Communities

Factor – 4: The variable ―Upliftment of  Local Communities is the mean 
of   the items ECET7, ECET14 and ECET24

Factor-5: Responsible Travel to 
Natural Areas

Factor – 5: The variable ―Responsible Travel to Natural Areas is the mean 
of   the items ECET4, ECET16 and ECET18

Major Factor: Ecotourism (Tourist) The Variable ―Ecotourism (Tourist) is the mean of  all the above new 
variables of  Ecotourism.  (i.e. Mean of  Factor 1, 2 3, 4 & 5)

Natural Conservation - New Variables (Respondents: Tourist Only)

Factor-1: Efficient Planning and 
Proper Waste Disposal

The variable ―Efficient Planning and Proper Waste Disposal is mean of  
ECET15, ECET20,ECET26, ECET27, ECET28, ECET29, ECET32, 
ECET33 and ECET39

Factor-2: Green Building Standards 
and Efficient use of  Resources

The variable ―Green Building Standards and Efficient Use of  Resources is 
mean of  ECET41, ECET51, ECET52 and ECET53

Factor-3: Creating Awareness and 
Proper Site Inspection

The variable ―Creating Awareness and Proper Site Inspection is mean of  
ECET37, ECET50 and ECET58

Factor-4: Ambient Air Quality 
Water Quality and Noise Quality

The variable ―Ambient Air Quality Water Quality and Noise Quality is 
mean of  ECET30, ECET31 and ECET38

Factor-5: Recycling The variable ―Recycling is mean of  ECET34 and ECET35
Major Factor: Natural Conservation 
(Tourist) 

The Variable ― Conservation (Tourist) is the mean of  all new variables of  
natural conservation.  (i.e. Mean of  Factor 1, 2 3, 4 & 5)

Respondents: Conservation Agency Only 
The below dataset has been achieved after taking into 
consideration the responses of  the Tourists group only. 

The Rotated Component Matrix, helped in constructing 
new factors as given below: 

Table 3.1
ECOTOURISM - NEW VARIABLES (Respondents: Conservation Agencies Only)
Factor-1: Creating Awareness and 
Local Involvement

The variable ―Creating Awareness and Local Involvement is the mean of   
the items ECET5, ECET6, ECET46 and ECET57  

Factor-2: Minimizing Negative 
Impact on Environment

Factor-2: The variable ―Minimizing Negative Impact on Environment is 
the mean of   the items ECET8, ECET17, ECET21 and ECET22

Factor-3: Mix of  Tourism and 
natural Conservation

Factor -3: The variable ―Mix of  Tourism and natural Conservation is the 
mean of   the items ECET10, ECET11, ECET12 and ECET23  

Factor-4: Upliftment of  Local 
Communities

Factor – 4: The variable ―Upliftment of  Local Communities is the mean 
of   the items ECET7, ECET14 and ECET24

Factor-5:Responsible Travel to 
Natural Areas

Factor – 5: The variable ―Responsible Travel to Natural Areas is the mean 
of   the items ECET4, ECET16 and ECET18

Major Factor: Ecotourism 
(Conservation Agencies)

The Variable ―Ecotourism (Conservation Agencies) is the mean of  all the 
above new variables of  Ecotourism.  (i.e. Mean of  Factor 1, 2 3, 4 & 5)

Natural Conservation - New Variables (Respondents: Conservative Agencies Only)

Factor-1: Efficient Planning and 
Proper Waste Disposal

The variable ―Efficient Planning and Proper Waste Disposal is mean of  
ECET15, ECET20, ECET26, ECET27, ECET28, ECET29, ECET32, 
ECET33 and ECET39

Factor-2: Green Building Standards 
and Efficient Use of  Resources

The variable ―Green Building Standards and Efficient Use of  Resources is 
mean of  ECET41, ECET51, ECET52 and ECET53

Factor-3: Creating Awareness and 
Proper Site Inspection

The variable ―Creating Awareness and Proper Site Inspection is mean of  
ECET37, ECET50 and ECET58

Factor-4: Ambient Air Quality 
Water Quality and Noise Quality

The variable ―Ambient Air Quality Water Quality and Noise Quality is 
mean of  ECET30, ECET31 and ECET38

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Am. J. Environ Econ. 1(1) 13-18, 2022

Factor-5: Recycling The variable ―Recycling is mean of  ECET34 and ECET35
Major Factor: Natural Conservation 
(Conservation Agencies)

The Variable ―Natural Conservation (C. Agencies) is mean of  all new 
variables of  natural conservation.  (i.e. Mean of  Factor 1, 2 3, 4 & 5)

Normality Distribution
Assessing Normality of  the data is paramount for the 
reason that it would determine the application of  various 
statistical measures. In order to assess normality of  vari-

ables the Shapiro-Wilk and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests 
are applied. Both these tests are suitable for numerical 
continuous or quasi-continuous variables. 
Significance level is set at α=5%. 

Table 3.2
H0: Data is normally distributed H1: Data is not normally distributed

 Tests of  Normality (For Tourists)

Table 3.3
Total Variance Explained (Ecotourism)

Kolmogorov – Smirnovaa Shapiro-Wilk
Statistic Df Sig. Statistic Df Sig.

Ecotourism 0.061 378 0.002 0.985 378 0.001
Natural Conservation 0.08 378 0 0.932 378 0
a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

As the test statistics of  both variables assessed by both 
tests drive p-value below the significance level, it can be 
concluded that data are not normally distributed. 

H0 is rejected for both variables.
Perception of  Conservation agencies
Tests of  Normality (For Tourists

Table 3.4
Total Variance Explained (Ecotourism)

Kolmogorov – Smirnovaa Shapiro-Wilk
Statistic Df Sig. Statistic Df Sig.

Ecotourism 0.15 30 0.083 0.958 30 0.274
Natural Conservation 0.142 30 0.127 0.936 30 0.072
a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

As the test statistics of  both variables assessed by both 
tests drive p-value above the significance level, it can be 
concluded that data is normally distributed. H0 is retained 
for both variables.
Thus, it may conclude that there is a positive relation-
ship between ecotourism and natural conservation with 
regard to the perception of  tourists arriving in Kashmir. 
There is also a positive relationship between ecotourism 
and natural conservation with regard to the perception of  
conservation agencies operating in Kashmir.
The ecotourism in Kashmir, where nature and culture is 
plentiful and to gain a greater understanding of  the re-
lationship between conservation and ecotourism, while 
at the same time adding to existing research and helping 
develop ecotourism in Kashmir. The study is conducted 
to determine the relationship of  ecotourism and natural 
conservation with regards to the perceptions of  tourists 
and conservation agencies. A total of  408 respondents 
were selected for the study, out of  which 30 were local 
conservation agencies composed of  government offi-
cials, NGOs and travel firms and 370 were tourists. A 
questionnaire is distributed measuring eco-tourism and 
natural conservation and the level of  perception of  the 
respondents to each, then; responses were tabulated, test-
ed for normality and analyzed for significant results. The 

correlation between ecotourism and natural conservation 
is examined with regards to the perceptions of  tourists 
and conservation agencies alike.
Data shows that there is a significant and positive rela-
tionship between eco-tourism and natural conservation 
as perceived both by tourists and conservation agencies. 
Also it was found that there is no significant difference 
between the perception of  tourists and conservation 
agencies with regard to the relationship between ecotour-
ism and natural conservation. This indicates a high level 
of  awareness of  the link between these two concepts as 
inextricable and necessary in any touristic activity. Im-
plications for on the conduction of  tourism in Kashmir 
highlights a stronger local tourism policy and framework 
that is responsive to environmental concerns as well as 
strengthening awareness of  both locals and tourists. Last-
ly, doing so has allowed us to suggest ways to strengthen 
the development of  ecotourism in Kashmir.

CONCLUSION  
Various tendencies also occur in the understanding of  
ecotourism upon changing living conditions. Unless, at-
tention is paid now for developing tourism in ecologi-
cally sustainable manner and maintaining environmental 
integrity, it may cause irreparable damage. To encourage 

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community support for conservation and the consequent 
protection of  natural resources, a direct connection needs 
to be ascertained between conservation, ecotourism and 
the benefits that accrue to the community from it, wheth-
er collective or individual. The study work starts with the 
Evolution of  Ecotourism that provides the background 
information and definition of  ecotourism. The main 
body of  the study is an attempt to identify the unexplored 
tourist spots. It describes in detail the important unex-
plored ecotourism spots.

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