Ecotourism, indigenous people and their local environment: A case study about Amaltari community homestay Nawalparasi, Nepal

This case study deals with ecotourism and its impacts on the indigenous people of Amaltari, Nawalparsi district of Nepal. Homestay is practiced by locals of different villages in Nepal. Amaltari is one of such villages which are home to the 'tharu' local group. This research work will unleash impacts on the local indigenous people. The research work deals with both primary and secondary data to find the realities. Several hosts of homestay ecotourism have been interviewed to find the real impacts of ecotourism on indigenous people. The finding has been supported by previous literature work which deals with similar topics. With the help of secondary data, it has been proved that the positive impacts are far more than the negative impacts of homestay ecotourism on the indigenous people of Amaltari, Nepal. The Finding s of the study showed that, socioeconomic status of people has improved, and they have found outof-box ways to earn a livelihood. In addition, socially, they have seen positive changes in themselves. Learning English is one of the major positives. Society has become inclusive, and homestay eco-tourism has helped women's empowerment and increased the prosperity of women. Research also finds that there are some threads to the culture of the locals; western culture is penetrating into the region and impacting young people. Furthermore, there are some problems that need to be solved to make ecotourism more adaptable, including the relationship between society, the environment, and tourism.