Tourism as Catalyst of Economic and Political Change: The Case of Highland Minorities in Ladakh (India) and Northern Thailand

Abstract The mountainous regions of the north of India (here, Ladakh) and of northern Thailand have in common that they are sensitive border regions inhabited by ethnic minority groups with a different cultural identity than that of the neigbouring lowlanders. They lack any substantial economic resources and are, generally speaking, integrated in the national market to a lesser degree than the central governments would wish. In both cases, however, tourist development has recently grown into an economic force which, combined with governmental development policies at the local and regional level, has been increasing the pace of integration of these minority groups with both the national and the world economy. Should the central governments concerned therefore recognise that it is advantageous to support this ongoing process in order to achieve their own objectives of enhanced territorial and political control? Do the ethnic groups involved derive long term profit from tourism? Partly as a result of field work, the conclusion drawn to the two questions is both a yes and a no.