Roundtable on Tourism Entrepreneurship Held as Mopungchuket Rethinks Community Tourism

A roundtable talk on “Mopungchuket Tourism – From Ideation to Action” was held today at the MSM Conference Hall, Mopungchuket, organized by the Mopungchuket Community Tourism Society (MCTS). The discussion focused on transforming the village’s strong sense of community-based tourism (CBT) into a model where individual initiative and entrepreneurship play a central role.

The session, tailored for the local context, was led by Dr. Limasenla Jamir, Assistant Professor at Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung, who served as the resource person and shared practical strategies for villagers to become active stakeholders in tourism.

Drawing from her presentation, Dr. Jamir outlined a range of opportunities such as setting up homestays, organizing cultural storytelling sessions, and developing agro-tourism, guided heritage tours, tea garden experiences, and eco-nature trails. She encouraged the participants to combine Mopungchuket’s “Clean and Cultural Village” identity with entrepreneurship and digital readiness. She also highlighted the importance of training in hospitality, communication, hygiene, and first aid.

The roundtable discussed revenue models, governance mechanisms, and sustainability practices to ensure fair income distribution and environmental responsibility. Dr. Jamir proposed transparent revenue-sharing systems and a dedicated tourism fund for maintenance, training, and welfare initiatives.

She encouraged the creation of a homestay union to ensure fair distribution of guests, along with basic hospitality training, food hygiene, and online visibility through popular digital platforms. She further proposed initiatives such as training youth as heritage guides, organizing storytelling sessions around local legends like Jina and Etiben, and setting up hands-on workshops in weaving, traditional cooking, and craft-making. For sustainability, she advocated eco-trekking routes, river-based experiences, and waste management systems linked with conservation rules.

The talk also addressed skill development through workshops in hospitality and small business management. Participants responded positively, noting that the discussion helped bridge the gap between enthusiasm and execution by offering concrete steps for individuals to engage in the tourism economy.

As a scholar and sociologist known for her dynamic and multifaceted personality, a former journalist, and a passionate adventurer, Dr. Jamir shared insights from her extensive travels across Nagaland, the Northeast, and the Himalayas, exploring cultures, communities, and landscapes with a keen eye for detail. Beyond academia, she is also an entrepreneur-artist managing her own creative brand label that reflects her blend of intellect and artistry. She plays an active role in conservation efforts as a member of the Ungma–Longsa Dikhu Green Zone Project and serves as the Information Secretary of the Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum.

Deeply rooted in her community, Dr. Jamir brought both professional expertise and personal connection to the roundtable talk, made even more special by the fact that she is half-Mopungchuket, making her insights particularly relatable.

ABAM Youth Secretary Butesen Ozukum served as the Observer for the roundtable talk, while the Convener of MCTS, Limalenden Longkumer, shared the concept and purpose of the roundtable.

The event concluded with a shared understanding that Mopungchuket’s tourism future depends on local creativity and confidence working together within a strong community framework and collective vision.

MT