The valley of Kashmir is dotted with places of great tourism potential. The development of tourist infrastructure in terms of accommodation facilities is bound to have severe environmental impacts in terms of deforestation, built-up expansion, waste generation and consequent degradation of the environment. However, substantial bed capacity can be created through linking private households with tourist demand for accommodation, thus bringing in the wake the concept of Paying Guest Accommodation (PGA). The present study was based on primary survey of PGA units and tourists at five tourist destinations of Kashmir offering such accommodation. The study revealed that 20 percent of the tourists prefer to stay as paying guests. However the spatial distribution of such units is limited to a few destinations. The PGA scheme has generated substantial employment opportunities with sufficient income generation. The move is expected to popularize sustainable tourism development by arresting resort housing and the consequent environmental degradation in the valley.
