05/11/2025
Congratulations Sonam Gyamtso Bhutia.
Press Release
Dr Sonam Gyamtso Bhutia successfully defends his Doctoral Thesis on ‘Responsible Tourism Initiatives towards Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study of Sikkim’.
Dr. Sonam Gyamtso Bhutia, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Tourism, Sikkim University has successfully defended his doctoral thesis titled ‘Responsible Tourism Initiatives towards Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study of Sikkim’ on 31st October, 2025 under the supervision of Dr. Jigmie Wanchuk Bhutia, Associate Professor, Department of Tourism, Sikkim University.
His doctoral research delves into a rigorous empirical evaluation of how Responsible Tourism Initiatives can serve as catalysts for Sustainable Tourism Development within the fragile Himalayan ecosystem of Sikkim. The study is anchored on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, encompassing the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental pillars of sustainability and guided by the Triple-A Model (Awareness–Agenda–Action). By assessing seventeen major tourism destinations across all six districts, Dr. Bhutia developed a context-specific, stakeholder-driven sustainability assessment model that provides a robust mechanism for integrating responsible tourism into institutional policy, destination management, and development planning. His research aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; particularly Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 😎, Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) and contributes to the evolving global discourse on sustainable mountain tourism development.
The thesis highlights seven exemplary responsible tourism initiatives across Sikkim, viz: community-based homestays, conservation-driven livelihood programs, cultural ecotourism, conservation-linked tourism, zero-waste management, heritage interpretation, and youth empowerment programs. Collectively, these models illustrate how Sikkim integrates environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and inclusive community development within its sustainable tourism framework.
Additionally, Dr. Bhutia has been actively engaged in several prestigious international and national research projects. Notably, he served as a Field Investigator for the project “Development of Eco-friendly and Cost-effective Tourism in Sikkim and Darjeeling Hills,” commissioned by NITI Aayog, Government of India. He has also been associated with the Green Skill Development Programme under the National Council for Vocational Education and Training implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi.
His academic contributions encompass several research papers with high citation impact, published in UGC-CARE listed and internationally indexed journals including book chapters in publications of repute. In addition, he has presented research papers at numerous international and national conferences, contributing to global academic discourse in the fields of responsible tourism and sustainable development. In recognition of his scholarly achievements and contribution to responsible and sustainable tourism research, he received the Award of Academic Excellence (2023) from the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Sikkim.
Dr. Sonam Gyamtso Bhutia, is the son of Shri Karma Tshering Bhutia and Smt. Sonam Uden Bhutia, a resident of Doma Hotel, M.G. Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim. An alumnus of Dr. Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from Bangalore University and a Master’s degree in Tourism Administration from Christ University, Bangalore. He qualified the prestigious UGC-NET (JRF) Junior Research Fellowship in December 2019, and was later promoted to Senior Research Fellow (SRF) by University Grants Commission, New Delhi for his continued research contributions.
Professionally, Dr. Bhutia has an extensive academic experience serving as an Assistant Professor in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies, ICFAI University, Dentam Vocational College and Institute of Hotel Management, Sikkim. He currently serves as a Guest Faculty at Department of Tourism, Sikkim University, where he remains actively involved in advancing academic and research initiatives on responsible tourism and sustainable development.
