This session shines a spotlight on the steps towards marrying tourism and conservation as cooperative rather than competing elements. It will look to community engagement and local stake-holding as the foundation of this mutually-enriching partnership, marked by respect for local customs and practices and innovative reimagining of tourism as an activity. The session will neither shirk from discussion of difficulties nor from explaining the significant achievements that emerged from them. The organizers look to lay down a concrete programme for success in three steps:  first by improving environmental conditions, secondly ensuring the conditions of the local population and lastly by directly linking tourism revenues with those of the local community.