he overall initiative has also turned around the indigenous rural market to a large extent. It has given a huge platform for the rural people to promote their indigenous culture and art. Rural tourism initiatives have not only created jobs for people within the villages but also helped to conserve the local lifestyle, environment and traditions by empowering the local communities with opportunities that are sustainable. A classic example of how rural tourism has facilitated rural art is of a small village, Hodka in Gujarat. The village, which lies in Kachchh district of Gujarat, is famous for its Embroidery and Leather Craft, while the surrounding region is known for a variety of crafts such as wood work, lacquer work, copper bells, rogaan work on clothes, block printing and weaving. The village received the much deserved attention when it was chosen as one the 31 rural tourist sites in India by the UNDP and Ministry of Rural Tourism, for an Endogenous Tourism Project owned, built and managed by the community. The village also has a community run resort known as, Sham- e- Sarhad which serves as a local stay for the tourists.  Over, 60 of 600 families in Hodka are engaged in tourism since the venture started in 2005.