Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation into the Tourism Sector in Bhutan Ecotourism development mainstreams biodiversity conservation into the tourism sector in Bhutan. Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency. Through its focus on supporting sustainable ecotourism development the project will deliver a range of socioeconomic benefits. The link between global environmental benefits and local livelihoods enhancement is a core part of the project strategy and recognized in the Theory of Change. The project approach recognizes that ecotourism, through its provision of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for local people, can be a lever of change for achieving mutual conservation and livelihood benefits. Where tangible and meaningful economic benefits to local people are realized, and the conceptual link between jobs and conservation is understood, pressures on protected and natural areas for conversion to agriculture and risks of increased HWC or local engagement in wildlife poaching can be reduced.     The links between biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic benefits are recognized in the project results framework which captures both ecological improvement (including global environmental benefits) and local livelihoods enhancement. The project’s socioeconomic benefits are recognized through indicators and targets on livelihoods improvement and direct/indirect beneficiaries. These include:    Household income diversification: 50% (1,230) of local households within the demonstration landscape communities benefitting from ecotourism;Job creation: 468 new jobs created (234 for women) through ecotourism;Household income increase: 20% improvement of total household income within the demonstration landscape;  SME establishment: 60 new local nature/wildlife-based economic enterprises established;  Direct beneficiaries: 16,467 (8,534 female) including people living in demonstration landscape Gewogs (10,361; 5,185 female), local private sector personnel (227; 152 female), national private sector personnel (5,550; 3,128 female), local RGoB Officials (210; 25 female) and national RGoB Officials (119; 44 female);  Indirect beneficiaries: 101,444 (49,444 female) including local communities (97,631; 47,903 female), private sector personnel (2,963; 1,387 female) and RGoB officials (850; 154 female).     In addition, the project’s aim to reduce HWC incidences will provide a range of socioeconomic benefits to local communities that feel the brunt of HWC in some of Bhutan’s HWC hotspots. The project is aiming to achieve at least a 50% reduction in annual HWC incidences in target communities. This reduction of HWC has the potential to bring about substantial development benefits as HWC is one of the biggest challenges facing Bhutan, posing considerable impacts on the rural agrarian population dependent on subsistence agriculture and livestock. These communities lose an average of 18% of total household income to wildlife. Studies reveal that farmers spend 110 days on an average each year guarding their crops. Livestock depredation by wild predators equated to an average annual financial loss of 17% of total per capita cash income. The annual mean livestock loss per household was 1.29 head of stock, which is the equivalent of more than two-thirds of annual cash income. The five districts in the demonstration landscape are among the top six impacted by HWC, with over 70% of the population in Lhuentse, Trashiyangste and Zhemgang affected by HWC. These statistics help illustrate the additional socioeconomic benefits likely to result from the project through the reduction of HWC in the demonstration landscape, along with the conservation benefits to affected wildlife species through a reduction in retaliatory killing and poaching, and more positive community attitudes towards biodiversity and wildlife conservation.