ECOTOURISM IN INDIA

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
NAME:ABHISHEK MUKHERJEE
EMAIL ADDRESS:a.mukherjee180@gmail.com
CONTACT DETAILS:FLAT NUMBER - 503,DAKSHINAYAN APARTMENT,SECTOR 4,PLOT
NUMBER 19,DWARKA,NEW DELHI-78,INDIA
PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY: The author is currently pursuing Masters of Business Administration
from Institute of Management and Technology,Nagpur.An Electronics Engineer from NMIMS
University.He has worked with Accenture Services Private Limited for a period of 12 months as a
Software Engineer. He has an entrepreneurship experience of 11 months in the healthcare industry.

ABSTRACT
This study is an attempt to understand the diverse tourism opportunities present in our country and the
various ways to increase our nations income from tourism without hampering the ecological balance. In
India, eco-tourism is still at a nascent stage but the potential is vast. India is a land of diverse geography
and culture. Its topography boasts a varied range of flora and fauna. It is home to numerous rare and
endangered species. There are currently about80 national parks and 441 sanctuaries in India. Numerous
botanical and zoologicalgardens are working towards the enhancement of the ecosystem. Poaching has
beencurbed to a large extent. There are severe punishments for poachers, hunters andillegal traders of
flora and fauna. Several organizations work for the protection of thenatural and cultural resources.
Thenmala in Kerala was the first planned eco-tourismdestination in India. There are also determined
efforts to save the vulnerableHimalayan ecosystem as well as the heritage of its indigenous people.
Resorts tuckeddeep within the jungles of Karnataka, the house-boats of Kerala and the variedwildlife of
Assam all combine to make India one of the most diverse eco-tourismdestinations on the planet.The
hypothesis that was considered: Newer biodiversity rich areas, under Protected Area status or otherwise,
are being rapidly opened for ecotourism. In the absence of coherent policy, regulation and guidelines,
current form of ecotourism has impacted biodiversity; lives and governance systems of communities. This
has resulted in loss of rights and benefits arising from use of biological resources to communities.

Keyword:Ecotourism,Government, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,Chhattisgarh,Madhya

Pradesh,Uttarakhand

1. INTRODUCTION
India is a country of continental dimensions consisting of four distinct regions, namely, the great
mountain zone, plains of the Ganga and the Indus rivers, the desert region and the southern
peninsula.Almost two-thirds of the Himalaya is in the mountain zone of India, including large plateaus
and valleys. The plains of the Ganga and the Indus are formed by basins of three distinct river systems,
the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. The desert region consists of the great desert and the little
desert.The great desert extends from the Rann of Kachchh and runs through the Rajasthan-Sind frontier.
The little desert extends from the Luni River between Jaisalmer and Jodhpur up to the northern wastes.
The peninsular plateau is flanked on one side by the Eastern Ghats and on the other by the Western Ghats.
Between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea there is an arrow coastal strip, while between the Eastern
Ghats and the Bay of Bengal lies a broader coastal area. India is thus endowed with every land form,
mountains, plains, deserts and sea coasts.
Characteristics of the Eco Tourism:
- Involves travel to tranquil and naturally protected areas
-Minimizes negative impact on the environment
- Creates environmental awareness among the travelers
- Advantageous to the local population
- Promotes local cultural heritage
- Stands by Human Rights and Demographic movements

2. RESEARCH METHOD
Following flowchart shows the research method:

2.1. RESEARCH DATA:

The various sources of data were:
1.Secondary Data:
The main secondary sources of data that were inter alia examined were:
Official websites of the respective state governments and Government of India
Promotional material and information provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture - Government of
India and tourism departments of the respective states
2.Ethical Consideration:
The general principles followed in developing this case study are as follows:
all subjects and respondents should take part freely and on the basis of informed consent;
ensuring the confidentiality of information and anonymity of names wherever requested;
ensuring that data is neither fake nor plagiarized and that results are not falsified.

3. AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED FOR ECOTOURISM

i. Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The Department of Environment & Forests - Andaman & Nicobar Islands Administration has proposed to
open up the following islands for ecotourism. The details of the ecotourism activities arementioned in the
divisional working plans approved by the Supreme Court. The various islands are:
1. Saddle Peak
2. Ross Island
3. Kalipur Beach
4. Kalpong hydro power project
5. Ramnagar Beach
6. Karmatang Beach
7.Ray Hill
8.Curlew Island
9. Long Island
10. Guitar Island
11.Cuthbert Bay
12.Merk Bay
13.Barren Island (live volcano)
14.Rutland
15.Wandoor
16.Chidiyatapu
17.Mount Harriet
18. Shoal Bay
19. Constance Bay
20.Interview Island
21.Sound Island
22.Stewart Island
23.NariyalBaluApart from the above, the Ministry of Tourism Government of India has announced an
enhancement of private investment from Rs. 5 crore to Rs.100 crore (equivalent to US$ 1.1 - 21.8
million) in 2004 to build super resorts and luxurious hotels in both the island groups of the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep; ten islands were identified in Andamans including Havelock and
North Passage. The Directorate of Information, Publicity and Tourism, the nodal agency for tourism in
the Islands, has also proposed a new ecotourism circuit at Baratang in November 2004. The then
Lt.Governor Dr. Kapse had earlier inaugurated eco-huts at Mount Harriet National Park for ecotourists
in July 2004
ii. Chhattisgarh
The state of Chhattisgarh has several virgin attractions in protected areas such as Kanger Valley
National Park, Barnawapara, Sitanadi, Udanti and Achanakmar Sanctuaries. Mainpat (Surguja), Keshkal
valley (Kanker), Chaiturgarh (Bilaspur), Bagicha (Jashpur), Kutumbsar caves, Kailash caves, Tirathgarh
falls, Chitrakot falls (Bastar), which are all exhilarating destinations being promoted for nature and
wildlife tourism. Wildlife areas, camping grounds and trekking facilities would be few of the prime
attractions.The policy also states that the endangered Wild Buffalo (Bubalisbubalis) and the even more

endangered Hill Myna (Graculisreligiosapeninsularis), the state animal and state bird respectively will be
protected by ecotourism. Hence ecotourism will help in preserving these and other species of biodiversity.
Iii. Madhya Pradesh The ecotourism sites in Madhya Pradesh are:
a.Existing ecotourism sites
1. Kanha National Park
2.Bandhavgarh National Park 3.Panna National Park
4.Pachmari and Satpura Tiger Reserve
5. Pench National Park
6.Madhav National Park
b.Proposed ecotourism sites:
7. Amarkantak and Dindori Forests
8. Dumna Ecotourism Centre, Jabalpur
9. Kathotia Adventure Point
10.Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary
11.Chambal River
12.Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary
13Orchha Nature Reserve
14.Jhinna Forest Camp
iv. Uttarakhand
The tourism policy of the state states that Uttarakhand has a rare diversity of flora and fauna. This makes
it an ideal area for developing eco-tourism, projects and activities like jungle safaris, trekking on
mountain and forest trails, nature walks, catch and release angling for mahaseer and other fish species. All
these activities have to be conducted in a manner that promotes awareness of environment and helps
maintain the fragile ecological balance. And for the sake of wildlife tourism: Along with the worldfamous Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand has several other breath-taking destinations forWildlife
Tourism. These include the Rajaji National Park, GovindPashuVihar, Asan Barrage, Chilla, and
Saptarishi Ashram, the last four being a delight for bird watchers.
The policy also plans to develop Integrated Eco-Tourism projects and take steps to promote eco-friendly
tourism activities likejungle safaris, nature walks, mountain treks, camping, etc. in a manner that also
promotes awareness and sensitivity towards environment conservation.

4. PROMOTING ECOTOURISM IN INDIA

The key players in the ecotourism business are governments at levels, the localauthorities, the developers
and the operators, the visitors, and the local community.Each one of them has to be sensitive to the

environment and local traditions andfollow a set of guidelines for the successful development of
ecotourism. In addition,non-governmental organizations and scientific and research institutions also have
to play a key role in the development of ecotourism.A management plan for each ecotourism area should
be prepared by professionallandscape architects and urban planners, in consultation with the local
community aswell as others directly concerned. Integrated planning should be adopted to avoidintersectoral and cross-sectoral conflict. A first step should be to prepare 20-year Master Plans for each
state.The architectural program for ecotourism centers should include controlled access points, roads,
self-guided nature trails, transportation options, interpretation centers,signs, observation towers and
adequate but unpretentious lodging and diningfacilities, docks, garbage disposal facilities and other
utilities as needed. If required,suitable living quarters and facilities for project personnel should be
provided.

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Government Responsibilities for Ecotourism1. Regulate structures that create visual pollution, unaesthetic
views and are non-compatible architecture; and encourage use of local building material and structures
befitting the local environment2. Exclude developments in geologically unstable zones and define
development and buffer zones after proper environmental impact assessments.
3. Establish and enforce standards, building codes and other regulations.4. Specify environmental,
physical and social carrying capacities to limitdevelopment.5. Ensure continuous monitoring of adverse
effects of tourism activities and initiatesuitable corrective measures.6. Recognize and award quality by
accreditation of ecotourism operators.7. Provide visitor information and interpretation services covering
particularly
8.Launch training programs on ecotourism for
tourism administrators, planners,operators and the general public.
The roles and responsibilities of tourism developers and operators are fundamental tothe achievement of
ecotourism and the long-term success of the businesses.Role and responsibility of tourism developers and
operators:
1. Respect and follow the planning restrictions, standards and codes provided by thegovernment and local
authorities.2. Implement sound environment principles through self-regulation.3. Undertake
environmental impact assessment for all new projects and conductregular environment audits for all
ongoing activities, leading to development of environmental improvement programs.4. Be aware of, and
sensitive to, protected or threatened areas, species and scenicamenity; undertake landscape enhancement
wherever possible.5. Ensure that all structures are unobtrusive and do not interfere with the
naturalecosystem to the extent possible
6. Recognize the optimal environmental capacity and sociological use-limits of thesite in creating tourist
facilities; also take into account the safety and convenience of tourists.7. Design buildings strictly on
functional and environmental considerations and avoidover-construction.8 Use local material and designs
to the extent possible in construction.9.Employ eco-friendly physical planning, architectural design and
construction of tourist facilities, for example use solar energy, capture and utilize rainwater, recycle
garbage, use natural cross-ventilation instead of air conditioning, ensure a high levelof self-sufficiency in
food through orchards, ecological farms, aquaculture and such.10. Employ energy and water-saving
practices to the extent possible; freshwater management and controlled sewage disposal should also be
practiced.11. Control air emissions, chemical pollutants and noise.12. Control and reduce environmentally

unfriendly products such as asbestos, CFCs, pesticides and toxic, corrosive, infectious, explosive or
flammable material.13. Respect and support historic or religious objects and sites.14. Provide information
and interpretive services to visitors especially on attractionsand facilities, safety and security, local
customs and traditions, prohibitions andregulations and expected behavior.15. Ensure adequate
opportunities for visitors to commune with nature and nativecultures.16. Provide correct information in
marketing ecotourism products, as visitors whoappreciate ecotourism products usually belong to
environmentally- aware groups.17. Include training and research programs on environmental issues for
companystaff.18. Prepare tourists before their visit to minimize possible negative impacts whilevisiting
sensitive environments and cultures.19. Ensure safety and security of visitors and inform them of
precautions to be taken.
Just as the government authorities and the tourism operators play fundamental roles in the success of
ecotourism, so does the tourist. The Responsibilities of Ecotourists:
1. Help conserve habitats of flora and fauna as well as any site, natural feature or culture, which may be
affected by tourism.
2. Make no open fires and discourage others from doing so. If water has to be heated with scarce
firewood, use as little as possible. Where feasible, use kerosene or fuel-efficient wood stoves.
3. Remove litter, burn or bury paper and carry back all non-degradable litter.
4. Keep local water clean and avoid using pollutants such as detergents in streams or springs. If no toilet
facilities are available, relieve yourself at least 30 meters away from water sources and bury or cover the
waste.
5. Leave plants to flourish in their natural environment and avoid taking away cuttings, seeds and roots.
6. Leave campsites clean after use.
7. Help guides and porters to follow conservation measures. Do not allow cooks/porters to throw garbage
in streams or rivers.
8. Respect the natural and cultural heritage of the area and follow local customs.
9. Respect local etiquette and do not wear tight-fitting clothes.
10. Respect privacy of individuals and ask permission to take photographs of local inhabitants.
11.Respect holy places; do not touch or remove religious objects.
12. Strictly follow the guidelines for personal safety and security and always take your own precautions
and safety measures.
If a community wants to host ecotourism, it has a central role to play. The host communitys success in
bringing ecotourism to it and ensuing that the level and type of tourism is compatible with the
communitys aspirations are matters the community can control. The Role and Responsibility of the Host
Community:1. Realize and respect the value of the environment, the flora and fauna, the monuments and your cultural
heritage.
2. Practice conservation of nature and culture as a way of life.
3. Establish guidelines to protect valuable local resources and foster tourism management.
4. React to the potential threat of investors who see opportunities in development but lack sensitivity to
local values.
5. Become effective nature guides and conservationists of natural areas by utilizing practical and ancestral

knowledge of the natural features of the area.

6. Be friendly to the visitors and help them to practice ecotourism principles.

6. MOTIVATION FOR INVOLVEMENT Hotel and travel companies in India functions

in a relatively free environment. The country is slowly but surely moving towards a market economy
where commercial considerations dictate motivation for the private sector to take up various activities.
Crass commercial considerations have, however, to be controlled by the government on behalf of the
public. The environment has to be protected through awareness-generation, legislation, policy and
administrative action. The traveling public is also becoming conscious of the need to protect the
environment, to some extent at least. As a result, many enterprises in the hospitality sector have adopted
environment-friendly practices like conserving energy and water and recycling unutilized hotel outputs.
These can be powerful marketing tools for hotel groups. Furthermore, with the increase in cost of vital
inputs like energy, water etc.; companies are motivated to conserve limited resources by adopting
practices which reduce levels of consumption. Many hotel companies advise their clients to be careful in
the use of lights, water and other hotel services. Civil society has also begun to exercise control over the
environment. Many non-government organizations have been generating awareness about
environmentally destructive practices. Individuals have taken recourse to public interest litigation to stop
environmentally destructive practices. The Indian judicial system has been very liberal in restraining
environmentally hazardous activities. At times, political parties also stop environmentally harmful
practices by agitation and raising issues in democratic forums such as state legislatures. The print and
electronic media have been very active in India in investigating environmentally injurious activities by
highlighting such issues and creating public opinion for environmentally compatible practices. The
Government of India has a Ministry of Environment and Forests with a mandate to oversee use of the
environment in order to conserve it. The Government has also set up institutions like the Central and State
Pollution Control Board to deal with the defaulters. The state governments also have Departments of
Environment and Pollution Control. The Ministry of Tourism has issued ecotourism guidelines for
adoption by all concerned organizations. Some tourism bodies and associations like all concerned
organizations. Some tourism bodies and associations like the Pacific Travel Association has introduced an
ecotourism pledge which requires their members to adopt environment-friendly practices.

7.CONCLUSION
Tourism has proved to be an engine of growth in many economies in the world. It provides for the
generation of income, wealth and employment, and helps in thesustainable development of remote areas.
In India, tourism provides directemployment to 9 million people and indirect employment to another 13
million persons, thus providing a livelihood to 22 million persons. It contributes an estimated2.4% of the
gross national product. Its contribution to the economies of states likeRajasthan, Goa and Kerala are
significant. Although beginning to be understood for its potential to provide for development in India,
tourism still remains a sector thatneeds serious attention.Tourism has proved to have negative impacts as
well as the positive ones. It iscriticized for contaminating indigenous culture. This takes the form of
changingvalues, resulting in social maladies like drug addiction, child prostitution, etc. A far more

widespread negative impact is caused by mass tourism in environmentallyfragile areas like mountains,
hills, deserts and coastal regions. Due to heavy touristtraffic in some areas, the cultural and environmental
assets of the community areunder threat. Although this phenomenon is not widespread in India, there is a
need totake note of the possible negative influences of tourism so that timely preservationaction can be
taken and irreparable loss avoided.The movement towards ecotourism is at once a threat and an
opportunity to createmore sustainable tourism: by diverting tourist traffic to ensure the carrying
capacityof any destination is not exceeded; by planning for regeneration of natural resources; and by
generating awareness in the host community whereby they are prepared andfor earned to deal with the
negative impact of mass tourism.As in most cases, a middle path is the most creative way to maximize the
economic potential of tourism, while at the same time minimizing the negative social influencesand
threats to the environment. Only ecotourism where the tourists, the service providers, the host community
and authorities are well informed and prepared toharness tourism as an engine of growth can yield
sustainable results

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