ECOTOURISM

Presented by :Kanwar Ajit Singh BBA(4508/09) Shubhi Singh BBA(4530/09)

INTRODUCTION
ECO-TOURISM can be defined as a nature based tourism that involves education, interpretation of the natural environment & is managed to be ecologically sustainable. According to The International Ecotourism Society(TIES) in 1990,ecotourism is Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. So ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna & cultural heritage are the primary attractions.

CHARACTERISTICS
 Involves travel to natural destinations

 Builds environmental awareness  Provides direct financial benefits for conservation  Respects local culture  Provides financial benefits and empowerment for local people  Affordability and lack of waste in the form of luxury  Conservation of biological diversity & cultural diversity through ecosystem protection  providing jobs to local populations.  Minimization of tourism s own environmental impact

HISTORY
Hector Ceballos-Lascurian popularized the term ecotourism in july 1983,when he was the Director General of Standards &Technology of SEDUE & founding president of PRONATURA(Mexican conservationist NGO). Others claim the term :- Claus-Dieter Hetzer, an academic & adventurer from Forum International in Berkeley, CA, coined the term in 1965 and ran the first ecotours in the Yucatan during the early 1970s. Ecotourism, responsible tourism, jungle tourism have become prevalent concepts since the mid 1980s, has experienced arguably the fastest growth of all sub-sectors in the tourism industry.

Some basic dos and donts of ecotourism

Dos are as follows : Carry back all no-degradable litter such as empty bottles, tins, plastic bags, etc. these must not litter the environment or be buried.  Observe the sanctity of holy sites,temples, local cultures.  Cut noise pollution. In case temporary toilets are set-up near campsites. Make sure that the spot is at least 30mtrs away from the water source.  Respect people s privacy while taking photographs. Ask for prior permission before taking a picture.

Donts are as follows : Don

t take away flora and fuana in the forms of cuttings, seeds or roots. Its illegal, especially in the Himalayas.

Do not use pollutants such as detergent, in streams or springs while washing and bathing. Do not use wood as fuel to cook food at the campsites. Do not consume aerated drinks, alcohols or drugs in the wild. Do not tempt the locals, especially children by offering them foodstuffs. Polythene and plastics are non-biodegradable and unhealthy for the environment and must not be used and littered.

Eco-tourism in India
 India, the land of varied geography offers several tourist destinations that not just de-stress but also rejuvenate you.  Few places like the Himalayan region, Kerala, the northeast India, Andaman & Nicobar islands & the Lakshdweep islands where one can enjoy the Mother Nature.  Thenmala in Kerala is the first planned ecotourism destination in India created to cater eco-tourists.  Currently, there are 80 national parks and 441 sanctuaries in India which works for the protection & conservation of wildlife resources.  Numerous botanical and zoological gardens in India, which are working towards the enhancement of the ecosystem.

Ecotourism Potential Assessment

In order to explore the tourism potential of an area, thorough study needs to be conducted to assess tourism supporting motivational activities, places & basic infrastructural facilities like roads, hospitals, etc. The use of Remote Sensing & GIS has greatly helped in exploring diverse types of natural & cultural attractions to provide base for designing the travel industry for a responsible mass ecotourism. The North Eastern Region of India comprising 8 states, including Sikkim is a relatively unexplored & unique area, in terms of both geography & cultural diversity as it provides one with a glimpse of a mini India . Kerala, offers the maximum potential for the promotion of ecotourism. Serene beaches, tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, exotic species of rare flora & fauna, cultural monuments, etc has given it the sobriquet of Gods own country. and has been labelled as one of the 10 paradises in the world by the national goegraphic traveler.

Challenges
 Ecotourism has been used by some operators as green marketing for soft adventure products, while giving little consideration to practices &impact on the environmental & local community.  It requires additional planning and may increase start up cost.  Marketing an ecotourism products differ from that of conventional tourism products. The ability to customise tour and access remote destinations are important factor.  Wildlife viewers & other natural history enthusiasts are more fragmented & require a broader selection of advertising tools.  Maintaining the highly trained & diversified workforce requires sound HRM.  May need several operating seasons to generate a return on investors. This require careful consideration in budgeting, startup costs, selection of finance.

Advantages of Ecotourism
 Conservation

Protection Economic Advantage Cultural Advantage Awareness

Disadvantages
displacement of persons, gross violation of fundamental rights and environmental hazards. Illegally keeping endangered species in captivity to attract visitors. Damage to environment. Disruption of ecological life system. Exploitation of local communities and tribes. Various forms of pollution.
 Physical

Different ecotourism places to look for in India

Ecotourism parks are as follows

Bandhavgarh National Park

Place : Sahdol District, Madhya Pradesh, in the central part of India. Major Attractions : Tigers, Leopards, Bears. Area Covered : 448 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : Between the Mid-November to June. The park remains closed during the monsoon months from July to early November. Nearest Attractions : Kalchuri Archeological Remains, Bandhavgarh Fort (14th century fort). Some Major Accesses : Khajuraho (via Satna) 230 km, Varanasi (via Rewa) 340 km, Katni 75 km, Rewa 115 km, Umaria 30 km, Kanha 250 km.

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

Place : Bharatpur, Rajasthan, in the northwestern part of India. Major Attractions : Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Boar, Migratory Birds Area Covered : 29 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : Between the months of August-November for resident breeding birds and October- February for migrant birds. Nearest Attractions : Bharatpur Govenment Museum, Bharatpur Palace, Lohagarh Fort, Deeg Palace (32 km). Some Major Accesses : Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (56 km), Delhi (176 km) and Jaipur (176 km), all of which have airport facilities too.

Corbett National Park

Place : Uttaranchal, in the northern part of India Major Attractions : Tigers, Leopards, Crocodiles Area Covered : 1,200 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : From November 15 to June 15. Corbett remains closed between June 16 and November 14, during the monsoons. Nearest Attractions : Ramnagar (fishing base camp), Lohachaur (15 km) - good place for anglers, Some Major Accesses : Dhikala is about 300 km from Delhi, 145 km from Lucknow and 51 km from Ramnagar.

Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary

Place : Near Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan in the northwestern part of India. Major Attractions : Tigers, Leopards, Boars. Area Covered : 392 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : During the months of October - March and April to June. Nearest Attractions : Ranthambore Fort (the 10th century fort) & Jogi Mahal in the park complex. Bakaula, Kachida Valley, Lakarda and Anantpura are also some place you can visit. Some Major Accesses : Sawai Madhopur (11 km), Alwar, Jaipur (145 km).

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Place : Kumily, Kerala, in the southern part of India. Major Attractions : Elephants, Tiger, Nilgiri Tahr, Nilgiri Langur. Area Covered : 777 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : From the months of October and June. Nearest Attractions : Alleppey, Cradomom Hills, Kumily, Boat Cruises. Some Major Accesses : Kumily (4 km), Madurai (140 km), Cochin or Kochi (200 km), Kottayam (114 km), Ernakulam

Kaziranga National Park

Place : Bokakhat (23 km), Assam in the northeast of India. Major Attractions : Rhinos, Tigers, Leopards. Area Covered : 430 sq-km. Ideal Time to Visit the Park : From mid-November to early April months. Nearest Attractions : The lush coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby Karbi Anglong, the Karbi villages, meet the Karbi people and observe their way of living. Majuli, Sibsagar, Digboi. Some Major Accesses : Bokakhat, Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tezpur.

Ecotourism Destinations
Coorg
Himalayas

Goa

Kerala

Ladakh

Kodaikanal

Sikkim

Rishikesh

Eco Activities
Fishing
Ayurveda Camping Canoeing

Kerala backwaters White water rafting

Trekking

Yoga

Anurayee Ecotourism
Near Bhatsa river, at Kajal Vihir village, Asangaon., Shahapur started in 2007 with the main objective of rebuilding mans relationship with nature

Started on 5 acres of barren land surrounded by tribal people. Agrotourism & .ecotourism is a natural offshoot of this ecofarm. They also provide employment opportunity to tribal people.(kitchen, bullock cart, selling papad etc.

Won the Hirkani Award given by Doordarshan Sahyadri Vahini in Feb-2009.

ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED
Village games Bullock cart ride Play in water Working in farm Teaching medical use of plants and benefits Teach tourist how to care for trees, plants, animals.

Conclusion

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