Challenges of Eco-Tourism
Challenges of Eco-Tourism
Challenges of Eco-Tourism
CHALLENGES OF ECOTOURISM
SUBMITTED BY:
Yuvraj Goswami
1. Introduction
2. Atidhi Devo Bhavah
3. Importance of Ecotourism
4. Principles of Ecotourism
5. Challenges of Ecotourism
6. Suggestions and policy recommendations
7. Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
potential and job creation. International organizations such as the World Tourism
especially for developing countries like India. It is estimated that economies like India and
China would emerge as the superpowers in world tourism until 2020. Despite the noticeable
growth in tourism2 in recent years and given the excellent growth prospects of the industry,
friendly tourism alone can be sustainable in the long term, and accordingly, the concept of
income and the necessary exchange of foreign currency to national governments while
Tourism is the largest and fastest industry in the world. India's glorious traditions and rich
cultural heritage are closely linked to the development of tourism. In the global scenario,
tourism is the largest industry in the world. Ecotourism has received much attention in recent
initiatives, protected areas, conservation efforts and regional and municipal development
strategies in many places.4 In today’s world ecotourism is the only instrument for sustainable
development. Ecotourism has a lot of leeway and at the same time the rapid growth of
tourism has also had a negative impact on the environment and socio-cultural issues.
1
UNWTO, (10 [8, 2019, 12:12 PM]), http://www2.unwto.org/.
2
INDIA TOURISM STATISTICS AT A GLANCE – 2018, (10 [8, 2019, 12:43 PM]),
http://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/Other/ITS_Glance_2018_Eng_Version_for_Mail.pdf.
3
Rinkesh, What is Ecotourism?, CONSERVE ENRGY FUTURE, (10 [8, 2019, 12:52 PM]), https://www.conserve-
energy-future.com/principles-importance-benefits-ecotourism.php.
4
What is Ecotourism?, THE INTERNATIONAL ECOTOURISM SOCIETY, (10 [8, 2019, 12:55 PM]),
https://ecotourism.org/what-is-ecotourism/.
Ecotourism is "responsible travel to nature, areas that protect the environment and improve
The traditional treatment of a visitor in India is based on the mythological concept of Atidhi
Devo Bhavah (Guest is God). This was the Indian mantra of the tourism sector. The Ministry
of Tourism has launched the "Atithi Devo Bhavah" campaign under an ambitious program to
attract more tourists. The concept is aimed at capacity building for service providers and
stakeholders in tourism sector to alert tourists to the benefits in India and the need to treat
them with traditional care and utmost courtesy. This was done by the New National Tourism
Policy, which revolves around a framework government led, privately driven and welfare
orientated. The tenth plan approach to the sector also aimed to ensure that the tourist comes
to India gets "strengthened, mentally rejuvenated, culturally enriched, spiritually elevated and
feels India in himself ". A nationwide awareness campaign for public awareness of garbage
and graffiti on monuments was raised under the title "Atidhi Devo Bhavah" for the
IMPORTANCE OF ECOTOURISM
In the words of Mark Twain, ‘India is a fabulous world of splendour and rags, the one
country under the sun with an imperishable interest, the one land that all men desire to see’.7
The diversity of wildlife in India is as rich as that of flora and fauna found only in Africa. The
5
Bassam K & Mujeeb Rahman AP, SOCIAL IMPACTS OF ECOTOURISM IN INDIA, 2 IJARIIE 308, (2016).
6
About Tourism, NRIOL, (10 [8, 2019, 12:57 PM]), https://www.nriol.com/india-tourism/hospitality.asp.
7
Mark Twain, GOODREADS, (10 [8, 2019, 13:00 PM]), https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7455303-this-is-
indeed-india-the-land-of-dreams-and.
great wealth of Indian wildlife can be imagined with the sight of majestic elephants, the
dance of the peacock, the camel’s step, the roar of the lion are unparalleled beauty. The
vastness of the flora and fauna in India is unique in the world. This brings out immense
possibilities for wildlife tourism in India. Development of ecotourism has entered an exciting
period in northern India. The Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and The Bay of Bengal have a
India is one of the world's 12 mega countries with a biodiversity and has rich cultural heritage
as well.8 It has a huge potential for ecotourism that needs to be unlocked for the healthy
preservation and conservation of nature and bring about economic benefits for local
communities. Ecotourism in India has developed recently.9 The concept itself is relatively
new. India has spectacular, attractive, natural and cultural tourist attractions. India offers
tremendous diversity in topography, natural resources and climate. There are landlocked
mountain areas regions, lush valleys and plains, white sand beaches and islands. In Central
India there are numerous nature reserves with countless species of flora and fauna.
The most important feature of ecotourism in India is the ability to create great job
potential for the use of natural resources such as landscapes, mountains, biodiversity areas,
Ecotourism is not just a travelogue. There is the message of relationship with nature and its
own inhabitants. India became a very common country for ecotourism, because of its natural
resources and beauty. Ecotourism focuses on Indian local cultures, wilderness, adventures
8
India – Country Profile, CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, (10 [8, 2019, 13:03 PM]),
https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/default.shtml?country=in.
9
Eco Tourism in India, ECO INDIA, (10 [8, 2019, 13:07 PM]), http://www.ecoindia.com/eco-tourism-in-
india.html.
10
Importance of Eco-Tourism in India, SHODHGANGA, (10 [8, 2019, 13:07 PM]),
https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/19757/14/14_chapter3.pdf.
and environment protection. In India, the movement wins with more travel and travel-related
organizations to meet the needs of eco tourists and promotion of ecotourism in the country.
As a concept, ecotourism has gained momentum in India lately, but as a lifestyle Indians have
practiced ecotourism since time immemorial by using traditional approach to nature and its
rich cultural heritage. The immense popularity of ecotourism in India stems from the fact that
people are increasing awareness of environmental hazards and the importance of the
existence of diverse flora and fauna.11 The ecological diversity of India is probably the most
diverse in the world. Ecotourism does not disturb or change the actual biodiversity of India; it
Ecotourism in India is a niche industry that has developed mainly in India over the last few
tourism. This has often been the case with tourism destinations in India, where the ecological
balance of a fragile area has deteriorated drastically due to the pressure of tourism. Therefore,
the country is trying to promote tourism in a region in such a way that it generates significant
revenue without disturbing the sensitive ecosystem in the region. This type of tourism is
extremely important to India bearing in mind that it has one of the richest biodiversity in the
world.
The Indian topography has a rich flora and fauna. India has numerous rare and endangered
species in its environment. The declaration of several nature reserves and national parks has
promoted growth of wildlife resources.12 Today, India has many nature reserves and
protection laws.
11
Megan, What Exactly is Ecotourism, MAPPINGMEGAN, (10 [8, 2019, 13:07 PM]),
https://www.mappingmegan.com/what-is-ecotourism/.
12
Eco Tourism in India, ECO INDIA, (10 [8, 2019, 13:13 PM]), http://www.ecoindia.com/eco-tourism-in-
india.html
India has numerous botanical and zoological gardens which work towards improving the
ecosystem. There are serious punishment for poachers, hunters and illegal traders of animals
and trees. There are several animal and plant rights organizations that stand for the rights of
animals and plants. Numerous organizations and NGOs have put in effort in providing
geographical diversity and wonders and hence, offers excellent opportunities for ecotourism.
No country in the world offers so many geographical varieties as much as India. India offers
Ecotourism in India is beginning to qualify for the attention of tourists, government and
entrepreneurs for obvious reasons. India has enough potential in ecotourism to meet the
India and it generates directly or indirectly about 3.8% of total employment generation every
year in India.
India is full of topographical variations with amazing scenic beauty. Mountain ranges of the
Himalayas, golden beaches, impenetrable forests and many water bodies along with a rich
mix of culture provoke people all over the world to travel to India. Ecotourism is the best way
to enjoy the charisma of nature without damaging it and for the admiration of the wonders of
nature.
13
India, OVERVIEW OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, (10 [8, 2019, 13:19 PM]),
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/CSB-IND.pdf.
PRINCIPLES OF ECOTOURISM14
Basically, ecotourism means causing as little pollution as possible and contributing to the
habitats when visiting a location. This is a responsible form of tourism and tourism
development that promotes the return to natural products in all walks of life. It is also the key
This means that those who implement ecotourism and participate in such activities should
o Minimize impact
14
Bassam K & Mujeeb Rahman AP, SOCIAL IMPACTS OF ECOTOURISM IN INDIA, 2 IJARIIE 308, (2016).
CHALLENGES OF ECOTOURISM
"Tourism has a tendency to become something like a steamroller wherever it goes. It can
The quote tries to define the benefit of ecotourism in comparison to mass tourism. Creating a
concept is much easier than its implementation and it comes in handy when we say that
That's true with the concept ecotourism around the world. Indian ecotourism industry is
successful but faced with a number of problems that are detrimental. There are number of
topics relating to ecotourism in India, which are against the principle of concept.16
1. Environmental Issues:-
One of the most disturbing facts about ecotourism is that it promotes especially the
expropriation of wilderness area, national parks, isolated tribal areas and even areas
without permanent traces of settlement. Tourists who opt for such tourism often
belong to the wealthy classes of the society and are able and willing to pay for
anything they want and hence, consumption is the main topic here. Tour operators
always succumb to the demands of visitors and to facilitate and entertain them, they
build completely artificial landscape in the area that have mega-resorts, luxury hotels
and shopping centres. Such changes cost almost the entire ecosystem.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, many species of flora and fauna lose their natural
habitat. In the long term this can even lead to species extinction. Tourism competes
with other forms of development and human activity for natural resources, especially
15
Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay, Towards responsible tourism, FRONTLINE, (10 [8, 2019, 13:25 PM]),
https://frontline.thehindu.com/static/html/fl1904/19040830.htm.
16
Risks and Benefits of Eco Tourism, ECO INDIA, (10 [8, 2019, 13:29 PM]),
http://www.ecoindia.com/sustainable-tourism/risks-and-benefits-of-eco-tourism.html.
land and water. The use of natural resources then leads to the transformation of
ecological habitats and loss of flora and fauna. Land transformation for tourism
development can directly destroy ecological habitats. The use of resources for tourism
is associated with “opportunity costs” as these are denied usage by other sectors for
economic development.
2. Socio-Economic Issues:-
Just because such a thing is marketed as ecotourism does not necessarily mean the
for the reception areas will be achieved. The fact that ecotourism companies are often
owned and controlled by external interests as well as mass tourism, the economic
benefits are often not used for the protection of the territories or in support of the local
a result there is a breakdown of civilian facilities during the peak season when the
One of the main goals of ecotourism is to involve local communities to benefit from
environmental education. While most of the inhabitants are nearby, they are directly
affected by the establishment of parks and protected areas but also benefit from their
conservation. Ecotourism deceives the locals in two ways. First, their traditional
income and rational distribution of profits are extremely insincere. These locals get
jobs, but only of low quality, low value and seasonal nature. They usually serve as
tour guides, caterers or souvenir sellers in the location. The lion's share of the revenue
is attributable exclusively to organizers. It can therefore be said that the costs of
ecotourism are borne by locals and big players like organizers make a profit.
The tax paid by tourists in India is the highest in the world. Compared to other Asian
countries the tax rate is between 3 and 6%. Indian hotels charge about 40% tax.
Another important factor for the limited exploitation of tourism potential of the
government policy, lack of coordination between the Centre and the State
governments in the promotion of tourism, involving too many intermediaries, big gap
• Improve and add value to existing destinations / packages and create new one.
• Private sector tour operators should be encouraged to come forward and take part in
17
Bassam K & Mujeeb Rahman AP, SOCIAL IMPACTS OF ECOTOURISM IN INDIA, 2 IJARIIE 308, (2016).
• The government tour operators, local tourism promoters should work hand in hand in
sector.
• Agencies, corporations, groups and individuals should follow ethical and other
principles with respect the culture and environment of the host area.
• Tourism should be undertaken with equity in mind to distribute fairly benefits and
made available.
aviation.
• What is now essential is that the players of tourism or stakeholders of the tourism
industry should take all possible steps to implement plans and strategies which
• We need to leverage our heritage and culture, the richest in the world. We need to
Given the large geographical and biological diversity, the scope of application of
ecotourism in India is very high. If these resources are used successfully, we can change
the face of the ecotourism industry in India. What is actually needed is careful planning
enormous biodiversity that is not found anywhere else in the world. It however, must be
recognized that there are still immense potentials to be tapped with regard to the optimal
use of available natural resources. Well done ecotourism can be of great benefit to
biodiversity.
There are a few factors that have greatly promoted ecotourism in India. India, however, is
full of potential has not yet been exhausted and in the coming years the country can count
on harvesting some great rewards considering the enormous potential of the ecotourism
At this time, the government has to devote attention to the needs of the ecotourism
industry. It is assumed that the tourism industry will be the largest industry in the world