Eco-tourism potential along the Indian coasts

Abstract

Tourism has recently become one of the major industries in India. The concentration of tourism in India is on the historical as well as religious places, hill stations and to some extent the beaches. Eco-tourism is a new concept being considered in India for creating awareness in education, research, conservation, sustainable utilization and management of flora and fauna. India has several biosphere reserves, marine parks and sanctuaries having different eco-biological components and uniqueness in flora and fauna. These reserves have attracted several domestic and foreign tourists. However, inspite of the very interesting scenic spots with rich biodiversity, these areas have not received much attention for eco-tourism due to the lack of tourist oriented spots/recreation as well as infrastructural facilities and poor media coverage highlighting the unique and varied biota of the region. It is however, necessary to have proper management plan with stringent measures to control pollution and minimize the impact of tourism on the coastal ecosystems, keeping in view the total carrying capacity of the area.