Ecotourism in India: An Overview

Today tourism has become a white collar, environment – friendly industry and one of the largest and fastest growing industries employing the largest number of labour force and a major economic force in the contemporary world. Ecotourism is a form of tourism that is inspired primarily by the natural history and the environment of an area. Ecotourism is a purposeful travel to natural area to understand their natural and cultural history. Care is taken not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing economic opportunities that make conservation of natural recourses beneficial to the local people. It has grown as a consequence of dissatisfaction, which arose on account of the inappropriate implementation of mass tourism. Ecotourism is the management of ecology, in a way to obtain maximum pleasure with an eye on conservation needs. The tourists are responsible in the sense that they never try to alter the integrity of ecosystem, and are respectful to the fragile environment. Being an environment friendly activity, ecotourism aims at prompting environmental values and ethics preserving nature in its uninterrupted form. It thus benefits wildlife and nature by contributing towards ecological integrity. Participation of the local communities ensures economic benefits for them, which in the longer run can ensure a better status and an easier life. This paper is an attempt to discuss the concept, ethics and significance of ecotourism, scenario of ecotourism in tourism industry and its role in economic development in Indian perspectives.