Socio-Economic Impact of Tourism Activity on Local Stakeholders of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Mumbai

Nature-based tourism has the potential to enhance global biodiversity conservation by providing tourism based employment and alternative livelihood strategies for local people, which may alleviate poverty in and around protected areas. The objective of the present investigation was to analyse the socio-economic impact of tourism activity on local stakeholders of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Borivali, Mumbai (Maharashtra). For this study, the data were collected by using questionnaires and indepth interviews of local stakeholders of National park during the period August2014 to April 2015. The findings of the analysis proved that, the significant positive economic impacts among the service providers of SGNP was increased employment and earning opportunities, enhanced standard of living, more investments, infrastructural development, new business linkages and opportunities. Respondents were either directly employed in the park or allowed to provide private service to the visitors. Nearly 75% of the respondents obtained full-time employment by means of the park. The findings suggested that the tourism has succeeded in creating maximum positive change gaininghousehold electronic appliances among the stakeholders. Another aspect of loan borrowing capacity of stakeholder was increased significantly and the number of loan borrowers was nearly 80%. Similarly, substantial (60%) improvement was also seen in educational level. The living conditions of the service providers were found to be better after the generation of employment through SGNP.