Ecotourism for sustainable development: A study on environmental awareness of tourists

Ecotourism means proper organization of tourism activities and conservation of nature with an aim of maintaining an appropriate balance between the demands and necessities of tourism and ecosystem. One of the indispensable pre-requisites of ecotourism is the participation of local communities since ecotourism is supposed to generate opportunities for sustainable livelihood for them. In the 10^th plan tourism has been identified as one of the most important sources for employment generation and promotion of sustainable livelihood. Tourism is an enormous and widespread industry which is growing at a phenomenal pace across the world. Its impact on social, economic, and environmental fronts are also felt worldwide. These impacts can be positive or negative, or having mixed bearing especially on our fragile ecosystem. Ecotourism, a type of sustainable tourism, is usually conducted in largely untouched natural areas, which tend to be both environmentally and socially sensitive. Ecotourism aims to extend the positive impacts, through a special focus on conservation, benefits for host populations, and the education of tourists. This study was conducted at various resorts of North Bengal and Sikkim involving foreign and domestic tourists. The findings of the study reveal that domestic tourists are largely unaware of the conventions and practices to be labeled as eco-tourists compared to their foreign counterparts. The stake holders should take initiative to educate the domestic tourists so that mass tourism is avoided to help protect our ecosystem.