DISSERTATION 2013 ECO TOURISM-A solution for Wayanad?

DATE: 26/09/2013 GUIDE: ANIKA MITTAL CO.ORDINATOR: PROF. PRABHJOT SINGH SUGGA

DISSERTATION2013

ECO TOURISM- A solution for Wayanad?

Muhammed Iyas A/2202/2010 IVth YR B Arch, SPA Delhi

RESEARCH QUESTION

Can eco-tourism bring a positive change in the ecology and economy of the eco sensitive zones of Wayanad district??

INTRODUCTION Last summer vacation, I

was visiting a construction site of a resort in one of the serene

hills of Wayanad. I went there with my uncle, who is in charge of

the work. The site had a splendid view of which I was wondering.

Then my uncle said “if things are going like it is being going

right now in the district, the beauty of the district won’t last

for more than 10 years.” This is when I started looking at the

changes happening to my district and a thought generated in my

mind to study about the issue in detail. And so I decided to

study about the issues in my district as my dissertation.

Wayanad is a northern district

of Kerala which falls in the western ghat region. Western ghats

being a world heritage site, is one of the world’s hottest spot

in ecological sensitivity. Wayanad comes under the Chandragiri

ranges of Western Ghats and contain a series of protected areas

and eco sensitive areas. Wayanad, which shares border with

Tamilnadu and Karnataka is a key district in terms of its

2 Eco tourism- An option for Wayanad| DISSERTATION 2013

connectivity with these states and also for the unique ecological

value it is having. The district has an exotic climate most of

the year, with serene natural landscape spread all around. Every

year the district attracts tens of thousands of people because of

its unique natural beauty. And as a result there is mass

development happening throughout the district to cater to the

needs of the tourists. And most of these activities are affecting

the eco sensitive areas in the district which in fact is

destroying the natural setting of the district itself. The

district which was once famous for its spices and medicinal

plants is now in news for its farmer suicides, conservation cry

and tourism boom.

The two panels, recently

appointed by the central government says in their study reports’

regarding Western Ghats that there should be a complete check

towards the present trends of development in the district and eco

sensitive development such as eco-tourism should be promoted

instead. As the people coming to the district are in search of

natural beauty rather than luxury, eco-tourism has a great role

to play here. So it is in this context that i would like to study

about the eco-tourism and its effect on the ecology and economy

of Wayanad. As the number of tourist arriving the district is

showing a steep inclination in the graph every year, the

atmosphere of the district has started its change from

traditional agriculture and plantation industries to the new

tourism industry of home stays, resorts, souvenir shops,


restaurants etc. The change can be seen in every small town in

the district. This in fact is bringing a drastic change in the

lifestyle, production and economics of the district.

So the problem here is about

keeping a balance between the development and conservation.

Finding an alternative for the dept hit farming class, making use

of the blessed natural beauty of the district, and at the same

time conserving the natural setting as it is, is the challenge

facing by the district in the present situation. And among the

proposals eco tourism is the one in lime light and there is been

attempts to start the eco tourism initiative in the district. And

I am attempting to study about eco tourism, its relevance in the

district of Wayanad, its effect on the economics and ecology of

the district, to know the effectiveness of eco tourism as a game

changer in the district.

SCOPE The dissertation topic is relevant to a vast area.At least the areas that comes under the Western Ghats. But my

scope of study will be limited to the district of Wayanad only.

And more focus will be given to the eco sensitive areas in the

district during the study process. As a part of my research a

detailed study will be done on protected areas and eco sensitive

zones, which is directly connected to the topic of study. But

that will be done on a general basis and not district specific.


The subject in general is very vast. So i would like

to narrow down my research onto some selected areas only. The

study shall include a basic overview about tourism, tourists and

their interests. Only eco tourism will be studied in detail and

no other form of tourism will be a part of discussion. Eco

tourism will be studied in detail with giving more importance to

an architectural point of view. Eco practices, mode of

accommodation, mode of transport etc. in eco tourism will be

studied in detail.

History won’t be a part of the research and main

focus will be done on understanding the present situations and

problems in the district. Present time frame includes past 10

years and coming 10 years. Things beyond this time frame won’t be

studied in detail.

Study will be based on the ecological and economical

aspects only. And no other impacts will be studied as a part of

dissertation. And the dissertation will be a generalized study

about the district and no study will be done on different sites

in the district separately, though it is necessary to do it in

case of implementation of the proposal. Then that will be more of

a design problem than a research topic.

And as a part of research, case studies from different

parts of the world will be analysed to know the

ecological and economical impact of eco tourism. And for case


studies only places coming under eco sensitive

zones will be selected

LIMITATIONS Time is the foremost limitationfor me to study the topic in detail as it is quite vast in its

content. And the fact that the area of study, Wayanad is quite

far from Delhi makes it impossible to do primary study which is

necessary for a complete and detailed study. Maximum primary data

will be collected during the few days of vacation. But time is

again a limitation there. The fact that only few studies have

been conducted on the district makes it a limitation to collect

secondary data as well.

The involvement of politics makes it

difficult to understand the real problem due large scale

campaigning and protest done in the district on development and

conservation. And the vastness of the subject makes it difficult

to limit the study at certain frames.

No study will be done on various

tourist spots in the district, neither will be dealing with the

luxury or comfort providing by the resorts in the district. The

study of impact of tourism on ecology will be done from secondary

sources only. And the questionnaire cannot include people from


all walks of life as going back to wayanad won’t be possible

during the time period available.


THE DISTRICT- WAYANAD

Wayanad District, in the north-east of Kerala, India, was

formed on November 1 , 1980 as the 12th district, carved out of

Kozhikode and Kannur districts. The etymology of the word Wayanad

is Vayal (paddy) Naad (land); 'Land of Paddy Fields'. There are

many indigenous tribes in this area. It is set lofty on the

majestic Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100

Meters above mean sea level

The landscape of the district is intermix of valleys and hills

with forests, tea and coffee plantations, paddy fields, spices

and other crops. Wayanad is quite rich in varieties of species.

Especially for food security, this is, over the years, depleting

due to various reasons. It is also known for a high degree of

endemism. The district contains two main wildlife sanctuaries,

different lakes, peaks and other ecologically significant

features.

Comprising an area of 2,132 sq. kilometers, Wayanad has a

powerful history. The district was once completely forested and

devoid of significant human presence. Countless evidences about

New Stone Age civilization can be seen on the hills of Wayanad.

The Edakkal caves, with pictures on their walls and pictorial

writings, speak volumes of the bygone era and civilisation.

Recorded history of this district is available from the 18th

century. Rajas of the Veda tribe ruled this land in ancient

times. Pazhassi Rajahs of Kottayam royal dynasty started ruling


the area later on. Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore, invaded

Wayanad and brought it under his rule. Wayanad was restored to

the Kottayam royal dynasty in the days of Tipu. When British

came, the Rajah was driven to the wilderness of Wayanad, he

organised several guerrilla type encounters with the help of

Kurichiya tribes, a sort of people's militia and engaged the

British. But he failed finally and Wayanad fell into the hands of

the British and with it came a new turn in the Home of this area.

The British authorities

opened up the plateau for cultivation of tea and other cash

crops. Roads were laid across the dangerous slopes of Wayanad,

from Kozhikode and Thalassery. These roads were extended to the

cities of Mysore and Ooty through Gudalur. Through the roads

poured in settlers from all parts of Kerala and the virgin forest

lands proved a veritable goldmine with incredible yields of cash

crops. The settlers include farmers who came all the way from

south Kerala and business class who came from the northern parts.

When the State of Kerala came into being in November 1956,

Wayanad was part of Kannur district. Later, south Wayanad was

added to Kozhikode district. In order to fulfill the aspirations

of the people of Wayanad for development, north Wayanad and South

Wayanad were carved out and joined together to form the present

district of Wayanad. This district came into being on November 1,

1980 as the 12 district of Kerala. And it showed a significant

increase in population since independence. Between 1970 and 2000

the population of the district doubled. As a result of the


unplanned development and interventions of this increased

population, the ecology of the region is degrading over the last

few years. The uncontrolled mining of stone and sand for the

construction industry had affected the landscape and ecology of

the region to an alarming level. The effect of ecological

degradation on local livelihood is visible through the intense

water scarcity, changing climate pattern, flash floods,

landslides etc. So it calls for an immediate adaptation to the

changing climate and a climate resilient development in the

district through careful study. (invis)

GENARAL FEATURES


Map courtesy: www.maps of India .com

Topography

Wayanad lies between north latitude 110 27' and 150 58' and east

750 47' and 700 27'. It is bounded on the east by Nilgiris of

Tamilnadu and Mysore districts of Karnataka. There is Coorg

district of Karnataka on the north, Malappuram a district in

Kerala in south and the districts of Kozhikode and Kannur on the

west.

Geography


Wayanad stands at the southern tip of Deccan plateau. And the

majestic Western Ghats run through the district. Making it a

place of impressive ridges and deep valleys. The ridges are

covered with dense forest. There is an intermix of lakes, rivers,

springs, large fields, and jungles throughout the district. And

it has got a rugged terrain.

Climate

Wayanad has a salubrious climate. The mean average rain fall in

this district is 2322 mm. Lakkidi, Vythiri and Meppadi are the

high rainfall areas in Wayanad. Annual rain fall in these areas

ranges from 3,000 to 4,000mm. High velocity winds are common

during the south west monsoon and dry winds blow in March-April.

High altitude regions experience severe cold. In Wayanad

(Ambalavayal) the mean maximum and minimum temperature for the

last five years were 29oC and 18oC respectively. This place

experiences a high relative humidity which goes even up to 95 per

cent during the south west monsoon period. Generally, the year is

classifed into four seasons, namely, cold weather (December-

February), hot weather (March-May), south west monsoon (June-

September) and north east monsoon(October-November). The dale,

'Lakkidi', nestled among the hills of Vythiri taluk has the

highest average rainfall in Kerala. The average rain fall in

Wayanad is 300mm. per year.

Flora and fauna


The floras of Wayanad are the characteristic species of Western

Ghats and with that the plantation trees in cool climate. Coffee

plantation covers a major portion of Wayanad’s land area. Wild

tree species like Rose-Wood, Anjili (Artocarpus), Mullumurikku

(Erthrina), several species of caussia and many other non-

descript varieties are still preserved here and there. They are

planted to shade the coffee plants. These trees give a semblance

of wilderness to the landscape of Wayanad. In a majority of

coffee plantations, the age-old species are replaced by the

silver-oak which is suited to the cold climate. They are used as

support for pepper to climb up as well. It is used in the plywood

industry also and thus is economical to the farmers. Eucalyptus

grandis, a shorter variety of eucalyptus, whose fragrant smell

suffuses the very air around it, is cultivated on a large scale

in certain parts of the district. Eucalyptus oil is extracted on

commercial basis from its leaves. Of the 20,864 hectares of

reserve forest, the major portion is teak plantation. Arecanut

palms and jack trees are also grown here. Tea is grown as an

industry in large estates. The soil and climate of Wayanad are

suitable for horticulture on commercial basis. For promoting the

cultivation of vegetables and raising of orchards, the Kerala

agricultural university is running a regional agricultural

research station at Ambalavayal. With the clearing of forests,

the diverse and buzzing animal life, characteristic of the

forests of Western Ghats, has vanished from Wayanad. One can

still see the bonnet monkeys, Loris, mongooses, jungle cats,


squirrels, jackals, hares, etc. in the limited forest areas.

Elephant, bear and other wild animals from the neighboring wild

life sanctuaries of Karnataka and Tamilnadu, stray into the Begur

forest range and the forests around Muthanga, which is 20

kilometers away from the town of Sulthanbathery (Organisation,2012)

People

One important characteristic feature of this district is the

large tribal population, consisting mainly of Paniyas, Kurumas,

Adiyars, Kurichyas, Ooralis, Kadans, Kattunaikkans are the

different aboriginal tribes of Wayanad. Wayanad district stands

first in the case of tribal population (about 36%) among other

districts in the state.

Wayanad has a large settler population. There are people from

almost all parts of Kerala who migrated to this fertile land for

building up their lives. Wayanad has a small Jain community

consisting of Gowders who came from Karnataka. One fourth

population of Wayanad is constituted by Christians. Muslims

constitute another one fourth population and rest of the

population belongs to Hindus.

Culture

Culture of Wayanad is a mixture of different regions and

religions as it has a mixture of migrated people from different

parts of Kerala. The traditional culture of the district is that


of the tribal community, which is now facing extinction due to

the transformation of tribal lifestyle to that of everyone else

around. The festivals in temple, churches and masjids are the

main cultural events in the district besides the annual flower

shows and monsoon fests. Annual tribal fest held at Valliyoorkavu

temple, fest of Pallikunnu church, and the annual rituals in

Tirunelli temple are the main attractions among the events in the

district.

Economy

Wayanad is 3.79% urbanized. Agriculture is the backbone of the

economy. Coffee, tea, banana, pepper, and ginger are the main

crops. Besides these cash crops, rice is the most important crop

in the district besides these cash crops. Wayanad was named as

one of the 250most backward district in the country In 2006 by

the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. It is one of the two districts

in Kerala currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions

Grant Fund Programme

Wayanad was selected with the district of Palakkad to benefit

from the NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) enacted

by the current UPA. The daily wage under NREGS at Rs. 125,

regardless of gender, in Kerala is the highest among all the

states. This scheme has helped the poor and lower middle class to

improve their purchasing power.


Besides agriculture the source of income for the district is the

overseas money send by the people working mainly in gulf

countries. A large number of youths, mainly from muslim community

has migrated to gulf countries for work. Bangalore is the place

of work in india for another large section of people in the

district.

Last 5 years has witnessed a boom in tourism industry, which is nowthe source of income for a large number of people. A large number inthe district is now connected to the tourism industry either directlyor indirectly. (India today: march 2009)

DEVELOPMENT AND THE DISTRICT

Wayanad is the most backward district in Kerala. Due to its

geographical seclusion from the rest of the state, developmental

projects newer came to Wayanad as it was happening in the rest of

the districts in Kerala. NH 212 connecting Mysore, Bangalore to

Calicut and rest of Kerala run through the district and that is

the only proper mode of connectivity of the district besides the

ghat roads of Paalchuram and Periya which connects the district

with Kannur.

It is only recently that the decision making bodies have taken

the district seriously and has came up with some developmental

proposals in the background of the mass flow of tourist to the

district. the developments in the district is happening in

various sectors as the agricultural sector in the district is


failing year by year and the number of farmer suicide in the

district has rised to alarming levels.

Wayanad has very low industrialisation. There are no major

industries, except for processing units related to plantation

crops and few timber and rice mills. The town Kalpatta has an

industrial estate which has few units operational.

Infrastructure

The district has a poor connectivity with the rest of the state.

Wayanad is still not a part of the railway map of the country.

Though the demand for a railway line connecting Malabar to Mysore

has been there from the time of British raj itself. A new

proposal for an elevated railway bridge is in motion as the main

block for the railway line was from the forest and wildlife

department. Roadways are the only mode of connectivity within and

outside the district, with many villages without having a bus

stop. NH 212 helped in large scale logistics and thus helped the

development of the district. But the ban of night traffic on the

highway has affected the flow of people and goods badly in the

district. A new proposal for a feeder airport is now the topic of

discussion in the district. The authority is surveying land to

acquire for the airport in spite of the mass protests happening

against the proposal.

80 to 90% of people in the district has access to health services

and daily markets near to them. DM Wayanad Institute of Medical

Science opened in 2012 has opened a new stage in medical


facilities in the district. with a proposal for a new medical

collage by the state government the long cry of the people for

better medical facilities is answered.

Architecture

Industry

Various industries prominent in the district will be discussed here,

which are the driving factors of the district’s economy. By industry

here means the sector in which people in the district finds their

livelihood. On the same basis more analysis will be done on the

largest industries in detail. The effect of these industries on the

economy and ecology of the district will also be studied here, in

detail.

ANALYSIS OF IMPACT OF THESE ACTIVITIES

This part will be more about the impacts and effects of the above

discussed developments and

projects on the district. The impacts are studied under three main

subheadings such as ecological, economical, and architectural.

Impacts of both existing and proposed developments will be studied

with data collected from various institutes and boards.

Ecological impact

More focus will be given to the ecological impacts as it is a highly

sensitive ecological zone. Study will be done on the basis of data

collected for past 50 to 100 years as no data will be available at all

for the previous years. Climate change, impact on flora and fauna,

water crisis … will be studied specifically.


Economic impact

The impact on the economy of the district will be discussed here. And

the effects on the living standards of people will be discussed here.

A brief analysis will be done in case if there is an accumulation of

wealth on a separate class of people to find the reason.

Impact on architecture

Here I would like to discuss the impact on architecture in the

district due to the above discussed factors. The change from

vernacular to present day architecture in the district will be

analysed with its effect on the quality and crisis in this industry.

RECENT STUDIES AND PROPOSALS

There has been different studies and researches done on the

district by various government and non-government organizations

regarding the district, which will be studied here. More focus will be

done on studies done in the field of ecology and economy. The recent

and important studies and declarations among them will be discussed

one by one under separate subheadings.

There is very less studies done on Wayanad as such. But there are

many researches and reports done on Western Ghats of which

Wayanad is a part. These studies are relevant in the conservation

of natural resources in Wayanad as well.

The Western Ghats was declared an ecological sensitive hotspot in

1988 by the efforts made by ecologist Norman Myers

XXI meeting of the Indian board for wildlife held on 21st January

2002 resulted in the adoption of a wildlife conservation


strategy-2002 which says that lands falling within 10kms of the

boundaries of natural parks and sanctuaries should be notified as

eco fragile zones under section 3 of environmental protection

act.

Most of the human habitation and other areas including major

cities in these regions would come under this title of EZS. Thus

it brought protest from various regions.

National board for wildlife, in their second meeting on 17th

march 2005 declared that the declination of ESZ would have to be

site specific and relate to regulation rather than prohibition of

specific activities.

In November 2009, the then minister of environment and forest,

Jairam Ramesh said “the western Ghats have to be made an ESZ. And

the government will not give sanction to projects of mining and

power generation in this region”

In august 2011, the Western Ghats ecology expert panel declared

that the entire western ghat is an ESZ. And they assigned three

levels of sensitivity to the different regions of the Western

Ghats.

Most of the suggestions made by the WGEEP were not acceptable by

the various state governments and thus the central government.

There was a wider issue that the report has not considered the

existing human settlements and business centers while demarking

the zones. And prohibition of any development in most of the

regions brought larger protest from people against the

implementation of the report. Thus the central government


appointed another body the high level working group headed by Dr.

Kasthurirangan to study the issue and they prepared a new report

which was much more flexible towards the development in these

areas.

Proposal for tiger reserve

There is a proposal to make a tiger reserve in the district which

called for lots of discussions in the district. The proposal will be

discussed here with its pros and cons. Peoples part of the issue will

also be discussed here.

Madhav Gadgill report

Madhav Gadgill is the head of a committee appointed by the supreme

court of india to study about the western Ghats of India which

contains Wayanad district also. So the committee report will be

studied here. The response of people about te report will also be

discussed here.

Kasthuri Rangan report

It is another committee appointed by the central govt. due to the

large scale protest against the previous study. The committee report

called the High Level Working Group Report will be studied here, with

its pros and cons discussed.

PROTECTED AREAS

What is protected area?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN)

definition of a protected area is the most widely recognised


definition for it. The most recent revised definition of the

protected area was given by the IUCN to the 2008 World

Conservation Congress as follows:

“A protected area is a clearly defined geographical space,

recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other

effective means, to achieve the long term conservation of nature

with associated ecosystem services and cultural

values.” - Dudley, N. (ed.) (2008) Guidelines for Appling

Protected Areas Management Categories. IUCN: Gland, Switzerland.

P.8-9

It is not a new concept or idea but a concept which has been

evolved over time with a core idea of protecting important

resources and places.

These areas are internationally considered as areas set aside

primarily for nature and biodiversity conservation and are an

important measure in managing species and ecosystems.

Every country in the world has designated many protected areas.

The main purpose of doing this is generally universal. It is done

with an intension of limiting human occupation and restricting

the exploitation of natural resources.

Why protected areas?

The reasons behind the making of the concept of protected areas will

be discussed here. The need of the title will be discussed in detail.

Types of PAs


The various types of protected areas around the world will be

mentioned here with a brief description on each of them.

ECO SENSITIVE ZONES

What is ESZ?

Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) is a concept which is easier to

perceive than to define. In fact there is no unequivocally

accepted definition for the term.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Environmentally Sensitive Zones,

Ecologically Sensitive Ecosystem, Ecologically Sensitive Sites

etc., can be used as a synonym to the term depending on the

location and site to use the term. Most of the time, the term is

used with variable meanings. So more than a definite definition,

the ESA can be characterised by a set of criterion. Though all

the criteria might not hold for it. One of the common such

criterion is that environment which is least resilient to changes

and which cannot be restored once degraded.

McMillan Dictionary defines environmentally sensitive area as an

area where the natural environments can easily be harmed.

(gadgil, 2011)

But in the report the ecological panel of prof. Madhav Gadgil

prefers the definition of ecologically sensitive areas as those

areas, that are ecologically and economically very important, but

vulnerable to even mild disturbances and hence demands

conservation. And ecologically and economically important areas


are those areas which are biologically and ecologically rich,

valuable or unique and those which irreplaceable once destroyed

due to their uniqueness. ESAs are considered as ecologically

significant areas also, as they are significant due to their

ecological, economical, biological, cultural value. the WGEEP

consider ESAs as ecologically significant areas. (gadgil, 2011)

Why ESZ?

The need of demarcating ESZs will be studied here with the importance

of conservation of these areas.

Types of ESZ.

ESZS OF WAYANAD

Various ESZs of Wayanad will be marked and studied in detail in

here. These areas will be analysed on the basis of the protected areas

they are associated with. Their importance in a macro level and the

necessity of the conservation of these areas will be discussed here.

DEVELOPMENT IN ESZ

This chapter will be discussing about the paradigm of development and

conservation of ESZs. The approach of development in these areas

around the world will be studied here. The debate whether we should

allow developments in these areas or not will be done here. And the

methods of developments to be done will be discussed here if it is

supposed to be. People’s opinion from these areas will be included

here. This chapter contains two subheadings which will describe

successful examples of development in ESZs. This is more like a case


study. But will be done only through secondary source and only the

development models will be discussed unlike a case study.

Examples from India

In here successful developmental model of ESZs in India will be

discussed. More than the ESZ, the method of developments will be

discussed.

Examples from other parts of world

Same as the above subheading methods of developments around the world

will be discussed here.

ECO TOURISM AS A PROPOSAL

This chapter will discuss eco-tourism as a proposal for the

development of ESZs of Wayanad.

It will analyse various researches and studies which proposes eco-

tourism as an answer for the developmental aspiration of the district.

Discussion will be done on the practicality of eco-tourism in the

district. This chapter will be divided into subheadings as below

Supply and demand of tourism in Wayanad

Here tourism in the district will be studied in detail. The statistics

of tourists arriving the district will be analysed here with their

interests.

Impact of present tourism trends in the district.


Here the ecological impact of the present tourism trends in the

district will be studied. Economical impact or the economical benefits

of the local community in the present scenario will be described here.

A future projection of the ecological variation will be done based on

the present impact if the present trends are to be followed further.

TOURISM

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes.The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who"travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment formore than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than oneconsecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes notrelated to the exercise of an activity remunerated from withinthe place visited".

Rising trends in travel

India represents one of the most potential tourism markets in theworld. Tourism today is the most vibrant tertiary activity and amulti-billion industry in India. Traditionally known largely forits historical and cultural dimensions, tourism today ishighlighted for its immense business opportunities. With itslucrative linkages with transport, hotel industry etc., thepotential and performance of India’s tourism industry needs to begauged in terms of its socio-economic magnitudes. (FENNELL, 2008)

Tourism as an industry

The phenomenon of tourism since 1950 has been remarkable in terms

of growth, spread and diversification. The international tourist

arrivals since then have grown from mere 25 million to reach 940


million in 2010. The fast growth and spread not only resulted the

globalisation of people’s movements as never before but also

contributed in creating a vibrant industry and opportunities for

millions of people.

(Source: UNWTO)

With passage of time, the travel and tourism industry has evolvedto become one of the largest and most dynamic industries of theglobal economy. A WTTC study has estimated in 2010 that thecontribution of travel and tourism to the world GDP was to thetune of 9%, whereas, its total employment effect was more than235 million jobs, representing 8% of global employmentFurther, the employment effect of international tourism appearsto be optimistic in the medium to long-term. According to theUNWTO forecasts, the sector is expected to provide nearly 296million jobs by 2019 given that there would be sustained growthof global tourist arrivals and the major economies maintain itsmomentum. (COUNCIL, 2011)


Influence of tourism on conservation.

The impact of tourism industry on the environment and the need of

conservation will be discussed under this subhead.

ECO TOURISM

Ecotourism?. A simple enough word but a complex and oftencontradictory concept: A fashion, a fad? – Ecological travel isthe ‘next big thing’; the hippest way to travel is to backpackoff the beaten track to experience ‘nature’ up close and personal(with all the luxuries of home included). Or a way for tourism tomarket itself in the twenty-first century where environmentalissues now top the international political agenda? – Conservationissues are now at the forefront of public opinion. Globalwarming, the decline of rainforests, loss of endangered species,and land degradation have galvanized public support forconservation worldwide. Whatever the origins, nature is callingand we are responding in droves. And eco tourists are leading thecharge. But getting ‘off the beaten track’ often means that thetrack soon becomes a road, even a highway. And the beautiful wildspaces sought after by eco tourists are often fragile andsensitive to human impact, however ‘lightly we tread’. One thing,however, is certain, the increasing global interest andexponential growth in ecotourism cannot simply be explained asanother in a long line of recreational trends. Instead itreflects a fundamental shift in the way human beings view andengage with nature. (Neil, 2011)

History

The term ‘ecotourism’ was coined by a marketing agency that waspromoting Costa Rica as aRainforest destination and since then it has been seen as a nichemarket by the World Tourism


Organisation, as it uses resources that are linked to thebiodiversity and cultural pluralism of third world societies orcountries, which have been forced into tourism as a corecompetency area by intergovernmental agencies for development.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) defines ecotourism as:“...environmentally responsible travel and visitation torelatively undisturbed natural areas, in order to enjoy andappreciate nature (and any accompanying cultural features - bothpast and present) that promotes conservation, has low negativevisitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations” (IUCN, 1996).

The travel industry defines ecotourism as: “purposeful travelthat creates an understanding of cultural and natural history,while safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producingeconomic benefits that encourage conservation. The long-termsurvival of this special type of travel is inextricably linked tothe existence of the natural resources that support it” (Bandy,1996 quoting: Ryel and Grasse 1991:164).

Ecotourism is a new concept in tourism, which was originallysparked off by the idea of making harmonious co-existence withnature a reality once again. Today, ecotourism is one of thefastest-growing segments of the tourism industry. Its potentialfor growth is virtually unlimited. Any tourism program which is :nature – based, ecologically sustainable, where education andinterpretation is a major concept and where local people arebenefited can be called ecotourism. Clearly, at a time whentraditional conservation through enforced protection of naturalareas was being questioned for its effectiveness and socialimpacts, strategies such as ecotourism offered considerablepotential for integrating conservation with development. (Wood,2002)

Healthy natural ecosystems are critical to the ecological well-being of all living entities, and especially for the economicsecurity of people. Ecotourism has the potential to enhancewilderness protection and wildlife conservation, while providing


nature compatible livelihoods and greater incomes for a largenumber of people living around natural ecosystems. This can helpto contribute directly to the protection of wildlife or forestareas, while making the local community stakeholders and ownersin the process.

Characters

All tourism should be sustainable - ecologically, socially,culturally and economically. Ecotourism differs from other formsof tourism through its dependence on the protection ofnatural ecosystems so that they, and their associated culturalvalues, can be visited and interpreted. The challenge for thetourism industry is to develop ecotourismcapacity and the quality of its product without adverselyaffecting the environment on which it depends. This involvesensuring that the type, location and level of ecotourism usedo not harm natural areas and that management is adequate tosustain appropriate levels of ecotourism.(Reuter), 2010)The following are some of the main elements and principles of sound ecotourism:

• The natural environment• Ecological and cultural sustainability• Contribution to conservation• Education and interpretation• Provision of local benefits and participation• Visitor satisfaction• Responsible marketing

Natural environmentEcotourism relies on use of the natural environment and includesa focus on biological and physical features. Ecotourism occurs inand depends on a natural setting and may include culturalelements where they occur in natural settings. The conservationof natural areas and natural resource management is thereforeessential to the planning, development and management ofecotourism.


Many natural areas have significant ethnic and cultural values.Although the focus of ecotourism is on the natural values of anarea, it is impractical to separate the natural and culturalcomponents of ecotourism. The term ‘ecotourism’ embraces thesustainable use of cultural as well as natural assets.

Ecological and cultural sustainability

In recent years, the mushrooming of tourist facilities aroundprotected areas has led to the exploitation, disturbance andmisuse of fragile ecosystems. It has also led to misuse of theterm ‘ecotourism’, often to the detriment of the ecosystem, andtowards further alienation of local people and communities.

Tourism activity that degrades the environment, adversely affectsthe local community or fails to return worthwhile economicbenefits is not sustainable in the longer term. Ecotourism ismanaged to avoid or minimise negative impacts and to conferbenefits on host communities and environments, for present andfuture generations. Ecotourism involves active participation bytourists and tour operators in the conservation of an area. Forexample, tourists may participate in scientific monitoring orrehabilitation projects, or may contribute financially to themanagement of an area. Planning for ecotourism is based onresource constraints. Economic opportunities will be lost if theresilience of an area and the ability of its community to absorbimpact are exceeded, or if its biodiversity and physicalappearance are altered significantly.

Contribution to conservation

Ecotourists and ecotourism operators can contribute toconservation in a variety of ways. The form of contribution mustfirst be negotiated between natural resource managers andecotourism operators to provide the greatest benefit forconservation within the means of the operators. Ecotourismoperator contributions could include, but would not be limitedto, participating in or supporting research and monitoring ofwildlife or the impacts of visitation, assisting in management ofthe natural resource or returning a percentage of revenue for the


management of the natural area. Examples of how independentvisitors and members of the local community could contribute toconservation include: adhering to visitor codes of practice andexercising minimal impact techniques,

Education and interpretation

Ecotourism’s educative characteristic is a key element, which distinguishes it from other parts of nature- based tourism. Environmental education and interpretation are important tools increating an enjoyable and meaningful ecotourism experience. Ecotourism attracts people who wish to interact with the environment and, to varying degrees, develop their knowledge, awareness and appreciation of it. Environmental education can influence visitor, community and tourism industry behavior and assist in the long-term sustainability of tourism activity in natural areas. Environmental education and interpretation help visitors see the big and little picture of the environment. It acknowledges the natural and cultural values of the area, resource management needs and the complexity and interdependence of the natural environment.Local benefits and participation

The benefits of ecotourism should be equitably distributed withsignificant benefits accruing to the local community, even thoughecotourism businesses may be based in other communities or involvenational or multinational ownership. Local benefits may be derivedfrom the use of locally based operators, the employment of localguides and use of specialised local knowledge, the purchase ofprovisions and services and the use of local facilities. Thesebenefits should outweigh the cost of ecotourism to the host communityand environment, although the benefits and costs are difficult tomeasure. Ecotourism generally returns revenue, or other benefits forresource conservation and management, as well as bringing social andcultural benefits. It therefore offers a positive approach to tourismdevelopment in some areas. The involvement of local communities maybenefit these communities and the environment while improving thequality of the visitor experience. Local communities can be involvedin ecotourism operations and help provide knowledge, services,facilities and products that, in turn, can provide employment.


Ecotourism should also generate income for resource conservation andmanagement to help maintain environmental values that are important tothe community.

Visitor satisfaction

Visitor satisfaction with the ecotourism experience is essentialto the ecotourism industry’s long-term viability. The ecotourismexperience should match or exceed visitors’ realisticexpectations. Client service and satisfaction, an integral partof the product, should be second only to the conservation andprotection of each area visited

Responsible marketing

Realisation of ecotourism opportunities relies to a large extenton marketing making potential visitors aware of the availableopportunities and matching demand with supply. In the field ofecotourism, marketing can often be a challenge since:• The industry includes many small operators who, on their own,do not have the necessary resources to market at a national orinternational level; and• Operators may be based in relatively remote locations wherethey do not have ready access to necessary marketing skills andresources.Visitors need to have realistic expectations and understanding oftourism experiences to help them choose a product suited to theirneeds and the experiences they desire. In terms of ecotourism,responsible marketing will inform potential visitors of the typeof activities available and appropriate to a particular area.(Vassilis Tsipidis, 2009)

Activities

The various activities allowed or performed under eco-tourism

throughout the world. or a study about activities which can be

performed by the tourists and not effecting the environment in a

negative way.


Accommodation facilities

Various eco sensitive accommodation facilities wich can be provided

for the tourist will be described here.

Means of Transportation

Various modes of travel which are eco sensitive in nature will be

described here.

Control of flow of people

Various methods in ecotourism used to control the flow of people to

ESZs will be analysed.

ECO TOURISM –IMPACTS

The impacts, both positive and negative of eco-tourism

will be discussed here. The impacts will be studied under the topics:

Ecological

Economical

CASE STUDIES.

Case studies of eco-tourism practiced in ESZs will be done here. There

will be three case studies.

FUTURE OF ECO TOURISM IN WAYANAD

This will describe the future of eco tourism industry in the district.

The feasibility of the same will be analysed from the above collected

data.


SUGGESTIONS

CONCLUSIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

COUNCIL, W. T. (2011). TRAVEL AND TOURISM 2011. TRAVEL AND TOURISM 2011, 1-10.

FENNELL, D. (2008). ECO TOURISM. NEW YORK: ROUTLEDGE.

gadgil, m. (2011). wgeep report. ministry of environment and forest Government of india.

invis. (n.d.). http://www.dtpcwayanad.com/. Retrieved august 21, 2013, fromhttp://www.dtpcwayanad.com/: http://www.dtpcwayanad.com/

Neil, S. W. (2011). Ecotourism Impacts, Potentials and Possibilities? Taylor & Francis.

Reuter), P. D. (2010). Is Ecotourism a strategy for regional development in india? vienna: Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.

Vassilis Tsipidis. (2009). eco destinent handbook. PRISMA Centre for Development Studies, Greece.

Wood, M. E. (2002). eco tourism-principles, practices and policies. united nations publication.

duff, g. (1826). history of marathas.


kasthurirangan. (2013). hlwg report. ministry of environment and forest.


muenster, d. (2012). Human-Animal Conficts in Kerala: Elephants and Ecological Modernity.

Rajeev, K. (2013, may 21). tourism threatens wayanad ecology. times of india.

world heritage list. (2013, june 28). Retrieved from unesco: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1342

Works CitedCOUNCIL, W. T. (2011). TRAVEL AND TOURISM 2011. TRAVEL AND TOURISM 2011,

1-10.

FENNELL, D. (2008). ECO TOURISM. NEW YORK: ROUTLEDGE.


invis. (n.d.). http://www.dtpcwayanad.com/. Retrieved august 21, 2013, fromhttp://www.dtpcwayanad.com/: http://www.dtpcwayanad.com/

Neil, S. W. (2011). Ecotourism Impacts, Potentials and Possibilities? Taylor & Francis.

Reuter), P. D. (2010). Is Ecotourism a strategy for regional development in india? vienna: Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.


Vassilis Tsipidis. (2009). eco destinent handbook. PRISMA Centre for Development Studies, Greece.

Wood, M. E. (2002). eco tourism-principles, practices and policies. united nations publication.


DISSERTATION 2013 ECO TOURISM-A solution for Wayanad?

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