‘Wildlife tourism can help restore wilderness and act as an effective conservation tool’ Head to Head

Even though India faces challenges when it comes to ensuring the safety of foreign tourists, wildlife tourism has been slowly gaining ground. Not only has it helped increase revenues for the government, it has also aided local communities gain livelihood. In an email interview, RAGHU CHUNDAWAT, a wildlife expert and the author of the report, The value of wildlife tourism for conservation and communities, tells Manavi Kapur how strong government policies and their implementation can further the cause of national parks and reserves. Edited excerpts: How has wildlife tourism helped local communities? Wildlife tourism is currently focused on a few protected areas and tourism in these areas is running at its maximum capacity. This report identifies local population as the largest beneficiary and suggests wildlife tourism can be a potential driving force for bringing development to remote areas. The study found that many of the criticisms levelled against the tourism community are not correct when examined closely. For instance, 80 per cent of jobs are held by locals, 45 per cent of the total revenue generated goes to the local economy and 90 per cent of the available accommodation caters to the budget, not luxury travellers.

This report estimates that 75 crore or 45 percent of the 166 crore generated through wildlife tourism goes back to communities. In addition, infrastructure development such as better road connectivity, electricity, telecommunication, health, education all add to the development of villages where tourism is operational. In contrast, villages where tourism did not reach, revenues generated by small business enterprises were eight times lower and the infrastructure facility less developed.

In villages focused on tourism, employment is significantly higher and health and education levels are better. Furthermore, the dependency of these communities on the local forest is much reduced and their attitude to wildlife conservation is a positive one, a significant win-win for conservation efforts.

In the four Tiger Reserves that were surveyed, for example, the total revenue generated from entry fees alone was over ~19 crore annually. This was more than the state government’s contribution of about ~18 crore to these reserves. Central assistance for the reserves was ~21 crore. Where is India currently lacking in terms of wildlife tourism? What is the best way forward? While successful, most Tiger Reserves in India are small and the tigers protected within their boundaries are not viable. Exclusionary models of conservation are no longer feasible over a larger landscape. If nature tourism is seen as a conservation tool rather than a threat, it has the potential to bring sustainable and significant economic development to remote areas.

Wildlife tourism in India is currently focused on a few protected areas. If directed and promoted appropriately, tourism can help restore wilderness and act as an effective conservation tool over a larger landscape. Strong government policies are the need of the hour. Wildlife tourism, in contrast, also poorly impacts the ecology of sensitive zones, especially because unchecked real estate development follows the popularity of a destination. How can this kind of tourism be done in a manner that also conserves and preserves eco-sensitive zones? Wildlife tourism requires sympathetic government policies that promote and encourage sustainable wildlife tourism over a larger landscape. Planning, lighting and waste disposal need to be improved to enjoy the full potential of these eco-sensitive zones and to support tiger protection and forest conservation.

To take tiger conservation beyond the protected areas, we need to look at new, parallel and complementary models for saving and restoring forests. Ecotourism worldwide is recognised as an important conservation and development tool for remote and ecologically sensitive areas. If you compare the impact of other development drivers such as factories, mines and dams, the footprint of eco-tourism is much lighter. It is also recognised as a nature-friendly industry and must be promoted in a way that its impact on environment is minimal. Authors of the report believe that with improved sustainable practices, wildlife tourism could provide a paradigm to spread benefit to tigers and people over a much broader area.

In villages focused on tourism, employment is significantly higher and health and education levels are better