New Dimensions in Ecotourism

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…New Dimensions of

Ecotourism in

Madhya Pradesh

Khel Parisar, Indira Nikunj, 74 Bungalows,Bhopal (M.P.) 462 003Tel. : 0755 - 2768798, 2674333Fax : 0755 - 2768805E-mail : [email protected]

M. P. Ecotourism Development Board

Documented by : Ms. Sameeta Rajora, G.M., MP EDB

Edited by : Dr. A.K. Bhattacharya, C.E.O., MP EDB

Proceedings of the Workshoproceedings of the Workshop


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PREFACE

Ecotourism has long been considered a major growth sector. In the early 1990s, the World

Tourism Organisation forecast an annual growth rate of 15% in demand whilst recent

research suggests that not only is the number of travelers taking Ecotourism holidays

growing three times faster than those choosing 'mainstream' holidays but also that, by

2024, Ecotourism will represent 5% of the global holiday market.

Concomitantly, the reckless infrastructure development to cater to the ever-growing

requirements of tourism is one of the major threats to the environment in fragile areas.

Many ideas are being implemented to make tourism sustainable including the emerging

concept of Ecotourism, which could contribute substantially in reducing the negative

impacts of unplanned tourism development.

Madhya Pradesh has long been at the forefront of wildlife tourism in India and has

tremendous potential of Ecotourism. Through the creation of the Ecotourism

Development Board (EDB), the State has made sincere efforts to institutionalise the

process of Ecotourism by involving all the major stakeholders and partners. This

workshop organised by the EDB is an attempt in this direction. Through the workshop, an

organic linkage and effective interaction could be initiated among key players in the

Ecotourism sector.

The workshop was attended by a cross-section of stakeholder representatives, including

the Departments of Tourism, Forest, Rural Development, Culture, Archaeology, and

tour operators, hoteliers, academicians, NGOs, and the media. The deliberations

included a range of Ecotourism related issues and topics, viz potential of ecotourism in

MP, adventure tourism, management challenges and future threats, wildlife interface,

biodiversity conservation, livelihoods etc. The recommendations emanating from the

workshop should be useful for deciding the future strategy and road map for Ecotourism

in MP and also other States of the country. The Board has compiled the proceedings of the

Workshop. The feedback of the participants will be helpful for the Board.

(Avani Vaish)

Principal Secretary, Government of MP, Forest Department &

Chairman, Executive Committee, Ecotourism Development Board


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New Dimensions of Ecotourism in MPth

Proceedings of Workshop held on 11 July, 2006Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board organised one-day workshop on

th“New Dimensions of Ecotourism in Madhya Pradesh” on 11 July 2006 at Hotel

Jehan Numa Palace,Bhopal. The objectives of the workshop were to

Share the vision of the Board with the participants,

Inform them about the programmes of the Board and

Solicit their suggestions by involving them in the whole process.

Eminent speakers at the inaugural session included -

o

Hon'ble Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhano Hon'ble Minister, Forests and Transport, Shri Himmat Kothari

o Hon'ble Minister for Tourism and Youth Affairs, Ms Yashodhra Raje Scindia

o Chairman, Narmada Valley Development Authority, Shri A V Singh

o Principal Secretary, Forests and Chairman, MP Ecotourism Development Board,

Shri Avani Vaish

o Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Shri M.

Hashim

o Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife and Chief Executive

Officer-Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board (MP EDB), Dr H S Pabla

Many other dignitaries from Forest Department, Tourism industry, Media and

Consultants also graced the workshop with their presence.

Inauguration

Shri Avani Vaish extended welcome to all the participants and asked the organizers to

gain from the experiences from across the country and the expert opinions likely to be

expressed during the day. Then he invited Shri A V Singh, Chairman, NVDA to share his

views and experiences on the policy process of the State.

Shri A V Singh explained how over the years the number of laws and policies made by

the State has increased while very little has gone into the implementation. He

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informed that approximately 20 laws are made in the State each year yet very few of

these finally get acceptance and are implemented. He reacted on the latest draftpolicy made by the MP EDB regarding the management systems and new tariffs at the

ecotourism destinations. He further validated his point by giving the example of theban imposed on selling cigarettes to minors which is being openly flouted everywhere.

Giving direction to the workshop he made a very tentative statement that all forest

areas should be opened for ecotourism activities and private players be given more say

in developing those new ecotourism destinations. He also proposed to do away with all

the laws applicable to such areas except for some minimum laws, which prevent

indiscriminate destruction of forest areas. To an amused audience he gave a logical

preposition saying that ever yone is awar e about t he r ole of nat ure in ecot our ism and

t hat nobody in t he business of ecot our ism would rampant ly dest r oy t he nat ural beaut y

f or t he simple r eason of loosing business over t ime . He very aptly put forth his concern

to having the knowledge of the carrying capacity of a Park / Sanctuary or anecotourism destination. Continuing on the same note he opined that the concept of

Wildlife Management should be clarified, since National Parks and Wildlife

Sanctuaries had become conservation zones with very little emphasis on management,

which very intricately has the concept of 'culling'. He also opined that the Forest

Department should not consider itself as owners of the forests; rather it should act as

a custodian or caretaker of the State's property. He paused with saying that the

workshop should consider these issues and try to chalk out the roles for all the

stakeholders in ecotourism business, conforming to the principles of conservation.

Shri Vaish said that Shri A V Singh had put enough sPark for the workshop and thatthe participants should maximize the opportunity by putting forth their experiencesand concerns to the MP EDB. He informed the audience that Madhya Pradesh is the

first State to have constituted a body for promoting and developing ecotourism in the

State, with an initiative from Forest Department, which happens to play the key active

role in Ecotourism. He put forth his concerns of increased pressure on the National

Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries due to increased tourism and that there was a need to

identify and develop new alternate destinations and also non-tiger destinations. He

urged the participants to deliberate on how such sites could be identified, developed

and managed. He also emphasized on the importance of understanding the needs of

local and forest dependent communities and securing their livelihoods by creation ofemployment opportunities through Ecotourism.

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Smt Yashodra Raje Scindia explained the interlinked roles of Forest Department,Tourism Department and the State Government in the business of ecotourism. Sheemphasized on under st anding t he impact s of ecot our ism, knowing t he per cept ions of

t our ist s and upgrading t he syst ems and procedur es of managing t our ism dest inat ionsas well as t he t our ist s . On the same lines, she underlined the need of establishingcriteria for management systems to promote ecotourism. She expressed that therewas a need to involve the department of Town and Country Planning, so that theinfrastructure development, around the National Parks, could be regulated andaddressed today for a better future. She also said that there was little or no benefitpercolating to the local communities and that there is a need for comprehensiveplanning with the local community and their role in ecotourism. She expressed the needto spell out the certified eco-activities and to develop norms, procedures and servicesand that EDB must get inputs from ' ecot e l' for hoteliers' environment friendly

practices.

Shri Himmat Kothari threw light on the objectives of the workshop saying thatgovernment would be keen to plan forward after analyzing the deliberations of theworkshop. Corroborating the views of Shri Vaish and Smt Scindia, he also emphasizedon the need of identifying new and alternate tourism destinations and comprehensiveplanning with the local community. He informed that the government would welcomemore responsible tourists in the State and promoting ecotourism would certainly helpin doing this.

Hon'ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan advised thatsustainable development involving economic development by making use of the naturalresources is intricately linked with its conservation, but at the same time cautionedthat one should only use the nature and not destroy it. Elaborating his views he addedthat there was a need to conserve and protect nature so that tourist influx increasesand there is economic development of the local community, and in turn, of the State.Ecotourism offers a great combination of tourism, education, recreation, conservationand livelihood opportunities for the communities. He expressed his pleasure over theworkshop saying that such forums are “rays of hope” and here conservation anddevelopment are being “seen together”. He assured the participants that theiropinions and suggestions would be eagerly heard and the State government would

implement good ideas.

Shri M Hashim said that he was hopeful for a bright future for ecotourism in Madhya

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Pradesh by the guidance and direction provided under the able leadership of theHon'ble Chief minister and the Forest Minister. He also expressed his hope that theleadership and cooperation from Smt Scindia and the tourism development corporation

would add impetus to these efforts. He urged the delegates to bestow their valuablesuggestions in the workshop and underlined the constructive role of media ingenerating awareness and forming opinions about new issues among general public. Hethanked one and all for their valuable time and support and wished success for theworkshop.

Presentations

1.

"New dimensions of ecotourism in Madhya Pradesh”

Dr H S Pabla, Additional Principal Chief Conservator- Wildlife and CEO, - MP EDB----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr H S Pabla made the first presentation of the morning on “New dimensions ofecotourism in Madhya Pradesh”. Defining ecotourism he said, “ecotourism isecologically sustainable tourism, where the impact on ecosystem doesn't jeopardizethe chances of future generations to enjoy the ecosystem the way we are doing today”.

Based on the available data on ecotourists, he informed that according to WorldTourism Organization (WTO) year 2004 data about 60% of total tourism wasecotourism, out of which about 40 % fell under wildlife tourism category. Indiareceived approximately 20 lakh ecotourists in 2004. He further deliberated upon onthe unique features of Madhya Pradesh in terms of forests, wild life, landscapediversity and on the issues in wildlife tourism explaining that wildlife tourism has seena stark increase in number of tourists coming to National Parks and other protectedareas. This has led to mushrooming of tourist lodges, which apart from spreading noisepollution and impacting the local culture has also jeopardized and destructed thenatural 'wild l if e cor r idor s '. Responding to a query on corridor disturbance that will becreated by ecotourism infrastructure as had happened in Rajasthan, he assured the

audience that necessary action would be taken on this account before such activitiesstart on a big scale in Madhya Pradesh. Continuing on the same note he said that thereis no diversity of activities at present, which leads to monotonous activities in very

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limited tourism zones within the Parks and hence overcrowding of such areas. Alsothere is a need of training of the Park staff on various issues including the importantaspect of dealing with tourists, which adds to the overall experience of the tourists.

There is very little benefit sharing of any kind with the local communities, apart fromseasonal and temporary employment opportunities within the Parks.

He expressed his views regarding the creation of the MP EDB as to how the Boardwould prepare a strategy and action plan for its activities through continuous dialoguesand participation of stakeholders, like tour operators and travel businesses. Heemphasized on the vision to make ecotourism a big conservational, yet economic anddevelopmental activity in the State of Madhya Pradesh and to bring it as a mainstreamactivity of Forest Department like the Timber and NTFP sector. He highlighted theimportance of multi stakeholder participation including interdepartmental as well asintradepartmental coordination in achieving this vision.

He informed the audience about the draft notification of Department of Forest,Government of Madhya Pradesh regarding revised fees and tariffs in national Parks

stand sanctuaries, which is likely to be applicable from 1 October 2006 in the mentionedNPs / WLS. He highlighted some of the significant features of this draft notification,including the possibility of using “Hides” and “Watch towers” for wildlife viewing, fullday permits for camping sites and reduced fees for using camera etc. He also said thatthere would be employment opportunities for trained guides who have necessaryminimum qualifications as mentioned in the notification. Responding to a query onincreased tariffs as mentioned in the draft notification, he informed that with the

marginally increased rates, the additional income will be again used for value additionto the services but this would become tangible after some years and not immediately.He further mentioned that the Board would also consider providing opportunities toprivate businesses to develop package deals so that the eco-travel business remainscompetitive.

Shri Vaish corroborated that the additional income would be spent on value addition inthe existing services like training and capacity building of tourist guides and otherstaff. Mr Sunny Chaddha, from Tiger Lodge Kanha opined that the marginal increase inrates would not deter the ecotourism enthusiasts as the spending capacity of Indian

tourists has also increased in time. He also urged the authorities to discourage privatevehicles from entering the Park.

The chairman of the session, Shri A V Singh informed that the new tariffs should be

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applied after June 2007.

On future vision of the MP EDB, Dr Pabla reinforced his point by saying that

ecotourism is more than wildlife tourism by a simple virtue of more and diverseactivities and destinations. The ecotourism business will necessarily dwell upon

creating good quality and high-class infrastructure, which will be equally useful for

local communities. MP being a Tiger State will always have tiger as the main attraction

and hence the activities of MP EDB will also have tiger as one of the elements of

attraction but it will also explore and develop alternate non-tiger destinations for

providing diversity to tourist experience as well as to reduce tourist pressure from

NPs / WLS. He then presented a list of alternate destinations which have been

identified by the MP EDB and which might be opened for private investments and

collaborations.

Dr Pabla mentioned about the destinations, which the MP EDB aims at developing in the

first phase. Pachmari, the only Hill station of Central India has the Satpura Tiger

Reserve and is rich in Panoramic Views, Wildlife, Cave paintings and Rock Shelters,

Birds, Medicinal plants, trek routes etc. Impressing upon the ecotourism site in

Orchha, near Jhansi he said that Pachmari and Orchha would be two of the focal points

of Ecotourism activities by the Board for next 2-3 years. He also elaborated upon

other important destinations, which would act as centers of major ecotourism

activities by MP EDB like the Amarkantak forest area, which would be a dreamdestination for adventure and tribal culture tourism, Chambal River for Gangetic

dolphin cruise and the Ratapani sanctuary for adventure and archaeological \heritage

tourism. He also informed that Jinnah Forest Camp would be immediately developed as

an upcoming destination and invited tourism business representatives to avail of this

opportunity. He also put forth the opportunity of business at Dumna where the Board

is thinking of projects to develop the area as urban getaway cum recreation centre.

Other urban getaways include Ralamandal (Indore), Kerwa (Bhopal), Audhpur (Gwalior).

All these destinations would receive special attention of the MP EDB. At the end he

also highlight ed t he provisions given in t he Madhya Pr adesh Eco and Advent ureTour ism Policy 2001 .

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2.Ecotourism Management- Future in Madhya Pradesh”

Shri K K Singh of Anantvan Ashram, Bandhavgarh----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shri K K Singh started with a definition of Ecotourism saying that ecotourism meant,“to leave an area as if you were never there”.

His main emphasis was on better management practices with systems, procedures andprotocols and trying out new concepts for their feasibility as a business module. Heopined that the ecotourism business would do better if the end user, i.e. the touristhad more information and knowledge about the destinations rather than getting

caught unaware in precarious situations. In this context he suggested that MP EDBshould develop ecotourism guidelines, rules and devise some const ant s , which wouldnot change in between. Linking it with the raise in fees he opined that if this raise wasto restrict the number of tourists coming to already overburdened NPs / WLS thenthis idea might not work as the purchase power had increased tremendously, but if thehike was to increase revenue for improvement of services in Parks and development oflocal community then it would be sustainable.

Going back to his suggestion of constants he made some suggestions like informing thetour operators about such hikes at least 1 year in advance so that they prepare

themselves and not get caught in awkward situations in front of their internationalclients who generally book their travel plans well in advance. On the logistic side hesuggested that the entry permit in the Parks should be provided the previous night soas to avoid long queues of vehicles outside the gates of NPs / WLS. Further he alsoopined that the Park management should also devise some strategy to deal withsituations like shortage of resources that arise when some VIP pays a visit to the Park.He also said that, while the overcrowding inside a Park area was a management problemthe overcrowding outside the Park, i.e. of hotels and vehicles outside the entry gatewas a problem of regulation and that MP EDB should immediately try to generate aholistic approach and a strategy to deal with these situations. The problem of

overcrowding must be addressed. He also suggested that the night tourists or thetourists who stay overnight should get a priority over daytime and casual tourists forPark visits.

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He strongly emphasized on improving the quality of the Park guides by orienting andtraining them on var ious aspect s of ecology of t he Par k, rat her t han ent er t aining t het our ist s alone . Speaking on his idea of trying new themes and concepts, he very

strongly mooted the concept of 'Forest Parks' and urged the MP EDB to think over theconcept. Explaining the concept he gave the example of tiger top in Nepal. He backedhis view by saying that trying new concepts was important because of increasedpressures on existing NPs / WLS as well as for providing new destinations andexperiences to the tourists, thus expanding the customer base as well.

Responding to a suggestion from the audience that the entry of vehicles should bestaggered so that there is enough distance between vehicles and vehicles don't have torush inside the Parks, the session chair urged the Park Directors of Kanha andBandhavgarh National Parks to react on the suggestion made. Park Director of Kanha

NP informed that different routes have already been developed for vehicles inside theParks to avoid overcrowding of a route. Shri Vinay Luthra from Jungle Lodges andResorts shared his experience of managing such scenarios by informing that they hadsigned annual MoUs with private tour operators. The MoU mentions the number of

vehicles to be allowed to an operator depending on the number of rooms /resorts heowns. These MoUs are then applicable for the year except in the close seasons. Apartfrom the MoU vehicles of all other private vehicles have been banned and this hashelped in obviating the necessity of daily permits. Director Jim Corbett National Park

mentioned his experience of using different strategies like using canters instead ofconventional Jeeps / Gypsies thus accommodating more tourists in one go, but somehow

it deteriorated the experience of the tourists and issuing permits an evening beforethe morning visit.

Mr Rahul Naronah, a journalist from Pioneer informed about the study done by BhartiVidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune on carryingcapacity of a Park and asked whether the study had been used anywhere. React ing t o

t his inf ormat ion Smt . Scindia also enquir ed on t he st at us of r ecommendat ions given by

Tour ism Minist r y t o t he W ildl i f e wing. She ur ged t he W ildl i f e wing t o implement some

of t he ideas and see what pr oblems can be solved. Mr Dhruv from Churat Kothi

emphasized on the need to rethink on this issue collectively. He held the hoteliers

responsible for the problems also and sighted the example of opening of a new gate inBandhavgarh by the Forest department on the hoteliers' request and now only 3% ofthe existing lodges use it to take in tourists.

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3.“Harmonizing Tourism and Wildlife- Some Responsible Actions”

Shri Mandip Singh Soin, FRGS, Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shri Mandip Singh Soin, FRGS, Ibex Expeditions Pvt ltd made the third presentation.He started off with saying that Ecotourism can act as a tool for conservation of naturalresources as well as poverty eradication.

Reflecting on issue of the raised tariffs, he said that the client or the end user shouldknow about the changes in fees as well as the utilisation of additional fees, i.e. theclient needs t o know wher e t he ext r a money would be going . Extending the sentence he

said that there has to be a relief period of at least a year from notification of the raiseand actual implementation of the changed rates so that the tour operators and theforeign tourists are not caught unaware.

He also emphasized on the need of evolving and adapt ing models of carr ying capacit y,using t he pri or experi ence, since t her e cannot be a univer sal model of det ermining t he

car r ying capacit y of a Par k .

Taking examples from the Corbett foundation he informed that a client / tourist feelshappy to have interactions with the local community, knowing the culture and

experiencing it first hand. Hence an ecotourism project should have some kind ofint er act ions wit h t he local communit y inbuilt in it. He further informed that there is nodearth of voluntarism in this sector and people, students, volunteers, natureenthusiasts, young scientists and even tourists would like to volunteer their servicesfor doing some kind of onsite work. This gives them a good feeling of association withthe ecological work. He also suggested to the Board that it should t ake membership ofvar ious well- known nat ional and int er nat ional or ganizat ions and build par t ner ships andeven compete for global awards. He gave examples of Green Globe and InternationalEcotourism Society.

He raised a very important issue of signage and its role and importance at a site. Apartfrom providing relevant information, the signages also add to the aesthetics if placedproperly. He was also in favour of propagating and supporting myths, mysticism,

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folklores, which are related to local culture. He said that suchmyst ic inf ormat ion add adimension of t hr il l and advent ure in t he heart s and minds of visit ors and if suchinformation can be utilized properly these can add immense value to the business. He

gave the example of Rudyard Kipling and his mythical creation the Mowgli and Jungle Book, which have been associated with the forests of Seoni.

He also advocated the idea of having a 'code of conduct' for every stakeholder in

ecotourism business, in order to have checks and balances to prevent the havoc, which

can happen otherwise, once the business flourishes. Supporting the hike in fees and

the time to realize tangible benefits of the value addition coming from hiked fees he

said that the value addition should become visible as early and loudly as possible. He

gave the example of 'Orangutan Park' where the tourists feel the presence of

Orangutans throughout their stay in the resorts and hence at the time of checking out

they don't mind being charged an extra dollar for supporting Orangutan conservationefforts that the resort boasts of, simply because they have felt that the extra dollaris going for the right cause.

He emphasized on the need for ecologically correct architecture, use of local material

in construction, use of solar equipments, garbage assortment, treatment and its

disposal. Clear-cut Dos and Don'ts must be laid down as has been done in Andamans. He

opined that for a good tourist experience, it is necessary to provide a good driver and,

therefore, their training is of great importance in addition to the capacity building of

the guides. Madhya pradesh can focus on creating the Forsyth Trail, Kippling Trail,

Research tourism, Angling, Elephant safari \expedition.

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4.“Ecotourism Initiatives and Challenges- Lessons from

Uttaranchal”Shri Rajiv Bhartari, Field Director, Corbett National Park----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first presentation in the post lunch session, fourth of the day, was made by ShriRajiv Bhartari, Field Director, Corbett National Park on “Ecotourism Initiatives andChallenges- Lessons from Uttaranchal”

He shared his experiences of ecotourism in Uttaranchal and informed that Uttranchalhas a yearly budgetary allocation in the name of ecotourism scheme. This fund is

utilized for the activities solely meant for ecotourism and for which there was noformal allocation in the annual budget of Forest Department. This fund was thereforeused for preparing nature trails and setting up a Centre for Ecotourism andSustainable Livelihood in the first year of operations. Not revenue but livelihoodgeneration should be the goal and ecotourism proves to be a tool for conservation.

He emphasized on the need of a proper system or management protocol and opined thatin absence of a proper system, no matter how beautiful the site may be, the projectcannot be sustainable and would eventually fail. He also supported the point raised byShri Soin that the tourists show interest in the local culture, traditions and they would

even like to have night outs in the wilderness provided there are proper systems. Citingexamples from his experience in Corbett National Park he said in some cases t het our ist s even cancelled t heir bookings wit h t he resor t s and hot els and t hey even didn' t

want t o st ay in renovat ed For est Rest Houses j ust t o exper ience t he st ay in wilder ness .He also cautioned the MP EDB with the kind of problems Uttaranchal is facing andwhich are bound to emerge in Madhya Pradesh as well like the problems of poorinfrastructure, lack of information, poor interpretation, lack of monitoring etc.

Drawing from his experience with the community based tourism in Uttaranchal, heopined that the ecotourism project should be developed after having a dialogue with

the local community and involving them at every stage of planning since they are theultimate beneficiaries. There is definitely a need for capacity building of the localcommunity but in long term it translates into a vital and economically sustainable

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investment. He also informed MP EDB about the Central Government Schemes forfunding ecotourism and rural tourism projects and said that the Board should alsoapply for these schemes and grants, which are in tune of Rs 50 Lakhs per village, and

also has compulsory component of capacity building worth 20 lakhs.

Speaking on the public private partnership schemes he opined that there was immense

scope of such partnerships. He informed that 348 odd rest houses in different serene

and beautiful locations in Uttaranchal are yet to be brought under utilization. Reacting

on this scheme of PPP, Smt Scindia urged MP EDB t o t ake similar st eps f or t our ism

development in MP wit h an open mind, by explor ing t he possibilit ies of such

par t ner ships, which is benef icial f or b ot h par t ies as well as t o t he local communit y . His

experience portrays that any ecotourism venture complemented with capacity building

exercise, proper management, marketing, coordination and financial support still needs

3-4 years to become a viable business venture. Thus supporting his opening lines, heconcluded with saying that marketing and financial security remains the area of critical

concern and intervention for a successful and sustainable ecotourism business.

The session chairperson, Shri V R Khare, Managing Director, MP Minor Forest Produce

Federation, also agreed with Shri Bhartari by saying that a lot of efforts will have to

be made by MP and that it should start with applying for GoI schemes of funding. He

also suggested that the CEO, MP EDB should be on Board of MP Tourism

Development Corporation for a better coordinated venture between Forest

Department and the Tourism Department. Some suggestions from the audience

emerged regarding developing tourist circuits in Madhya Pradesh and involving Townand Country Planning and the Municipal Corporation while planning new ventures and

waste management on the ecotourism destinations.

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5.

“Potential for Adventure Tourism in Madhya Pradesh”

Commander Rajendra Nigam, Consultant, Water Sports and adventure activities, MP

Tourism Development Corporation

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commander Nigam expressed his views and experiences as a naval officer and

described various aspects of inland navigation as part of adventure tourism. He

highlighted the importance of rafting safari, which is being done on a small scale in

Orchha with overwhelming response. He was very hopeful that if initiated at other

sites this would be a very successful venture. He also elaborated on the concept of

mountain biking for Satpura, Pachmari and Ratapani mountain ranges and informed

that this would soon be implemented in five to six destinations. On inland navigation he

informed that an 85 Km backwater rafting is being planned from Bargi (Jabalpur) to

Mandla. On being questioned whether private cruises would be allowed on this route,

Shri Pabla replied that the interested parties might send their proposals, and the MPEDB would examine and help them in getting permissions from various departments.

Session chairperson Shri A P Dwivedi was of the opinion that private cruises should be

allowed on this route.

Replying to a query on parameters of PPP in Madhya Pradesh, Commander Nigam

informed that there is a high level committee, which governs such participations andthe State government invests 25% for infrastructure and the rest 75% is to be

invested by the private parties. The adventure and ecotourism policy lays down the

procedure for this.

Commander Nigam also informed about the cruise boat in the upper lake of Bhopal and

the kind of popularity it gained in a very short span of time. He also explained some

technological improvements like double hulls, which have made it harmless for the

aquatic fauna. Shri R Sreenivasa Murthy, from RCVPN Academy of Administration

made suggestions about controlling the negative externality generated by the music

floor on cruise boat and suggested that proper care should be taken in adventuretourism activiites like rock climbing because there is a threat of destroying vulture

breeding sites on steep rocks.

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6.

“Ecotourism as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation and Livelihood

Security- An Experience from Periyar Tiger Reserve Kerala”

Shri Anil Bhardwaj, Wildlife Institute of India and ex Field Director, Periyar Tiger

Reserve

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shri Bhardwaj, in his presentation emphasized on the importance of capacity building

so that the benefits trickle down to the community level. He opined that at present

about 75% of all income in ecotourism business goes to outsiders while remaining 25%

goes to big hoteliers and thus negligible benefits in form of petty employment

opportunities actually reach the local community level.

He said that if proper orientation is provided along with livelihood opportunity then it

can even lead to behavioural changes in the local community and they would play a more

active part in conservation. He cited examples from Periyar tiger reserve explaining

how the one time poachers and Cinnamon bark extractors have now understood the

importance of conservation and turned to be protectors. Since these local community

people and tribals have a good knowledge about the forests ecology they turned out to

be one of the best jungle guides once their behaviour changed due to alternate

livelihood options generated through ecotourism. He also informed how due to

dwindling incomes from the once popular tiger trail in Periyar, they were forced to lookout for alternate options and started bamboo rafting to compensate for the reduced

incomes. This however, had dual effects. On one side it provided livelihood options to

the local fishermen, on the other hand the river got protected, since the fishermen,

who used to do illegal fishing, were now having a different source of livelihood.

He quoted example of cardamom plantation raised by Kerala Forest Development

Corporation, which came to the rescue of Periyar when the incomes were going down.

Almost 30% of the wages in Periyar are now met from income from the cardamom

venture, hence he suggested that while thinking of ecotourism projects, other

activities which may not be the mainstay activities but which could be promoted asbordering act ivi t ies should also be taken up or encouraged. Apart from these new

activities there was also the jungle patrol for the nocturnal enthusiasts. On being

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questioned about the safety of tourists during jungle patrols in such highly elephant

infested areas, he informed that the night treks were completely safe since the patroltook place only on the fringes where the elephant population was very thin. On being

asked how he could convince the Forest Department to permit such activities hereplied that initially there was resistance but there was always a need of patrolling for

protection and hence it didn't take much time to convince the authorities once they

were convinced about the safety of tourists.

He also presented various cases where orientation had brought behavioural changes,

and endorsed it with explaining how the number of poaching cases had gone down and

even the local MLA had felt the importance of conservation. The involvement of women

was ensured by creating a group called Vasant Sena.

Saying that funds and regular revenue are a must for an ecotourism business, he alsogave examples of how the eco-development committees were contributing 10% of their

earnings towards a Par k f und to deal with eventualities, like lean periods of income,

conservation program etc. Further he informed that Periyar foundation also got

support from the State government, when the government. authorized and allowed it

to collect a surcharge of INR 100 from international tourists and INR 10 from national

tourists. This extra earning went to the kitty of Periyar foundation.

In the end he flagged some key issues like, the benefits of ecotourism should percolate

to the lowest level and should go to the whole community including the non-

participating ones as well. It would be important to have social synergies and avoidconflicts. He emphasized on the use of soft skills, capacity building and orientation of

local community, as social engineering becomes the backbone of sustainability. Taking aprofessional stand he said that a legal aspect should also be introduced in the whole

system, wherein benefit sharing would be linked to some kind of protection /

conservation activity and this could be monitored and regulated through MoUs.

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7.

“Ecotourism in Karnataka- Jungle Lodges & Resorts- A Case

Study”

Dr Vinay Luthra, Ex-MD Jungle Lodges and Resorts, Karnataka.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Luthra started with differentiating ecotourism from eco-friendly tourism and

urged that the term 'ecot ourism' be not used lightly. He then talked about the genesis

of JLR and presented his experience as erstwhile Managing Director of JLR.

He informed that JLR is more focused on int erpr et at ion of wilderness and hence they

don't pine for a high number of tourists. Moreover their tourists are from eliteclasses and they are ready to pay a premium price, which reflects in JLR's tariffs.

He informed that a benefit of having an elite clientele is that the urban elite can

sometimes influence the policy process. Karnataka has its own wilderness policy. He

also informed that JLR has developed codes of conduct, which are applicable and

respectfully followed across the board. This includes a dress code and camping

guidelines among others. Speaking on the use of latest technology in ecotourism he

informed that each and every trail and route had been GPS marked and this helps in

tracking the position of tourists and in case of emergencies deploying the staff

accurately and in time to any such site.

Speaking on the issues impeding wildlife tourism and ecotourism he said that in order

to grow in business there is a felt need of involving private parties and entrepreneurs

into the business. This involvement and association should be governed by some kind of

policy or guidelines form MoEF, which should be implemented and monitored by the

State governments. He also suggested that owing to the nature of business, small

investors fail to take full advantage of the market and therefore the government

should also provide marketing support as well as some subsidies to small investors and

entrepreneurs.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations and action points that emerged from the discussions atthe Workshop are as follows -

COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT

1. MP EDB will have to play a proactive role in the entire gamut of activities

associated with ecotourism, which includes fostering and mentoring of

partnerships, identification, development and management of destinations,

ensuring good tourist experience, marketing and increasing its visibility to a larger

group of audience.

2. In order to make Ecotourism a mainstream activity of the Forest Department and

the Tourism Department, the State Government must have an Ecotourism Policy.

MP EDB should develop ecotourism guidelines, rules and devise some constants,

which would not change in short spans of time.

3. The CEO, MP EDB must be on the Board of MP Tourism Development Corporation

for a better coordinated venture between Forest Department and the Tourism

Department.

4. EDB must emphasize and initiate action on the need to control the mushrooming of

tourist lodges, which apart from spreading noise pollution and impacting the local

culture, might also jeopardize and destruct the natural ' wi ldl if e cor r idor s' .

5. EDB should adhere to the principles of ecotourism while developing ecotourism

destinations and give prime importance to the preservation and conservation of

local flora and fauna, plan with the local community and recognize their roles in

ecotourism. Apart from the mainstream ecotourism activities, bordering

activities and associated activities should also be encouraged i.e. local cuisines,

folk tourism, adventure tourism etc. Proper care to prevent disturbance to naturalhabitats and local biodiversity must be taken while developing adventure tourisms

sites.

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6. There is a need to understand the impact of ecotourism especially on knowing the

perceptions of tourists and upgrading the systems and procedures of managing

tourism destinations as well as the tourists. EDB may initiate such a study on a pilot

basis and develop ecotourism circuits. The problems of poor infrastructure, lackof information, poor interpretation, lack of monitoring etc. must be addressed for

a successful venture.

7. EDB may initiate to advise the Government that whenever a change in the tariffsor policy changes are introduced, the stakeholders (especially tour operators,lodge owners\ hoteliers) related to the ecotourism industry must be given a grace

period of one year \season before they come into force after notification. Thistime lag would help the tour operators in effectively dealing with internationaltourists.

8. A 'code of conduct' for every stakeholder in ecotourism business, Systems,procedures, regulations and management protocols for every stakeholder must beclearly spelt and instituted for proper management of ecotourism activities and

proper checks and balances laid down at a site to prevent the havoc, which canhappen otherwise, once the business flourishes.

9. There is a need for evolving and adapting models of carrying capacity of a site and

since there cannot be a universal model of determining the carrying capacity of aPark or a destination, therefore previous experiences/studies must be

considered.

10. MP EDB should get project proposals prepared under various schemes of the GOIand apply for grants. While preparing Ecotourism projects acceptance and supportof local influential people and people's representatives may be sought.

11. There is immense scope for soliciting support from volunteers and nature

enthusiasts who like to get associated with some kind of ecological work while onvacation. This will aid tourist management and add to the overall ecotourism

experience of the volunteers as well as the ecotourists.

12. EDB may seek public-private-partnership in various rungs of ecotourism

destination development. The Board will proactively seek proposals from private

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parties for ecotourism projects in sites identified by the Board as well as potentialnew destinations. The Board would facilitate in information disseminationregarding clearances required from various departments for such ecotourism

projects .The Legal aspects of ecotourism related activities need to be firmed upby the EDB. Possibilities of introduction of MoUs /agreements wherever required,developing a system of inviting public-private-partnership ensuring that benefitsharing is linked to conservation activities.

13. Trying new concepts is important because of increased pressures on existing NP /

WLS as well as for providing new destinations and experiences to the tourists.

Along with EDB's mandate to develop non tiger destinations it must also get

decongestion plans prepared for Parks in their buffer zones. Community based

tourism can be promoted in the peripheral area of NP / WLS.

14. Use of latest technologies should be introduced to help in management and

operations, for example, GPS mapped trek routes can be prepared and this would

help in providing a better facility and prove crucial in tracking down the position of

tourists in case of emergency and help in accurate deployment of the rescue staff.

15. Client/tourist interface with local community should be promoted at all the

ecotourism destinations, so as to maximise the benefits to the communities and

their ecotourism based sustainable development.

16. The government should provide initial marketing support as well as some subsidies/ incentives to small investors and entrepreneurs involved in ecotourism activities.

Proposal in this regard may be initiated by the EDB.

17. As most of the Protected Areas cater to pilgrimage tourism, Entry fees must be

collected from pilgrims entering such areas. The issue can also be addressed

through the Temple Trusts. EDB can bring this issue to Government's notice.

Garbage incinerator should be installed at pilgrim destinations.

18. As most of the Archaeological monuments are situated inside the forest areas as

well, EDB in consultation with ASI and State Archaeology Department needs to beput in place the list of allowable activities in their vicinity.

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19. EDB must ensure interpretative value addition at every ecotourism destination.These destinations must have their own trekking maps, checklists on basicinformation on ecology and a guidebook on dos and don'ts while in the premises.

Proper use and placing of signage will also help in information dissemination as wellas adding value to the aesthetics of the area. Myths and mysticisms should also beadded if they have some thrill/adventure value but this should be done with extracare.

20. EDB will ensure coordination with the Department of Town and Country Planning(TCP) and the Municipal Corporation while planning infrastructure and wastemanagement on the ecotourism destinations.

21. A mechanism to strengthen tiger foundation was proposed by the lodge owners

wherein they would collect donations from willing customers on behalf of the tigerfoundation and forward the receipts for the cause of the foundation. Theyproposed another alternative where the client could be charged some agreed uponamount on checking out bill as a contribution towards the Tiger Foundation, whichwould be remitted after account closing of every month. EDB could makenecessary proposal to the Wildlife wing.

OPERATIONS

22. EDB must explore and develop alternate destinations that provide a diversity of

activities and products for a good tourist experience and therefore reduce touristburden from NP/WLS.

23. EDB must look into the'ecotel' norms for Hotel, lodges and resort owners and alsoprepare norms and procedures for eco-certification.

24. Ecological Architectural infrastructure designs and standards for sustainableecotourism must also be spelt out for Lodges and Hotels coming up in the vicinity ofNational Parks and Sanctuaries.

25. MP EDB must develop its website and develop a comprehensive portal as a strongmechanism for information exchange on its various plans and activities with thestakeholders.

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26. The EDB should apprise the Wildlife Wing about the concerns of the participantsof the workshop that the entry permit to the Parks should be provided theprevious night to the visitors so as to avoid long queues of vehicles outside the

gates of NP/WLS. There is a need to devise some strategy to deal with situationslike shortage of resources that arise when some VIP / minister pays visit to a site.Night tourists or the tourists who stay overnight at the destinations should getpriority over daytime and casual tourists in issuing entry permits.

27. Use of solar panels and alternate sources of energy must be popularised at theecotourism destinations and the State Government must be approached so as toprovide subsidies in their procurement and installation.

28. The concept of privately managed Parks / private forests can be debated upon and

considered, wherein a private investor develops the area as a forest and noforest acts / rules apply, except for some basic rules necessary from conservationpoint of view.

MARKETING

29. The MP TDC and EDB must complement and supplement each other in destinationdevelopment for successful and sustainable ecotourism, marketing of the sitesbeing entrusted to the MP TDC. EDB must develop exclusive experience packagesfor each destination. Such experiences can be marketed as their USP (Unique

Selling Point).

30. EDB must appreciate and harness the constructive role of the media in generatingawareness and forming opinions about new ventures in general public

CAPACITY BUILDING

31. Although the problems of poor infrastructure, lack of information, poorinterpretation, lack of monitoring etc hinder the ecotourism sector, capacitybuilding of local community is one of the most important aspects in any community

based tourism project and this needs to be integrated in every ecotourism project.Behavioural changes and active participation of local community in ecotourismprojects is possible only through proper orientation and capacity building. For a

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good tourist experience it is pertinent to have a good driver and therefore theirtraining is of great importance and in addition to this there is a strong need forimproving the quality of the Park guides by orienting and training them. EDB willinitiate a need assessment study for capacity building of guides working in theParks and for other destinations being developed. EDB will design and develop a

course/module for training of G-1, G-2 guides and N-1, N-2 naturalists.

32. EDB must aspire for global recognition and awards. Board should take membership

of various well-known national and international organizations and build

partnerships.

BUDGET PROVISION

33. Now that ecotourism has been made a part of the Working Plans of the Forest

Divisions and the management plans of the protected areas, EDB must propose to

the Government to make regular budget provision for proposed ecotourism works

envisaged in the working plans, on the lines of the 'ecotourism scheme' budget

head of Uttranchal.

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LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Name Address Phone, Email ID

A Manwani 6, Shyamla Hills, CM, Press Room 2540210, 9826420428

A.A.Ansari AMD, MFP Fed, 74 Bunglows, Bhopal 2675258, [email protected]

A.K.Singh Member Secretary, MP Biodiverity, 9425140544

Beej Bhawan, Arera Hills, Bhopal 0755- 2460744

A.P.Dwivedi Ex PCCF,MP,267, B-Sector,Shahpura, Bhopal

A.S.Joshi AMD, MPRVVNI, Bhopal 2674225

A.V.Singh Chairman, NVDA, Narmada Bhawan, [email protected] Colony, Bhopal

Abhilash Khandekar Burena Chief- DNA, Char Imli, BPL 9826057157

Ajit Sonakia IFS, Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal 264236Amitabh Agnihotri Director Madhav National Park 07492-223379, 9425177476,

Fax- 07492-223379

[email protected] Farogh Danik Jagran, Bhopal 9893506975

Anant Vijay Singh C-324 , Triveni Appt. 9425331212

Sheik Sari Phase-I, N.DelhiAnil Kumar Bhardwaj Wildlife Institute of India 0135-2640116 09412056376,

Post Bag #18, Chandrabani Fax- 0135-2640117

Dehradun - 248 001, Uttaranchal [email protected]

Anil Kumar Dubey MD/PCCF,MPSFDC, 194,Indus Empair, E-B, Trilanga, Bhopal 9893139121

Anil Shrivastava Danik Bhaskar, Bhopal 9425004520

Anurag Mishra 4th Floor, Shukla CHambers 86,Zone-II, M.P.Nagar, BPL 9893712394

Archana Sharma Aranya 9303125057

Aseem Shrivastava Field Director,Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Umariya 07653-222214, 9425163705

[email protected]

Ashok Bhatia CF (WL) Van Bhawan, Bhopal 9425105313Avani Vaish Principal Secretary, Forest, 2441841

Vallabh Bhawan, Bhopal [email protected]

B.M.Namdev M.P. Tourism, Bhadbhada Road, Bhopal 9303125731Fax- 0755-2774289

[email protected]

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B.P.Gupta CF, Bhopal 0755- 2674296

[email protected] Fort Amla, Dist-Ujjain 0731-3241041, 9425064976

Raghavendra Singh Fax-0731-4067650

Chanakya Bakshi Misty Meadows Resort, Pachmarhi 07578-252136, 9425310436pachmarhi_resort@

rediffmail.com

D.P.Tiwari SDO, Forests, Bhopal 0755-2674322, 9425029009Deepak Nayar, Far Horizon Tours B-209, C.R.Park, 011-41602100, 09871229475

N.Delhi [email protected]

Dipti Gargava State Archaeology Archives & Museum. 2553307, 9826092972E.P.Eric D' Cunha Indian Adventures (Mumbai) 07649-277203, 9425417407

Wild Chalet Resort, Kanha Fax- 0649-277203

Faiyaz N.Sayed Tuli Tiger Resort, Kanha National Park, 07649-277221, 277251Kanha 9425147135

[email protected]

Gopa Pandey CF Betul [email protected]

Gopal Das Kabra Asvind Marg Pachmarhi 07578-252006, 9425310402

www.hotelpandav.com

Gopal Rai 3, Behind Ramyan Colony Mandir, 0755-2542465, 9893054246Bhopal. [email protected]

Gyaendra S.Tiwari Tiger Den Resort, Bandhavgarh, 07627-265365, 265353

Tala, Dist- Umaria (M.P)

H.S.Danditia M.P. Tourism, Mukki, 07637-226029,

Kanha Safari Lodge 07636-200190Fax- 07636 256418

H.S.Gill Taj Wilderness Lodges Ltd. Umariya [email protected]

H.S.Pabla APCCF (Wildlife),& CEO, MPEDB, Bhopal 2674226

[email protected] Narayan Bandhavgarh, Tala, Dist- Umaria (M.P) 07627- 265362, 9429344194

Chaturvedi

Jagdish Chandra Director, Omkareshwar National Park, 0731-255374, 9425010318Indore Fax- 0731-2553774

[email protected]

[email protected]

9425331208

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Jasbir S. Chauhan CF, Wildlife, Lion Project, Gwalior 0751-2235290, 9425136108

Jehan Bhujwala Shergah Tateel Camp Mukki Kanha 9324331583

Jija Hari Singh MD, Jungle Lodges& Resort BLR 25583276, [email protected]

K K Singh Churhat Kothi, 07627-265358

Bandhav Garh National Park [email protected]

Umariya, MP,

K.Nayak Field Director, 07642-250760 (O)

Kanha Tiger Reserve 07642-250761 (R)

Kamal Dhoot Hotel Kachnut, Pachmarhi (M.P) 07578-252233, 9425367153,

[email protected]

L.S.Kashyap Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal 2674329, 9893315389

Lalit Bhandri MP-31, Palakmati Apartments, Bhopal 9893426460

[email protected]

M.K.Sapra CCF (WFP) Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal 2674256, 9425484372

[email protected]

M.S.Rana APCCF (Production) Satpura Bhawan 2674354, 9425300006,

Mandip Singh Soin Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd 011- 26912641, 26828479

G-66 East of Kailash [email protected]

New Delhi, India- 110065

Manoj Kumar Raj Traveks P. Ltd. Idgah Hills BPL. 2749456

[email protected]

Manoj Sharma A-105, Narwana Apt. 89, T.P.Ext, Delhi 011-65969433, [email protected]

Mohd Hashim PCCF, Satpuda Bhawan, BPL 2674200

[email protected]

Muhammed K.K ASI, Bhopal 9893166730

[email protected]

N.S.Dungriyal CF/ F. Director, Pench Tiger Reserve, 07692- 223794

Seoni MP 07692-223204

[email protected]

Nadeem Khan Hotel Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, 0755- 4223333, 9425013296,

VIP Road, Bhopal Fax- 0755-4227777

Nadir Rashial 157, Jehan Numa Palace Hotel, Bhopal 266100

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Navneet Agarwal Nature Heritage Resort, 181, 09319096650

Tala Bandhavgarh [email protected]

Neelesh Agrawal The Krishna Jungle Resort, 9425153571

Kanha National Park [email protected] PCCF,(Wildlife), Van Bhawan, BPL 2674206

[email protected]

P.K.Shukla Director, SFRI, Jabalpur 0761-2669035, 9300481678Fax- 0761 -2661304

[email protected]

Pankaj Singh J MIG-3,Ankur Colony, Shivaji Nagar, 2577320, 9425015018Bhopal

Prakesh Tiwari APCCF (IT), Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal 0755-2674220, 9826047544

Pramod Singh Unwind Inc. J-9, Lajpat Nagar, 011-29832212, 9811115214

3 New Delhi, 110024 Fax- 011 [email protected] Nigam M-13, Sainik Garhs, New Delhi 011-29555827, 09810081035

[email protected]

R.B.Sahu 33, Patrakar Colony, Bhopal 9826023372R.B.Sinha CF, (NON Gaz), Satpura Bhawan Bhopal 0755-2674266

[email protected]

R.G.Soni CF, Chhindwara 07162-245470, 245480,

9893101600,Fax- 07162-245470

[email protected]

R.K.Rai Baghirt Log huts kishi 9425143843MP Tourism Dev. MP

R.P.Singh D-11/13, Char Imli, Bhopal 0755-2674224, 09826372154

R.S.Negi APCCF (Adm-Non Gaz), 2674238, 9425474923,

Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal Fax- 2674238

R.Sreenivas CF, Academy of Administration, Bhopal 0755-4279048

Murthy

Rajendra Nigam MP Tourism , Paryatak Bhawan, Bhopal [email protected]

Rajiv Bhartari Director, Corbett, National Park, Ph- 5947-253977Ramnagar, Dehradun.Uttaranchal M- 9412053603

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Rajneesh DPR Press, Bhopal 2734884Rajvardhan Sharma 181, Tala Bandhavgarh, Distt Umaria 07627-265351,09425334202Ramesh Thakur E-139/2, Professor Colony, Bhopal 2661727Ravi Srivastave E-9, Surendra Garden, Bhopal 2674321

Ravindra N. Saxena D-7/1, Char Imli, Bhopal 2674222, 9827057603Fax- 0755- [email protected]

Rhea Ramji Jungle Mantra Bandhavgarh [email protected]

Ritu Bharadwaj MPRLP, Bhopal [email protected]@gmail.com

S.K.Nigam ITI Principal, Gas Rahat, Govindpura, 2586159, 9893621829

BhopalS.P.Dubey A-9, Surendra Garden, Bagmugalia Road, 0755-282255, 9425043620

BhopalS.P.Singh CCF (W. Plan) Satpura Bhawan, Bhopal 264265, 9425373048

[email protected] CF & FD Satpura Tiger Reserve

Hoshangabad [email protected] Makaad F-94, Minal Residency Bhopal 9826061528Sameeta Rajora General Manager, MPEDB9 893783937

[email protected] Saxena WWF-I, MP&CG, State Office E-5, 2469297, 2468866

Paravaran Parisar, Arera Colony, Bhopal [email protected]

Sanjeev Kulhalli The Krishna Jungle Resort, Kanha 07649-277207/208,9425477320

Sarath.C.R Taj Wilderness [email protected]

Satish K.Tyagi Add. Secretary, Forests 2674241, 9425147644Satyanand DFO, Bhopal 09425131548

[email protected] Ahmad Field Director, Panna Tiger Reserve 07732-252135, 9425014656

Panna Fax- [email protected]

Shivendu CCF (Production) Satpura Bhawan, 2674308, 9893070121K.Srivastava Bhopal Fax- 2674354

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Shripad Kundr Prigat 17, Chunna Bhatti BPL 2421900, 9826017187

Shyam Singh The Bag, Kanha, Gndma Village, 07637-206363, 206585

Baihar Tehsil, Balaghat

Suhail Gupta, India Safaris & Tours 011- 26807744, 9810730239304, Empire Apartments, MG Road, Fax- 011-26807733

Sultanpur, New Delhi

Suhas Kumar CCF (wildlife), D-11/8, Char Imli 0755-2674248, 09425303461,

Fax 0755- 2766315

[email protected]

Sujay Ganapathy Aranya 4294346, 09831187561

Suneesh Buxy Deputy Director, 07162-254473, 245038,

Centre for Forest research HRD 9425360940

Chhindwara

Sunil Chadha Clubhouse-Tigerland Resort, 0761-2678198

Next to Jacjsons Hotel Civil Lines, [email protected]

Taru N Bhati Tiger Resort (P) Ltd, Gulmohar Park, 9417353939

New Delhi

V.R.Khare MD/PCCF, MP MFP Fed. Bhopal 2674202

[email protected]

Vandana Dwivedi Director, HHR Groups of Hotels Pvt Ltd.,9425180898

194/Indus Empire, Trilanga Bhopal

Veena Raman MPTDC Bhopal 2774530, 9300811826

[email protected]

Vikas Tiwari Raj Express 9893309835

Vinay Luthra Regiatra, Karnataka University, 9448357750Dharwad, Karnataka [email protected]

Vinay Varman NVDA 0755- 2555245, 9425014900

Fax- 2555245

Vishnu Singh C/o Gajraj, Wildlife, Resort Kanha 94140238891

Mukki

Y.K.Sinha F2/1, Professor Colony, Bhopal 2661568, 9425003181

Yawar Rashid 157, Jehan Numa Palace Hotel, Bhopal 266100

Yog C. Dutt Junoon, Bhopal 4044460, 9826030969

[email protected]

Suhail.gupta@indiasafris. com

[email protected]

[email protected]

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Draft - restricted circulation

ECOTOURISM POLICY OF MADHYA PRADESH

PREAMBLE

Madhya Pradesh is endowed with a very rich spectrum of scenic and relatively undisturbedlandscapes, forests, wildlife and cultural diversity. The State has the largest forest area (94,669 sq km)in the country of which more than 10,000 sq km is under Protected Areas and the largest tigerpopulation housed in five world famous tiger reserves. It is also home to several endangered speciesincluding the Gangetic Dolphin, the Ghariyal , the Great Indian Bustard and the Kharmor amongstothers. More than 80 per cent of tourism in Madhya Pradesh is centered on nature and wildlife. TheState has long been a premier wildlife destination especially for 'Tiger viewing'. Excessive andexclusive focus on tigers and tiger reserves however has the potential to lead to problems includingresource degradation, neglect of other areas, erosion of the local culture and other managementproblems associated with excessive centralization. Besides, a majority of tourists are deprived ofexperiencing other lesser known but equally rich facets of the State's natural heritage, which could alsolead to stagnation in the growth of tourist inflow to the State.

It is in this context that “Ecotourism” has gained its relevance. Ecotourism or Ecologically SustainableTourism has been defined as responsible tourism to natural areas that conserves the environment andimproves the well being of local communities. It has been recognized as an important conservation toolas it encourages local communities, government as well as private agencies to protect naturalresources that attract visitors resulting in economic benefits and at the same time caters to the growingworldwide popular demand for opportunities to savour natural wilderness. Ecotourism also haspotential to play an important role in creating environmental as well as cultural awareness amongst allthe stakeholders local communities, tourists, government and the private sector.

With this background, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has resolved to make the promotion of

ecotourism in the State a priority area. The focus shall be on conservation of natural resources throughawareness building, diversification of tourism activities and destinations, and local communityparticipation. This Policy is aimed at informing and sensitizing the general public and relatedGovernment Departments towards ecotourism and laying down the framework for its growth in theState in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner.

OBJECTIVES

The State shall endeavor to promote regulated and meaningful public access to forests, peripheralareas and other natural landscapes of the State, through:

a) Development of permissible and ecologically sound ecotourism infrastructure;b) Identification and promotion of lesser known areas having ecotourism potential in addition to

popular destinations;c) Diversification of the range of tourism activities available at destinations;d) Development and enforcement of standards and norms for ecotourism activities;e) Securing involvement of the local communities living in and dependent on peripheral and other

areas for their livelihood;f) Awareness building amongst general public; local communities and government staff;g) Securing regulated private sector participation for the development of infrastructure and services;

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With the ultimate objectives of :

a. Conserving the natural resource base of the State;b. Promoting the State as a prominent ecotourism hub;

c. Securing economic benefits for the local communities without adversely affecting their cultural ethos.

PRINCIPLES

The development, management and promotion of ecotourism in the State shall be governed by thefollowing guiding principles:a. All ecotourism activities are to be in strict conformance with the provisions of the existing

environmental law of the country, especially the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the Forest(Conservation) Act, 1980 and the various directives and guidelines issued by the Governmentfrom time to time.

b. Rules and guidelines regarding technical procedures, stakeholder participation and impactmitigation to be developed and strictly adhered to.

c. Adherence to international standards in terms of quality and safety in developing and operatingecotourism facilities and activities to be given highest priority.

d. Priority is to be given to developing sites near existing and known tourist destinations.e. Striking a balance between financial viability and affordability of the ecotourism facilities.f. Creation of environmental awareness amongst all sections and age groups, especially the youth,

to be incorporated as a major activity for each ecotourism destination.g. Only activities and facilities having least impact on the natural resources and the local culture to

be permitted.h. Preference to the 'quality of experience' rather than the number of visitors, without compromising

on financial viability as far as possible.i. Wherever resources harnessed for ecotourism are traditionally in use by the local community,

activities and facilities shall be developed in consultation with them and mechanisms to ensureflow of benefits to the community shall be identified and implemented.

j. Adoption of a “single window system” for delivery of ecotourism services.k. Marketing strategies to be based on sound market research and segmentation analysis, making

wide use of electronic, print and cyber media for marketing Madhya Pradesh as a multi-facetedecotourism destination.

l. Installation of technologically efficient systems and clean development mechanisms to bemandatory for operation of any ecotourism facility.

m. Multi stakeholder partnership in developing and operating facilities and activities to beencouraged. Development and operations to be undertaken either solely by the governmentagency concerned or in partnership with the local community and private enterprises, dependingupon the specific requirements and the category under which the destination area falls.

n. Technical co-operation with national and international agencies having expertise in ecotourism tobe encouraged, without compromising on local interests.

o. Mechanisms to facilitate coordination between concerned Government Departments, especiallythe Forest and the Tourism Departments - to be developed and implemented.

MADHYA PRADESH ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT BOARD

The State Government through its Forest Department constituted the MPEDB in July 2005 to actas the nodal agency for development and promotion of ecotourism in the State. It shall be the Board'smandate to ensure the attainment of the objectives and adherence to the guiding principles set forth inthis policy. For this, the Board shall develop the necessary systems, standards and institutions. TheBoard shall be equipped with required technical and financial resources to implement this Policy. Itshall liaise with local, national and international stakeholders for planning, developing andimplementing projects compatible with this Policy.

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The Board shall also be empowered to oversee and approve specific ecotourism projects,activities and site management plans that are in conformance with this policy and other statutoryrequirements.

More specifically, the functions of the Board shall be:

a) Identifying and prioritizing ecotourism destinations throughout the State based on parameters tobe defined.

b) Overseeing the process of infrastructure and facilities development at the destinations identifiedc) Creating and maintaining a conducive policy environmentd) Developing and enforcing standards and norms to regulate operationse) Encouraging public-people-private partnershipsf) Generating synergy among the Forest Department, Tourism Department and other stakeholders.g) Liaisoning with statutory authorities to obtain requisite clearances for projects expeditiously.h) Making ecotourism a mainstream programme of the Forest Departmenti) Capacity building of government staff, local community, tourism entrepreneurs and other

stakeholders through regular training programmes, exposure visits, seminars and workshops,experience sharing etc.

j) Promoting involvement of youth, both urban and rural in various aspects ofecotourism development through incentives including internships, stipends etc.

ECOTOURISM ACTIVITIES AND FACILITIES

Ecotourism activities to be identified and developed at any destination shall be site-specific i.e.dependent upon the potential of the particular site being developed. Following are the activities andfacilities that may be undertaken for promoting an area as an ecotourism destination within the State.

a. Nature CampsCamping sites may be identified and provided with basic facilities to enable the tourists to stay in

natural surroundings either solely to experience the wilderness or additionally for participating in otheractivities requiring overnight stay in forests.

b. Eco-friendly Accommodation Adequate facilities for boarding and lodging of tourists may be developed. The infrastructure must

be eco-friendly and strictly in accordance with guidelines laid down in this regard. Suitable existingbuildings, located in picturesque locations, may also be developed for tourist accommodation. Wherefeasible, local community members may also be encouraged to provide lodging and boarding facilitiesto the tourists, subject to prescribed quality standards.

c. Trekking and Nature WalksTrekking routes of varying distances and guided nature trails through designated paths may be

identified and developed in scenic landscapes rich in biodiversity, causing minimum disturbance to thenatural vegetation and soil. Staff and local persons, especially youth may be appropriately trained toact as Nature Guides and Naturalists so as to assist visitors during wildlife viewing and trekking.

d. Wildlife Viewing and River Cruise

Wildlife viewing in eco-friendly vehicles or on elephant backs may be promoted at appropriate sites forobserving wildlife. Sites having suitable water-bodies may be developed for providing river cruisefacilities in non-polluting boats.

e. Adventure Sports

Facilities for adventure sports such as rock climbing, rappelling and parasailing along with watersports such as river rafting, boating and canoeing may be developed in consultation and cooperation

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with experts and the concerned department or agency having control over the water bodies.

f. Angling Angling facilities for Mahaseer and other suitable fish species, strictly on a catch and release

basis, may be developed on suitable rivers/ water bodies flowing through or along the forest areas inconsultation with the concerned Department. Angling guidelines to be formulated by the MPEDB shallbe strictly followed in this regard. If necessary, water bodies may be artificially stocked by rearing andreleasing fish seed into the rivers that have been depleted of the target species over time.

g. Herbal EcotourismHerbal ecotourism may be made the thrust area at suitable locations having a rich herbal

heritage. Traditional medicinal practices of such locations may be explored and based on these;authentic herbal inputs having appropriate certifications and recognition may be made available to thetourists. These activities may be promoted in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Minor ForestProduce Federation.

j. Urban Ecotourism through Eco-ParksIn order to promote urban ecotourism, eco-parks may be developed in various urban centers.

Such Eco-parks may contain provisions for various ecotourism activities including interpretationcenters, trekking, nature walks, biking, bird watching, camping, angling, herbal center, adventuresports etc. on a small scale depending upon the area being developed. For this purpose, existingpublic parks in urban localities may also be utilized.

h. Visitor Interpretation CentersExisting interpretation facilities may be strengthened to make them more comprehensive to

accommodate the requirements of various classes of visitors envisaged. Each destination mustincorporate ways to enhance and enrich the visitor experience.

i. Conservation EducationConservation education must be promoted in and around each destination for creating

awareness amongst school and college students, local communities, government staff and visitors in

order to maintain and enhance support for ecotourism and environmental conservation. Variousmeans that may be adopted include media campaigns, formation of eco-clubs at schools andcolleges, exposure visits to destinations, displays and hoardings, community centers etc. New andinnovative methods shall also be encouraged.

k. Other FacilitiesFacilities for any other eco-friendly activities may also be provided based on specific

requirements of a site provided the activity is compatible with the overall objectives of this policy and inconformance with the various standards and guidelines laid down in this regard.

POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

The Government of Madhya Pradesh is committed to achieving the objectives of thisPolicy in an effective and time-bound manner for which it shall enlist the support of allstakeholders, thus focusing on the concept of "Public-People-Private-Partnerships". Theprinciples laid down in the policy shall be translated into comprehensive standards andguidelines so as to facilitate its proper implementation. For this, existing services andsystems of the Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board of the Forest Departmentshall be channelised.

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Constituted in July 2005, The Madhya Pradesh Eco-Tourism Development Board is an autonomousorganization in the Forest Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh.

The major objectives of the Board are broadly aimed at the promotion and organised development ofEcotourism as a mainstream programme of the Forest Department. The Board envisages acting as apivotal link between the Forest and the Tourism Departments of the State besides other stakeholdersto establish perfect synergies among all of them. Within this larger mandate, the Board aims at theachievement of certain specific objectives, such as development of infrastructure; development andenforcement of standards and norms of service; review and development of policies and laws;ensuring participation of and benefits to all stakeholders, especially the rural communities andcapacity building support for stakeholders. The by-laws of the Board stipulate that the Board will be afacilitating body to help Government Departments, travel businesses, local communities and otherstakeholders to achieve their specific objectives of benefiting from creating visitor access to theserene, scenic and unexplored niches in the vast wilderness of the State, while ensuring that the

natural resources prosper to welcome more and more admirers.

The Hon Forest Minister of Madhya Pradesh heads the Board as Chairperson; the Principal SecretaryForests is the Chairman of the Executive Committee, while a senior Forest Officer functions as theChief Executive Officer. The Executive Committee of the Board consists of senior-most functionariesfrom the Forest, Tourism and Finance Departments and the autonomous undertakings of theseDepartments.

Forests and wildlife being the dominant heritage of Madhya Pradesh, MP Tourism has, logically, alsobeen dominated by forest and wildlife related destinations. Despite being the cradle of some of thefinest and the most beautiful wildlife reserves in the country, wildlife tourism in the State has not beengiven its due recognition so far. Eighty percent non-pilgrimage tourism in the State is based on theforests and the wildlife. With the constitution of the Ecotourism Development Board the State is

committed to gear up to attract larger numbers of concerned and sensitive visitors to its wilds,rebuilding its efforts to conserve the serenity and diversity of its wilderness. Despite the lack ofresources and efforts, wildlife tourism in the state has been growing at above 10% over the last fewyears.

So far wildlife tourism, more specifically the 'tiger tourism' has been offering a very limited range ofactivities and experiences not only in Madhya Pradesh but also in the whole of India. The EcotourismBoard intends to widen the horizon of the tourism and enrich the experience of the visitors with moreenchanting dimensions of the nature and wildlife. The tourists will henceforth be encouraged toexperience a much closer contact with nature and wilderness through treks, nature walks, camping,biking, bird watching, wildlife viewing from strategically located hides and watch towers and full-daypark visits, including relaxation at the remote patrolling camps with only the forest guards,experienced guides, naturalists, birds, butterflies and the animals as company. This diversity will

make a visit to the forests and the protected areas much more educative, entertaining and fulfilling.With the above background, the Board has taken up the development of some of the lesser-knowndestinations including Orchha Nature Reserve, Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, Ralamandal WildlifeSanctuary, Amarkantak and Dindori Forests, Chambal River, Dumna and Madan Mahal EcotourismCentres (Jabalpur), Kerwa Ecotourism Destination (Bhopal), Kathotia Adventure Point (Sehore),Jhinna Forest Camp (Panna). Preparing for the challenges to integrate the ecotourism diverficationwith overall sustainable development, the Board has to go a long way.

New Dimensions in Ecotourism

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