Category: Eco Tourism

With an aim to boost eco-tourism in the state, the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) is taking a slew of measures for the development of eco-tourism. It is also planning to incorporate as many as 15 eco-tourism centres spread across the state in its booking portal by January 2019. “We have chalked out an elaborate plan to promote ecotourism and also giving a major overhaul to infrastructure development in areas where we have our eco-resorts,” said Ravinder Pall Saini, managing director, WBFDC. WBFDC currently runs eco-tourism resorts in 19 locations of which 13 are located in North Bengal and ... Read more

Three new eco-tourism zones on the suburbs of the Corbett Tiger Reserve will be open in January, just a month after the Supreme Court’s approval for night stays at forest rest houses near the Reserve. Recently a division bench of the Uttarakhand High Court adjudged that “No tourist should be permitted to stay overnight in national parks, protected forests and reserve forests in order to protect wildlife.” The HC had also restricted the number of vehicles that entered the Reserve to 100 per day. However, following the plea from the stakeholders of the National Park, the Supreme Court has stayed the ... Read more

Daringbadi – Kashmir of Odisha The eco-tourism programmes implemented by Odisha has been proved to be rewarding as the revenue generated from tourism activities is expected to reach Rs 6 crore by the end of the current financial year. The total investment in eco-tourism projects by the state government is around Rs 34 crore, which has utilized for the development of 37 eco-tourism destinations from 2016-17 to 2018-19 with an objective to increase the inbound tourism and to strengthen the local economy. “The revenue generation from tourism activities in these spots within this period has touched Rs 4 crore. Considering ... Read more

As part of the State’s policy to boost sustainable tourism, Goa has introduced electric bikes (e-bikes) for tourists who visit Goa. The programme, first-of-its-kind in India, as claimed by the officials, were launched by the tourism minister Manohar Azgaonkar and Chairperson of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) Dayanand Sopte on Friday, 16th November 2018. The programme is implemented in association with Acris Tours Pvt Ltd. Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar and Chairperson of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) Dayanand Sopte at the launch of e-bikes Conceptualized by the electric vehicle tourism platform ‘B:Live’, e-bikes are equipped with hi-tech ... Read more

Kerala Tourism has launched a micro website with the details of ecotourism centers in Kerala. Kadakampally Surendran, Tourism Minister inaugurated the website on 27th October 2018. The web site has information of 47 eco-tourism centers and hundreds of details in 35 eco-tourism centers, 75 videos, over 200 images and e-brochures containing more than 30 pages of 10 centers. The website has more than 500 pages. The web site also gives details of various trekking routs, which will be beneficial to adventure lovers. It also provides information of popular tourist centers like, Silent valley, Eravikulam National Park, Parambikkulam, Periyar tiger reserve, ... Read more

Volcanoes Gorilla National Park, Rwanda Gorilla tourism is one of the major sources of revenue for Rwanda. As per the WWF conservation group the number of the mountain gorillas are around 600 in the Virunga Massif, a mountainous area encompassing parts of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. Tourists can watch gorillas from short distance, in their natural habitat at the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Thousands of tourists, local and from foreign countries visit the National Park every year. However, the flow of tourists have declined this year as the authorities have increased the price of a permit to visit the ... Read more

Tourists including children and adolescents who visit Veli can now have a trip on a Mini train. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism said that a Miniature Railway project was approved at the Veli Tourist Village. The Miniature Railway project, which has modern facilities, will be implemented by the State Tourism Department at a cost of Rs 9 crore. The project will become a reality within 18 months. Tourists can travel on the Mini Train by up to 2 kilo meters. The tourism minister said that the outline of the project is ready. The train will be operated by solar energy. ... Read more

Kericho Tea Plantation (Photo courtesy: jamiiforums.com) Kenya plans to grant loans at discounted interest rates to the hospitality industry to promote green tourism. It was informed by Jonah Ormoi, the chief executive officer of State-owned Tourism Finance Corporation. “We will extend loans at below market rates to the hospitality sector in order to ensure that the tourism sector has a low carbon footprint,” Ormoi said during a forum on sustainable trends in the MICE (Meetings Incentives Conference and Exhibitions) tourism sector. Repayment of the loan should only be started after 24 months from the date of loan.  The authorities expect ... Read more

The Bengal forest department is going to open eight aviaries at the South Khayerbari Nature Park in Alipurduar district to enhance tourism. The nature park was inaugurated in 2005, which has lost its gleam after the leopard safari has stopped seven years ago, as the battery-run vehicles which were used to carry tourists to the enclosure went out of operation. “Even though the safari had stopped, at least 200 people visit the site during the tourism season. At present, there are seven leopards and one royal Bengal tiger at the nature park. It also has four cottages and boating facility ... Read more

Green House The 2nd Urban Agri Africa 2018 Summit will be held on September 25 – 26 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.  With the agriculture sector at the centre of persistent discussions and debate around transformation and economic empowerment, this 2nd Urban Agri Africa 2018 Summit is not only timely, but highly relevant. Organized by Magenta Global, the two-day Conference includes a dynamic offering of engaging presentations and panel discussions.  It will bring together all agriculture stakeholders – from policy makers, trade and investment promotion agencies, farmers (both smallholders and commercial farmers), credit and agri-financiers, agri ... Read more

The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu is going to open its buffer zone for tourists. As per the Forest Department, the procedures are in final stage. Once the buffer zone is opened for tourists, the authorities expect to generate around 200 job opportunities in the reserve. The department is planning to formulate Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) in the region, in order to elicit active co-operation from the people residing on the peripheries of the reserve and to ensure their mutual commitment in conservation works. Members of the EDCs will Engage in protection works such as Anti-poaching watchers (APWs), ... Read more

Indian Blackbucks Indian Blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) is one of the three species of antelopes found in Odisha, which are in the endangered list. In order to enhance the population of the black bucks, the authorities are planning to release some of them in the Chandaka forest on city outskirts this year. Last month the authorities have sought the help of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for the population management of the antelopes.  As per the recent census the total number of blackbucks the Bhetnoi-Balipadar landscape of Ganjam district was counted to be 4,080. “The fact that the landscape of Bhetnoi ... Read more

Goa government plan to include agro-eco tourism in the school syllabus. It was suggested by the ICAR-Central Coast Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI) and they are said to be in the process of writing to the state education department recommending this. An agro eco-tourism unit has already launched in the state equipped with a range of agricultural activities and display of various operations like mushroom production, bee hives etc. “When the agro eco-tourism unit has launched, lots of schools have contacted us showing their interest. We are writing to the government to include this in the school curriculum. We may also ... Read more

The government is planning to open around 100 islands in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep for the development of eco-tourism. The project will be implemented on public private partnership (PPP) basis, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, said on Friday, 10th August 2018. Ten islands in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep have already been taken up for development in the first phase under the Holistic Development of Islands programme. “Now we have taken up 10 islands as the first phase of the programme; around 100 islands will be open up by the next 12 months. We invite all prospective entrepreneurs to ... Read more

In order to have clear interpretations of the rules and regulations to follow in eco-tourism, the government is formulating a new policy to provide guidelines and norms for tourism in protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, conservation reserves and even territorial and revenue forests. A draft policy is framed by the environment ministry in consultation with the states and it is presently with the tourism ministry for their comments. The draft also suggests the need of rules and regulations in areas such as mangroves, mudflats and wetlands. Currently, tourism activities are carried out based on management plans of ... Read more