Tourism and environment have a strong relationship and due to this, Uttarakhand can increasingly make use of the vast possibilities and potential of eco-tourism offered by the Himalayas in the State.
Eco-tourism can prove to be the solution to some of the problems facing the Himalayas. Eco-tourism is growing steadily. Recent research suggests that eco-tourism is growing three times faster than conventional tourism. It is predicted that by 2024, eco-tourism will represent five per cent of the global tourism market. Conventional tourism is aimed at tourist satisfaction, while eco-tourism has conservation and livelihood as its essential components. Eco-tourism is nature based tourism that fosters environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.
Well-known environment activist and writer from Darjeeling Umesh Dwivedi presented a paper at an international conference on globalization and cultural practices in mountain areas.
In his paper, he says that there are all kinds of tourist attractions in the Himalayas; religious shrines, snow clad mountains, rivers, springs, waterfalls, natural lakes, breath taking bugyals, picturesque landscape, tea gardens, unique flora and fauna, temples and monasteries, which lure the tourists from all over the world. "Tourism is the most important industry in the Himalaya and it has certainly brought employment opportunities and economic prosperity to the people living in the Himalaya but its negative aspects cannot be ignored. "The pressure of increasing tourist activities are very clear," says Dwivedi.
Construction of high rise hotels, resorts and residential complexes have completely transformed the landscape of Himalaya. "Himalayan cities and towns are now facing serious urban problems like pollution, traffic jams, lacks of parking space, shortage of water and other civic amenities and problems of waste disposal." Dwivedi writes that eco-tourism, if managed well, brings the different cultures of the world together and promotes national integration and international understanding.
Tourists these days wish to experience tranquility and are thus looking to the countryside. In the wake of the increasing demand for such experiences, the local communities in the villages are opening their doors for tourists which is contributing to their economic prosperity and also creating vital employment at the village level and preventing the exodus to the cities.
The conventional tourism has created environmental and socio economic problems like pollution, deforestation, overcrowding and resource depletion because the conventional tourism has not been sustainable "Eco-tourism can reverse this trend," points out Dwivedi.