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| Last Updated:: 27/12/2024

Ecotourism

     

            Eco tourism means management of tourism and conservation of nature in a way so as to maintain a fine balance between the requirements of tourism and ecology on one hand and the needs of the local communities for jobs, new skills, income generation and a better status for women on the other. The World Tourism Organisation has defined Eco tourism as 'Tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specified objects of studying, admiring, and enjoying nature and its wild plants and animals, as well as existing cultural aspects found in these areas'. In total, the definitions focus on three significant aspects - nature, tourism and local communities. It differs in the meaningful ways from mass tourism that aims at consuming nature and leaving it depleted on more than one front. Eco tourism aims at promoting environmental values and ethics and preserving nature in its uninterrupted forms. It thus benefits wildlife and nature by contributing towards ecological integrity. The tourists have a firsthand encounter with nature and learn to admire it than to ravage it. Since the essence of eco tourism lies in admiration of nature and out door recreation, it encompasses a wide range of activities such as trekking, hiking, mountaineering, bird watching, boating, rafting, biological explorations and visiting wildlife sanctuaries. The key elements of eco tourism are

 

  • A well preserved eco tourism site to attract tourists
  • Cultural and adventure activities
  • Active involvement of local people who are able to provide authentic information about nature, culture and their ethnic traditions to the visitors.
  • Empowering the local communities to manage eco tourism so that they ensure conservation through alternate livelihood opportunities.

   

Eco-tourism in Kerala

 

                  Ecotourism in Kerala was developed as part of the Participatory Forest Management for the benefit of the forest dependent communities. The service charges collected from the visitors of these sites constitute the Eco-system Management Fund which is utilised for maintenance and protection of the ecotourism centres, removal of wastes, providing basic visitor amenities and security to the visitors and remuneration to the members of VSS/EDCs engaged in various activities in the ecotourism sites. At present there are 389 Vana Samrakshana Samithies and 187 Eco Development Committees registered with the 35 Forest Development Agencies. The VSSs and EDCs are grass root-level organisations where forest dependent families are members participating in the planning and implementation of various forestry and community development programmes.

 

              Ecotourism products like facilitation Centre, Camping Units, Interpretation centres, Trekking Trails, Purchase of Trekking and Camping Gears were developed in eco-tourism sites in Kerala including Neyyar-Peppara, Shenduruney Wildlife Sanctuary, Palaruvi Water falls, Thenmala Ecotourism, Thattekkad Wildlife Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Pythalmala,Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Peechi Wildlife sanctuary, Vazhachal and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Visitation of domestic tourists has reached upto the carrying capacity of many destinations.

 

Major achievements

 

              Thenmala has evolved as a destination with high demand and up-gradation of infrastructural facilities at Thenmala are completed. In 2022 1,41,474 tourists have visited Thenmala and that in 2023 upto August was 1,07,230. Up gradation of the facilities of Gavi Ecotourism centre at Pathanamthitta also has been completed. It is for the first time an ecotourism program focusing the coastal belt of Kerala. The major initiatives of Ecotourism in 2022-23 are the beach plantation ecotourism project in the Casurina plantations at Punnapra, Purakkad beach in Aalapuzha District, Assessing of carrying capacity of selected ecotourism sites in Kerala-phase II, the revitalisation of Thenmala Musical Dancing Fountain, Expansion of ecotourism activities at Arippa, Thiruvananthapuram, and Up- gradation program of ecotourism at Neliyampathy.

 

Tips for Visitors

 

  • Total silence and discipline is required to spot wild animals.
  • Early mornings and late afternoons are the ideal time to visit forests.
  • Travelling alone is prohibited, especially in the Elephant Reserves.
  • Do not wear colourful clothes or perfumes. Khakis, browns and greens are best suited.
  • Always carry drinking water, tea/coffee, snacks etc.
  • Seek the assistance of a forest guard while going into the forests.
  • Do not disturb or tease animals.
  • Trekkers are advised to use jungle boots to ensure safety.
  • Carry a first aid kit with medicines for common ailments.
  • Do not litter the surroundings.
  • Do not remove anything from the Sanctuary.
  • Carry a notepad, flashlight, road maps, bus/train/airline timetables.
  • Do not try to explore unfamiliar things. 

 

  Prominent Ecotourism Locations in Kerala

 

       1

Thiruvananthapuram

Kallar

 

       2

Thiruvananthapuram

Mankayam

 

       3

Thiruvananthapuram

Ponmudi

 

       4

Thiruvananthapuram

Kottoor

 

       5

Thiruvananthapuram

Peppara

 

       6

Thiruvananthapuram

Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

 

       7

Kollam

Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary

 

       8

Kollam

Manalar-Kumbhavurutti

 

       9

Kollam

Palaruvi Waterfalls

 

     10

Kollam

Kudukathupara

 

       11

Pathanamthitta

Konni-Adavi-Gavi

 

     12

Pathanamthitta

Konni Ecotourism

 

   13

Pathanamthitta

Adavi Bowl Boat Centre

 

  14

Idukki

Pettimudi

 

   15

Idukki

Chellarkovil

 

  16

Idukki

Kalvari Mount

 

   17

Idukki

Thommankuth

 

   18

Idukki

Shola National Park

 

   19

Idukki

Chinnar Sanctuary

 

  20

Idukki

Eravikulam National park

 

  21

Idukki

Vallakadavu

 

   22

Idukki

Periya Tiger Reserve

 

   23

Idukki

Chokramudi

 

  24

Idukki

Kainagiri Waterfalls

 

   25

Idukki

Marayoor Anakottapara Nature Park

 

   26

Idukki

Rajiv Gandhi Nature Park

 

  27

Ernakulam

Vellappara

 

  28

Ernakulam

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

 

   29

Ernakulam

Windy Walk at Vagavanam

 

   30

Ernakulam

Bhoothathankettu

 

   31

Ernakulam

PaniyeliPoru

 

           32  

Ernakulam

Mulamkuzhi Waterfalls

 

           33  

Thrissur

Athirapally & Vazhachal

 

     34  

Thrissur

Chimmony

 

     35  

Thrissur

Peechi –Vazhani

 

    36  

Palakkad

Meenvallam Waterfalls

 

    37  

Palakkad

Minnampara

 

    38  

Palakkad

Parambikulam Tiger Reserve

 

    39  

Palakkad

Silent Valley National Park

 

    40  

Palakkad

Nelliyampathy Hills

 

    41  

Palakkad

Dhoni Waterfalls

 

    42  

Palakkad

Ananganmala

 

          43  

Palakkad

Irulankunnu Waterfalls

 

          44  

Palakkad

Thodukappu Ecotourism

 

          45  

Malappuram

Nedumkayam Rainforest

 

          46  

Malappuram

Kodikuthimala

 

          47  

Malappuram

Conolly's Plot

 

          48  

Malappuram

Kozhippara Waterfalls

 

          49  

Malappuram

Chaliyar

 

          50  

Kozhikode

Kakkad

 

          51  

Kozhikode

Thusharagiri Waterfalls

 

          52  

Kozhikode

Kakkavayal- Vanaparvam

 

          53  

Kozhikode

Kakkayam

 

                54

Kozhikode

Peruvannamoozhy

 

          55  

Kozhikode

Janakikad

 

         56  

Wayanad

Kuruva Islands

 

         57  

Wayanad

Varambetta Mosque

 

         58  

Wayanad

Soochipara Waterfalls

 

         59  

Wayanad

Chembra Peak

 

  60  

Wayanad

Muneeswarankunnu

 

         61  

Wayanad

Brahmagiri Peak

 

         62  

Wayanad

Banasura Meenmutti Falls

 

         63  

Wayanad

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary

 

        64  

Wayanad

Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary

 

        65  

Kannur

Alakapuri Waterfalls

 

        66  

Kannur

Paithalmala Manjapullu

 

        67  

Kannur

Sasippara

 

        68  

Kannur

Palukachi

 

        69  

Kannur

Meenmutti - Aralam

 

        70  

Kannur

Ranipuram Hills

 

 

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