Ecotourism in Rajasthan: Prospects and Perspectives

Abstract

This chapter touches upon the newly emerging concepts of ecotourism and heritage tourism. The state harbors a wealth of mesmerizing palaces and forts, World Heritage sites and hotels, vibrant cultural traditions, and fairs and pilgrimage sites which attract a large number of national and international tourists. In addition, the national parks and tiger reserves, world famous heronry, colorful desert, and wildlife sanctuaries located in diverse habitat draw the attention of wildlifers and nature lovers from around the world. Potential ecotourism sites still in wilderness and unexploited by the rapid pace of civilization have been selected and listed district-wise on the basis of forest areas with rich biodiversity, natural scenic beauty, waterfalls and springs, historical buildings, palaces, forts, and temples. In this chapter, authors have mentioned about the proposed activities and value addition being brought through camping and wide publicity as major strategies for developing these ecotourism sites. The prospects in the Hadoti region of southwestern Rajasthan as a potential ecotourism attraction with birding sites and adventure tourism are also particularly described. To this end, the emphasis of the government has been on community-based ecotourism, encouraging public–private sector participation, and infrastructural development. The major stakeholders of the plan are forest, tourism, and finance departments of the state government, local communities, private sector, NGOs, and academic institutions. Economic benefits to local people and tribal youth, building public support for conservation, and encouraging conservational efforts are some of the key advantages of ecotourism which are described in the text. The authors have looked into the policies and prospects of wildlife tourism in Rajasthan. The issues and problems related to implementation of the Ecotourism Policy by the government along with the formation of an “Ecotourism Advisory Bureau” also find a prominent place in the chapter.