Source: http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/index.html Environmental degradation has become the talk of the town in the recent years.

Developmental activities have taken a toll on the environment and has have resulted in loss of biodiversity. One of the major causes of the degeneration of environment is unplanned and unchecked developmental activities in the tourist destinations. Tourism, though, beneficial for the countrys economy, harms nature when it is not planned properly. People who come to enjoy the scenic beauty often litter the places with polythene and left over food without thinking about its adverse impact on the environment. The Dal lake( Srinagar) which was once pristine has lost its nature due to tourist pressure and is now covered with animal carcasses, sewage and weeds. The lake has shrunk as it was unable to handle the pollution caused by constant tourist influx. Tourism industry often involves construction of hotel and lodges. These lodges are created near or on the banks of a lake or a river. The sewage water flows into lake water or sea, polluting its marine ecosystem. Hotel owners who have vested commercial interests does not even take into account the unfavourable consequences on environment. Construction of jetties alters the wave pattern of the lake depositing silt in it. Introduction of mechanized boards to cash in on tourists damages the flora and fauna of ecosystem as the both leave tresses of oil, petrol and diesel in the water. Tourism also results in disorderly and scattered tourist facilities which generally are not eco-friendly and that leads to aesthetic degradation of the landscape. It also has negative impact on the natural resources as it contributes to soil erosion, increase pollution and discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss and increase pressure on endangered species. Certainly, tourism industry which involves hotels, resorts, swimming pools, golf resorts overuses water resources as tourists often use more water when they are holidaying than at home. Trekking activities in mountainous region often result in over consumption of food. Tour buses are also a cause of pollution as they emit CFC, CO2 and other green house gases as they often leave their motor running for hours so that tourists could return to air-conditioned comfort. Waste disposal system is also a serious problem in most of the tourist destination all over the world. For example in Kumarokom and Vemband lake in Kerala. Wastes from the houseboats has boosted the growth of algae which causes a serious damage to the ecosystem. Wildlife viewing puts stress on animals and has changed their behavioral patterns. Noise and commotion created by tourists have adverse effect on their behavioural pattern. Global tourism is also one of the major reasons of climate change as it involves 50 per cent of traffic movements which results in the emission of green house gases. So if one wants to enjoy nature one must preserve it, otherwise all the exotic destinations will become extinct and the world will not be a beautiful place to live in. Eco friendly tourism should be promoted all over the world and if marvels of nature should be preserved, tourism should take into account the principle and process of sustainable consumption.

The impact areas of tourism The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism's relationship with the environment is complex. It involves many activities that can have adverse environmental effects. Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends. On the other hand, tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.

Three main impact areas

TOURISM'S THREE MAIN IMPACT AREAS

Negative impacts from tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment's ability to cope with this use within the acceptable limits of change. Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources.

DEPLETION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce.

Water resources
Water, and especially fresh water, is one of the most critical natural resources. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and personal use of water by tourists. This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water..

In dryer regions like the Mediterranean, the issue of water scarcity is of particular concern. Because of the hot climate and the tendency of tourists to consume more water when on holiday than they do at home, the amount used can run up to 440 liters a day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use. Golf course maintenance can also deplete fresh water resources. In recent years golf tourism has increased in popularity and the number of golf courses has grown rapidly. Golf courses require an enormous amount of water every day and, as with other causes of excessive extraction of water, this can result in water scarcity. If the water comes from wells, overpumping can cause saline intrusion into groundwater. Golf resorts are more and more often situated in or near protected areas or areas where resources are limited, exacerbating their impacts. An average golf course in a tropical country such as Thailand needs 1500kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides per year and uses as much water as 60,000 rural villagers.
Source: Tourism Concern

Local resources
Tourism can create great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbates the physical impacts associated with their exploitation. Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season. A high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.).

Land degradation
Important land resources include minerals, fossil fuels, fertile soil, forests, wetland and wildlife. Increased construction of tourism and recreational facilities has increased the pressure on these resources and on scenic landscapes. Direct impact on natural resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, in the provision of tourist facilities can be caused by the use of land for accommodation and other infrastructure provision, and the use of building materials. Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing. For example, one trekking tourist in Nepal - and area already suffering the effects of deforestation - can use four to five kilograms of wood a day.

POLLUTION
Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: air emissions, noise, solid waste and littering, releases of sewage, oil and chemicals, even architectural/visual pollution.

Air pollution and noise

Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising numbe reported that the number of international air passengers worldwide rose from 88 million in 1972 to 344 million in 1994. One consequence of this increase in air transport is that tourism now accounts for more than 60% of air travel and is therefore responsible for an important share of air emissions. One study estimated that a single transatlantic return flight emits almost half the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources (lighting, heating, car use, etc.) consumed by an average person yearly. (Mayer Hillman, Town & Country Planning magazine, September 1996. Source: MFOE ). Transport emissions and emissions from energy production and use are linked to acid rain, global warming and photochemical pollution. Air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on the global level, especially from carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to transportation energy use. And it can contribute to severe local air pollution. Some of these impacts are quite specific to tourist activities. For example, especially in very hot or cold countries, tour buses often leave their motors running for hours while the tourists go out for an excursion because they want to return to a comfortably air-conditioned bus. Noise pollution from airplanes, cars, and buses, as well as recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles and jet skis, is an ever-growing problem of modern life. In addition to causing annoyance, stress, and even hearing loss for it humans, it causes distress to wildlife, especially in sensitive areas. For instance, noise generated by snowmobiles can cause animals to alter their natural activity patterns. In winter 2000, 76,271 people entered Yellowstone National Park on snowmobiles, outnumbering the 40,727 visitors who came in cars, 10,779 in snowcoaches and 512 on skis. A survey of snowmobile impacts on natural sounds at Yellowstone found that snowmobile noise could be heard 70% of the time at 11 of 13 sample sites, and 90% of the time at 8 sites. At the Old Faithful geyser, snowmobiles could be heard 100% of the time during the daytime period studied. Snowmobile noise drowned out even the sound of the geyser erupting. (Source: Idahonews) Solid waste and littering In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem and improper disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment - rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides. For example, cruise ships in the Caribbean are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year. Today some cruise lines are actively working to reduce waste-related impacts. Solid waste and littering can degrade the physical appearance of the water and shoreline and cause the death of marine animals. In mountain areas, trekking tourists generate a great deal of waste. Tourists on expedition leave behind their garbage, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. Such practices degrade the environment with all the detritus typical of the developed world, in remote areas that have few garbage collection or disposal

facilities. Some trails in the Peruvian Andes and in Nepal frequently visited by tourists have been nicknamed "Coca-Cola trail" and "Toilet paper trail". The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63,000 port calls from ships each year, and they generate 82,000 tons of garbage. About 77% of all ship waste comes from cruise vessels. The average cruise ship carries 600 crew members and 1,400 passengers. On average, passengers on a cruise ship each account for 3.5 kilograms of garbage daily - compared with the 0.8 kilograms each generated by the less well-endowed folk on shore.
Source: Our Planet, UNEP magazine for environmentally sustainable development, volume 10, no. 3, 1999

Sewage Construction of hotels, recreation and other facilities often leads to increased sewage pollution. Wastewater has polluted seas and lakes surrounding tourist attractions, damaging the flora and fauna. Sewage runoff causes serious damage to coral reefs because it stimulates the growth of algae, which cover the filter-feeding corals, hindering their ability to survive. Changes in salinity and siltation can have wide-ranging impacts on coastal environments. And sewage pollution can threaten the health of humans and animals. Aesthetic Pollution Often tourism fails to integrate its structures with the natural features and indigenous architectural of the destination. Large, dominating resorts of disparate design can look out of place in any natural environment and may clash with the indigenous structural design. A lack of land-use planning and building regulations in many destinations has facilitated sprawling developments along coastlines, valleys and scenic routes. The sprawl includes tourism facilities themselves and supporting infrastructure such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and waste disposal.

PHYSICAL IMPACTS
Attractive landscape sites, such as sandy beaches, lakes, riversides, and mountain tops and slopes, are often transitional zones, characterized by species-rich ecosystems. Typical physical impacts include the degradation of such ecosystems. An ecosystem is a geographic area including all the living organisms (people, plants, animals, and microorganisms), their physical surroundings (such as soil, water, and air), and the natural cycles that sustain them. The ecosystems most threatened with degradation are ecologically fragile areas such as alpine regions, rain forests, wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs and sea grass beds. The threats to and pressures on these ecosystems are often severe because such places are very attractive to both tourists and developers.

In industrial countries, mass tourism and recreation are now fast overtaking the extractive industries as the largest threat to mountain communities and environments. Since 1945, visits to the 10 most popular mountainous national parks in the United States have increased twelve-fold. In the European Alps, tourism now exceeds 100 million visitor-days. Every year in the Indian Himalaya, more than 250,000 Hindu pilgrims, 25,000 trekkers, and 75 mountaineering expeditions climb to the sacred source of the Ganges River, the Gangotri Glacier. They deplete local forests for firewood, trample riparian vegetation, and strew litter. Even worse, this tourism frequently induces poorly planned, land-intensive development.
(Source: People and the Planet)

Physical impacts are caused not only by tourism-related land clearing and construction, but by continuing tourist activities and long-term changes in local economies and ecologies.

Physical impacts of tourism development

Construction activities and infrastructure development The development of tourism facilities such as accommodation, water supplies, restaurants and recreation facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion, soil erosion and extensive paving. In addition, road and airport construction can lead to land degradation and loss of wildlife habitats and deterioration of scenery.

In Yosemite National Park (US), for instance, the number of roads and facilities have been increased to keep pace with the growing visitor numbers and to supply amenities, infrastructure and parking lots for all these tourists. These actions have caused habitat loss in the park and are accompanied by various forms of pollution including air pollution from automobile emissions; the Sierra Club has reported "smog so thick that Yosemite Valley could not be seen from airplanes". This occasional smog is harmful to all species and vegetation inside the Park. (Source: Trade and Environment Database)

Deforestation and intensified or unsustainable use of land Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested land. Coastal wetlands are often drained and filled due to lack of more suitable sites for construction of tourism facilities and infrastructure. These activities can cause severe disturbance and erosion of the local ecosystem, even destruction in the long term. Marina development Development of marinas and breakwaters can cause changes in currents and coastlines. Furthermore, extraction of building materials such as sand affects coral reefs, mangroves, and hinterland forests, leading to erosion and destruction of habitats. In the Philippines and the Maldives, dynamiting and mining of coral for resort building materials has damaged fragile coral reefs and depleted the fisheries that sustain local people and attract tourists. Overbuilding and extensive paving of shorelines can result in destruction of

habitats and disruption of land-sea connections (such as sea-turtle nesting spots). Coral reefs are especially fragile marine ecosystems and are suffering worldwide from reef-based tourism developments. Evidence suggests a variety of impacts to coral result from shoreline development, increased sediments in the water, trampling by tourists and divers, ship groundings, pollution from sewage, overfishing, and fishing with poisons and explosives that destroy coral habitat.

Physical impacts from tourist activities

Trampling Tourists using the same trail over and over again trample the vegetation and soil, eventually causing damage that can lead to loss of biodiversity and other impacts. Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails. Trampling impacts on soil Loss of organic matter Reduction in soil macro porosity Decrease in air and water permeability Increase in run off Accelerated erosion

Trampling impacts on vegetation Breakage and bruising of stems Reduced plant vigor Reduced regeneration Loss of ground cover Change in species composition
Source: University of Idaho

Anchoring and other marine activities In marine areas (around coastal waters, reefs, beach and shoreline, offshore waters, uplands and lagoons) many tourist activities occur in or around fragile ecosystems. Anchoring, snorkeling, sport fishing and scuba diving, yachting, and cruising are some of the activities that can cause direct degradation of marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, and subsequent impacts on coastal protection and fisheries.

There are 109 countries with coral reefs. In 90 of them reefs are being damaged by cruise ship anchors and sewage, by tourists breaking off chunks of coral, and by commercial harvesting for sale to tourists. One study of a cruise ship anchor dropped in a coral reef for one day found an area about half the size of a football field completely destroyed, and half again as much covered by rubble that died later. It was estimated that coral recovery would take fifty years.
Source: Ocean Planet

Alteration of ecosystems by tourist activities Habitat can be degraded by tourism leisure activities. For example, wildlife viewing can bring about stress for the animals and alter their natural behavior when tourists come too close. Safaris and wildlife watching activities have a degrading effect on habitat as they often are accompanied by the noise and commotion created by tourists as they chase wild animals in their trucks and aircraft. This puts high pressure on

animal habits and behaviors and tends to bring about behavioral changes. In some cases, as in Kenya, it has led to animals becoming so disturbed that at times they neglect their young or fail to mate. Impacts at global level

LOSS OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Biological diversity is the term given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. The effects of loss of biodiversity:

It threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. It interferes with essential ecological functions such as species balance, soil formation, and greenhouse gas absorption. It reduces the productivity of ecosystems, thereby shrinking nature's basket of goods and services, from which we constantly draw. It destabilizes ecosystems and weakens their ability to deal with natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes, and with human-caused stresses, such as pollution and climate change.

Tourism, especially nature tourism, is closely linked to biodiversity and the attractions created by a rich and varied environment. It can also cause loss of biodiversity when land and resources are strained by excessive use, and when impacts on vegetation, wildlife, mountain, marine and coastal environments and water resources exceed the carrying capacity. This loss of biodiversity in fact means loss of tourism potential. Introduction of exotic species Tourists and suppliers - often unwittingly - can bring in species (insects, wild and cultivated plants and diseases) that are not native to the local environment and that can cause enormous disruption and even destruction of ecosystems.

DEPLETION OF THE OZONE LAYER

The ozone layer, which is situated in the upper atmosphere (or stratosphere) at an altitude of 12-50 kilometers, protects life on earth by absorbing the harmful wavelengths of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which in high doses is dangerous to humans and animals. For instance, one of the reasons scientists have put forward for the global decrease of amphibian populations is increased exposure to UV radiation. Ozone depleting substances (ODSs) such as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbon) and halons have contributed to the destruction of this layer. The tourism industry may be part of

the problem; direct impacts start with the construction of new developments and continue during daily management and operations. Refrigerators, air conditioners and propellants in aerosol spray cans, amongst others, contain ODSs and are widely used in the hotel and tourism industry. Emissions from jet aircraft are also a significant source of ODSs. According to Tourism Concern, scientists predict that by 2015 half of the annual destruction of the ozone layer will be caused by air travel. UNEP's OzonAction Programme works with governments and industries, including the tourism industry, to phase out ODSs and find safer alternatives. UNEP has developed extensive information and guidance on how many types of businesses can eliminate ODSs and contribute to preservation of the ozone layer. For further reading see the publication How the Hotel and Tourism Industry can Protect the Ozone Layer.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate scientists now generally agree that the Earth's surface temperatures have risen steadily in recent years because of an increase in the so-called greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat from the sun. One of the most significant of these gases is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is generated when fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas are burned (e.g. in industry, electricity generation, and automobiles) and when there are changes in land use, such as deforestation. In the long run, the accumulation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can cause global climate change - a process that may already be occurring. Global tourism is closely linked to climate change. Tourism involves the movement of people from their homes to other destinations and accounts for about 50% of traffic movements; rapidly expanding air traffic contributes about 2.5% of the production of CO2. Tourism is thus a significant contributor to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. (Source: Mountain Forum) Air travel itself is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect. Passenger jets are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. The number of international travelers is expected to increase from 594 million in 1996 to 1.6 billion by 2020, adding greatly to the problem unless steps are taken to reduce emissions. (Source: WWF) For more information on the relationship between energy and the environment, see UNEP's Energy Programme, which provides information and publications on energy efficiency and alternative energy sources to reduce the environmental impacts of energy use and of transportation.

HOW GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AFFECT TOURISM

Natural disasters
Catastrophes like floods, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanoes, avalanches, drought and diseases can have a serious effect on inbound and domestic tourism and thus on local

tourism industries. The outbreak of the foot and mouth disease epidemic in England earlier this year (2001), for instance, has severely affected Great Britain's inbound tourism market. A BHA/Barclays Hospitality Business Trends Survey found that 75% of hotels in England, 81% in Scotland and 85% in Wales continued to be affected by the foot and mouth outbreak, and over 60% forecast a decline in business in the JuneSeptember 2001 period.

Climate change
Tourism not only contributes to climate change, but is affected by it as well. Climate change is likely to increase the severity and frequency of storms and severe weather events, which can have disastrous effects on tourism in the affected regions. Some of the other impacts that the world risks as a result of global warming are drought, diseases and heat waves. Malaria, the world's largest killer, has resurfaced in Spain, and it is estimated that changes in climate will result in parts of the country becoming a suitable habitat for malaria-carrying species of mosquito by the 2020s.
Source: WWF [PDF]

These negative impacts can keep tourists away from the holiday destinations. Global warming may cause:

Less snowfall at ski resorts, meaning a shorter skiing seasons in the Alpine region. In already hot areas like Asia and the Mediterranean, tourists will stay away because of immense heat, and out of fear of diseases and water shortages. Harm to vulnerable ecosystems such as rainforests and coral reefs because of rising temperatures and less rainfall. A major risk to coral reefs is bleaching, which occurs when coral is stressed by temperature increases, high or low levels of salinity, lower water quality, and an increase in suspended sediments. These conditions cause the zooxanthallae (the single-celled algae which forms the colors within the coral) to leave the coral. Without the algae, the coral appears white, or "bleached" - and rapidly dies. The Great Barrier Reef, which supports a US$ 640 million tourism industry, has been experiencing coral bleaching events for the last 20 years. (Source: EXN) Rising sea levels, the result of melting glaciers and polar ice. Higher sea levels will threaten coastal and marine areas with widespread floods in low-lying countries and island states, increasing the loss of coastal land. Beaches and islands that are major tourism attractions may be the first areas to be affected. Increased events of extreme weather, such as tornadoes, hurricanes and typhoons. These are already becoming more prevalent in tourist areas in the Caribbean and South East Asia. Hurricane Mitch in 1998, for instance, heavily affected tourism in the Caribbean. Wind damage, storm waves, heavy rains and flooding caused major losses in the local tourism sector.

EFFECTS OF OTHER INDUSTRIES ON TOURISM

Impacts from other industries often have a more dramatic effect on the environment and can seriously affect tourism.

Oil spills, like the oil tanker disaster that occurred off the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) in January 2001, can cause severe short-term damage to tourist attractions. In that case, a freight ship loaded with 160,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 80,000 gallons of other petroleum products ran aground on the coast of San Cristbal and spilled nearly all of its load. Unique local marine and land species and the tourism potential of the area were badly affected. Agricultural runoff or industrial discharges can cause water pollution and may cause algae blooms like those that occurred in the Adriatic Sea in the early 1990s. In spite of improved control of sewage from tourism developments, the Mediterranean sea floor is increasingly carpeted with these quick-growing invaders, many rising 30 inches or more above anchoring runners. They appear equally adept at colonizing rock, mud, and sand in a virtually continuous swath that can extend from the beach out to a depth of about 150 feet, smothering coral reefs, fish and other sea flora and fauna in the process. Destructive practices such as blast fishing, fishing with poisonous chemicals like cyanide, and muro-ami netting (pounding reefs with weighted bags to scare fish out of crevices) directly destroy corals. They can also destroy a major draw for tourists.

Cyanide fishing was formerly used only to gather tropical fish for aquariums. Now the demand for live fish in restaurants in Hong Kong and other Asian centers is also driving this devastating practice. The market for live fish is now estimated at more than $200 million annually. Each year, an estimated 330,000 pounds of cyanide is sprayed on Philippine coral reefs alone. Cyanide fishing operations are moving from the over-harvested and devastated reefs of the Philippines to destroy remote and pristine coral reefs in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tuvalu, the Federated States of Micronesia, and other nations in the Western Pacific. Source: University of Denver

HOW TOURISM CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

The tourism industry can contribute to conservation through:

Financial contributions

Direct financial contributions Tourism can contribute directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitat. Revenue from park-entrance fees and similar sources can be allocated specifically to pay for the protection and management of environmentally

sensitive areas. Special fees for park operations or conservation activities can be collected from tourists or tour operators. The tour operator Discovery Initiatives, which is a member of the Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development, makes an annual financial contribution to the Orangutan Foundation of some US$ 45,000. The money is earned from only 5 tour groups of 10 people each visiting the Tanjing Putting National Park in Central Kalimantan. The park is under huge pressures from deforestation and river pollution from unrestricted gold mining. This money directly funds park staff and rangers, rehabilitation efforts for young orangutans, and the care center. It provides almost the only economic support for saving this park, where the park fees are officially only the equivalent of 12 pence a day.

Contributions to government revenues Some governments collect money in more farreaching and indirect ways that are not linked to specific parks or conservation areas. User fees, income taxes, taxes on sales or rental of recreation equipment, and license fees for activities such as hunting and fishing can provide governments with the funds needed to manage natural resources. Such funds can be used for overall conservation programs and activities, such as park ranger salaries and park maintenance.

The Seychelles in the Indian Ocean is introducing a US$ 90 tax on travelers entering the Seychelles. Revenue will be used to preserve the environment and improve tourism facilities. (UNEP, report to the CSD, 1999) In West Virginia (US) a whitewater rafting tax is collected from everyone who participates in a commercial rafting trip. The fee goes toward studying the environmental impacts of rafting. In addition, the rafting companies participate in several river cleanup days each year. (EPA) In Belize, a US$ 3.75 departure tax goes directly to the Protected Area Conservation Trust, a Belizean fund dedicated to the conservation of the barrier reef and rainforest. (The International Ecotourism Society) For Costa Rica, for example, tourism represents 72% of national monetary reserves, generates 140,000 jobs and produces 8.4% of the gross domestic product. The country has 25% of its territory classified under some category of conservation management. In 1999, protected areas welcomed 866,083 national and foreign tourists, who generated about US$ 2.5 million in admission fees and payment of services.

Improved environmental management and planning

Sound environmental management of tourism facilities and especially hotels can increase the benefits to natural areas. But this requires careful planning for controlled development, based on analysis of the environmental resources of the area. Planning helps to make choices between conflicting uses, or to find ways to make them

compatible. By planning early for tourism development, damaging and expensive mistakes can be prevented, avoiding the gradual deterioration of environmental assets significant to tourism. Cleaner production techniques can be important tools for planning and operating tourism facilities in a way that minimizes their environmental impacts. For example, green building (using energy-efficient and non-polluting construction materials, sewage systems and energy sources) is an increasingly important way for the tourism industry to decrease its impact on the environment. And because waste treatment and disposal are often major, long-term environmental problems in the tourism industry, pollution prevention and waste minimization techniques are especially important for the tourism industry. A guide to sources of information on cleaner production (free) is available here.

Environmental awareness raising

Tourism has the potential to increase public appreciation of the environment and to spread awareness of environmental problems when it brings people into closer contact with nature and the environment. This confrontation may heighten awareness of the value of nature and lead to environmentally conscious behavior and activities to preserve the environment. For instance, Honduran schoolchildren from the capital city of Tegucigalpa are routinely taken to visit La Tigra cloud forest visitor center, funded in part by eco-tourist dollars, to learn about the intricacies of the rainforest. If it is to be sustainable in the long run, tourism must incorporate the principles and practices of sustainable consumption. Sustainable consumption includes building consumer demand for products that have been made using cleaner production techniques, and for services - including tourism services - that are provided in a way that minimizes environmental impacts. The tourism industry can play a key role in providing environmental information and raising awareness among tourists of the environmental consequences of their actions. Tourists and tourism-related businesses consume an enormous quantity of goods and services; moving them toward using those that are produced and provided in an environmentally sustainable way, from cradle to grave, could have an enormous positive impact on the planet's environment.

Protection and preservation

Tourism can significantly contribute to environmental protection, conservation and restoration of biological diversity and sustainable use of natural resources. Because of their attractiveness, pristine sites and natural areas are identified as valuable and the need to keep the attraction alive can lead to creation of national parks and wildlife parks. In Hawaii, new laws and regulations have been enacted to preserve the Hawaiian rainforest and to protect native species. The coral reefs around the islands and the marine life that depend on them for survival are also protected. Hawaii now has become an international center for research on ecological systems - and the promotion and preservation of the islands' tourism industry was the main motivation for these actions. (Source: Mundus)

Grupo Punta Cana, a resort in the Dominican Republic, offers an example of how luxury tourism development and conservation can be combined. The high-end resort was established with the goal of catering to luxury-class tourists while respecting the natural habitat of Punta Cana. The developers have set aside 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land as a nature reserve and native fruit tree garden. The Punta Cana Nature Reserve includes 11 fresh water springs surrounded by a subtropical forest where many species of unusual Caribbean flora and fauna live in their natural state. Guests can explore a "nature path" leading from the beach through mangroves, lagoons of fresh water springs and dozens of species of Caribbean bird and plant life. The Punta Cana Ecological Foundation has begun reforesting some parts of the reserve that had been stripped of their native mahogany and other trees in the past. Other environmentally protective policies have been put into effect at the resort, such as programs to protect the offshore barrier reefs and the recycling of wastewater for use in irrigating the grounds. The fairways of the resort's new golf course were planted with a hybrid grass that can be irrigated with sea water The grass also requires less than half the usual amounts of fertilizer and pesticides. The resort has also established a biodiversity laboratory run by Cornell University. Tourism has had a positive effect on wildlife preservation and protection efforts, notably in Africa but also in South America, Asia, Australia, and the South Pacific. Numerous animal and plant species have already become extinct or may become extinct soon. Many countries have therefore established wildlife reserves and enacted strict laws protecting the animals that draw nature-loving tourists. As a result of these measures, several endangered species have begun to thrive again. In the Great Lakes region of Africa, mountain gorillas, one of the world's most endangered great apes, play a critical ecological, economic and political role. Their habitat lies on the borders of northwestern Rwanda, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and southwestern Uganda. Despite 10 years of political crisis and civil war in the region, the need for revenue from ape-related tourism has led all sides in the conflict to cooperate in protecting the apes and their habitat. Establishment of a gorilla tracking permit, which costs US$ 250 plus park fees, means that just three habituated gorilla groups of about 38 individuals in total can generate over US$ 3 million in revenue per year, making each individual worth nearly US$ 90,000 a year to Uganda. Tourism funds have contributed to development at the local, national and regional level. The presence of such a valuable tourism revenue source in the fragile afromontane forests ensures that these critical habitats are protected, thus fulfilling their valuable ecological function including local climate regulation, water catchment,and natural resources for local communities.
Source: UNEP Great Apes Survival Project and Discovery Initiatives

Alternative employment
Tourism can provide an alternative to development scenarios that may have greater environmental impacts. The Eco-escuela de Espaol, a Spanish language school created in 1996 as part of a Conservation International project in the Guatemalan village of San Andres, is an example. The community-owned school, located in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, combines individual language courses with home stay

opportunities and community-led eco-tours. It receives around 1,800 tourists yearly, mostly from the US and Europe, and employs almost 100 residents, of whom around 60% were previously engaged in mostly illegal timber extraction, hunting and milpas, or slash-and-burn agriculture. Careful monitoring in 2000 has shown that, among the families benefiting from the business, the majority has significantly reduced hunting practices, and the number and extension of "slash-and-burn" agricultural plots. Furthermore, as most families in the village benefit directly or indirectly from the school, community-managed private reserves have been established, and social pressure against hunting has increased. Awareness raising and alternative employment: the orangutan viewing centre at Bohorok, Indonesia Observing wild and semi-wild orangutans in their natural habitat is a significant environmental education opportunity for large numbers of domestic visitors. To enhance this education experience, the existing station at Bohorok, North Sumatra is to be transformed from a rehabilitation center into an orangutan viewing center, thus offering another, crucial contribution to the sustainable conservation of the rainforest ecosystem. By developing ecotourism for orangutan viewing under the new project, all visitors will gain a rewarding personal experience from orangutans, wildlife and the rainforest ecosystem in general. This will increase their awareness of the importance of rainforest conservation. Moreover, tourism will continue to provide a major source of income for the local population, thus promoting sustainable forest utilization as a genuine alternative to timber exploitation and the poaching and trade of wildlife.
Source: Sumatran orangutan conservation programme

Regulatory measures
Regulatory measures help offset negative impacts; for instance, controls on the number of tourist activities and movement of visitors within protected areas can limit impacts on the ecosystem and help maintain the integrity and vitality of the site. Such limits can also reduce the negative impacts on resources. Limits should be established after an in-depth analysis of the maximum sustainable visitor capacity. This strategy is being used in the Galapagos Islands, where the number of ships allowed to cruise this remote archipelago is limited, and only designated islands can be visited, ensuring visitors have little impact on the sensitive environment and animal habitats. Indian tourism affecting local environment he recent tendency to qualify tourist visits in ecologically-sensitive areas like forests and coasts as eco-tourism' or nature tourism' applies for the convenience of tourists and tourism service-providers. But wherever tourism is practiced, it has proven to be detrimental to the environment and the social fabric of local communities. The "solution" has been to offer a reason and terminology by which negative perceptions can be changed. So, rather than changing what you are doing, the solution has been to simply change what you call it. Hence a draft paper Biodiversity and Tourism' prepared by the Bangalore-based group Equations, decided to broaden tourist attractions by calling it eco-tourism.

It was not surprising to find eco-tourism an important issue for debate at the WSF given the sensitive situation. Along with a panel discussion on intercontinental tourism, there were seminars on topics ranging from sustainable tourism in the context of privatisation, liberalisation and deregulation, community decision-making in tourism and vulnerable and marginalised groups, and the impact of tourism on them. It is indicated by the statistical data provided by the World Tourism Organization that tourism is as big an industry as any other. International tourist arrivals in the year 2002 have exceeded the 700 million mark for the first time in history, with a 3.1% increase (over) the previous year. By the year 2010, it is predicted that this figure will rise to one billion. The unstoppable growth in tourism has increased 40 times between 1950 and 2000. Says Dr Thomas Bauer of Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Despite an economic slowdown, tourism arrivals continue to register a high growth rate at many destinations. Tourism accounts for 3% to 10% of GDP in advanced economies, and up to 40% in developing countries. International tourism is one of the top five exports for 83% of countries and has an economic impact of US $3,527 billion, 10.2% of the world GDP. However, this impressive growth rate, has dragged along with it a trailer of problems and concerns. Issues like children and tourism, women and tourism and corporate accountability have now come to the fore while environmental degradation is one of the most obvious by-products of the tourism industry. Says Nina Rao of Equations Children are affected by tourism in many ways. Some of them being child labour, child trafficking and sexual abuse. Estimates put the number of children in the sex trade, globally, at over one million every year. There is evidence that increasing numbers of sex offenders, particularly from western industrialised countries, travel to less developed countries as a result of increasing vigilance and action against paedophilia in their own countries. Tourism is a form of development that steadily isolates them as regards women. Studies of prominent tourism destinations in India and the Caribbean show that in the tourism sector women are forced to hold low-level jobs such as housekeeping, reception and other services, often seasonal and temporary, with significant wage disparities between men and women. Rao says The world trade rules clearly indicate a case of democratic deficit. The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) came into force with the establishment of the WTO in 1995, and is aimed at deregulating international markets in tourism to ensure that corporations are provided non-discriminatory rights of entry into markets worldwide. Local governments across the world are unaware of the commitments that their national governments have made under GATS, and this has led to ignoring the welfare and social development aspects of tourism. The general consensus among speakers like Rosemary Vishwanath and T T Sreekumar of Equations, Adama Bah of the Gambia-based Tourism Concern, P G Padmanabhan of the Kumarakom Grama Panchayat and Roland Martins of Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fauz is that the time has come to demand corporate accountability. Says Sreekumar The tourism industry has not been scrutinised by the media or the public for its ethical performance, contribution to sustainable development and

respect for human rights. Tourism has the unique capacity of generating trade and investment directly at the local level, as tourists and entrepreneurs seek new destinations according to a World Tourism Organization report. It can contribute significantly to rural development, agricultural transformation, community enrichment and social empowerment. But this must be balanced with the tremendous pressure on natural, cultural and socioeconomic environments of popular places of tourist interest. In this respect case studies provide clear indicators. A Rs 100 crore safari project is being planned in the Bannerghata National Park with the help of the Singapore Zoological Gardens in Karnataka. Funds for the wildlife wing of the forest department, or for proper management of the park, may be difficult to come by, but the state tourism ministry has no problem considering Rs 25 crore as state participation in the project. The forest and tourism departments have initiated a process by which all 12 wildlife sanctuaries in the state will be opened for tourism in Kerala. The Sahara Group has proposed a mammoth Rs 900 crore project to develop eco-tourism in the mangroves of the Sunderbans, which will include catamarans, luxury launches, houseboats, helicopters and even an exclusive jetty on the Hooghly river in Kolkata for the esteemed tourists in West Bengal. Something government agencies and corporate bodies will hardly bother to consider is how these will affect local communities and the environment. Eco-tourism is like a wave sweeping through wild and natural India, capitalising on the diversity and beauty of this country's rich and varied natural heritage. It does not matter that our forests, grasslands, wetlands and rivers are the very basis of our life systems. Across the length and breadth of this country, from Maharashtra to West Bengal, from Kerala to Uttaranchal, the eco-tourism juggernaut is on the roll, particularly in those areas that are being protected and conserved for wildlife. says Pankaj Sekhsaria, environmental activist and author of Troubled Islands -- a compilation of his writings on the indigenous peoples and environment of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Can this imply that there are no solutions? There are, and they lie in the shift towards sustainable tourism. Suggests a document prepared by Equations The paradigms for sustainable tourism development draw on internationally-accepted covenants on the conservation of biological diversity and rights of local communities and indigenous peoples. They include principles of conservation of natural resources and binding regulatory frameworks for the creation and maintenance of tourism infrastructure and facilities that are in coherence with the needs of local environments and cultures. Taking it a point further, Rev Tan Chi Kiong, one of the editors of the newsletter of the Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism says that exploitation in the name of tourism can be stopped only if it gets a human face. The answer lies in community-based tourism. Presenting six experiences from different regions of Brazil, Instituto Terramar believes that community tourism can help create positive impacts and provide economic benefits to local communities, value local culture and protect the environment.

Including sensitivity for the feelings of others in terms of realising that people in other countries have different thought patterns, customs and needs, that means new challenges for travellers. It also means mounting campaigns against those who think that golf courses are necessary to promote tourism. Much more than what meets the eye. It also means investigating the effects of drug trafficking. Even in the remote parts of the country the travel and tourism sector creates more jobs per million rupees of investment than any other sector of the economy and is capable of providing employment to a wide spectrum of job seekers from the unskilled to the specialised. The Tenth Plan approach towards tourism signifies a distinct shift from the approach adopted in earlier Plans. Apart from acknowledging the well-accepted advantages of developing tourism for the promotion of national integration, international understanding and earning foreign exchange, the Tenth Plan recognises the vast employment generating potential of tourism and the role it can play in furthering the socio-economic objectives of the Plan. The New Tourism Policy, 2002, that is to be implemented during the Tenth Plan, will generate awareness about the benefits of tourism for the host population in order to create a supportive environment for the promotion of tourism. It will mobilise state governments to use tourism as a means for achieving their socio-economic objectives, encourage the private sector to enhance investment in tourism and provide legislative and regulatory support for sustainable tourism and to protect the interests of the industry and the consumer. The policy envisages involving the rural sector in the promotion of rural, heritage, adventure and eco-tourism and will promote the development of competitive high quality products and destinations. It will remove the barriers to growth and resolve contradictions in policy to achieve inter-sectoral convergence of activities that help the growth of tourism, most importantly. Even as countries not blessed with its natural and cultural endowments have taken the lead in reaping the benefits of tourism development for their people The initiatives taken by the state so far have not yielded the desired result and Indias tourism performance has failed to match its potential. The reasons for this poor performance need to be speedily addressed to enable tourism to make an appropriate contribution to national development. The public sector made a significant contribution to the growth of tourism in the initial stages of planned development by providing a reasonable infrastructure base as observed in the Planning Commission Report of the National Committee on Tourism (1988). It was recognised that a reappraisal of the role of the State in tourism development and the extent of its participation was needed as it is neither necessary nor feasible for the State to make large investments in areas that are best left to the initiative of the private sector during the Ninth Plan. Through infrastructure development, the planning of broad development strategies, the provision of fiscal and monetary incentives to catalyse private sector investment and devise an effective regulatory and supervisory mechanism to protect the interests of the industry and the consumer the state can contribute. The acceptance of this view also led to the commencement of the process of disinvestment in 18 hotels of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hotels.

The ITDC will have to redefine its role in the Tenth Plan. In ensuring that tourism development does not harm the environment the State can also play an effective role. The interaction between tourism and environmental pollution requires sensitive handling. There is comp-lementarity, not conflict, between the high quality environmental requirements of tourism and the imperatives of maintaining the ecological balance. Events are estimated to have resulted in a temporary decline in travel and tourism demand in 2001-02, international and domestic tourism is expected to boom over the next two decades although global recession and the September 11, 2001. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates a 4.5 per cent per annum increase in the total amount of travel and tourism economic activity between 2002 and 2012. This is largely attributed to a rise in global wealth, liberalisation of international airspace, cheaper flights and the use of the Internet as a travel tool. The earnings from tourism have made it one of the worlds largest industries and the fastest growing sectors of global trade accounting for 10.7 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP), 12.8 per cent of global exports, 8.2 per cent of global employment (or one in every 12.2 jobs), and 9.4 per cent of global capital investment. Holding the promise of prosperity for many, tourism in the least developed countries is growing faster than the world average. International tourist arrivals worldwide reached 698 million in 2000, generating $ 595 billion revenues. International tourism flows are expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2020 and revenue estimated to cross $ 2000 billion. Only 3.5 per cent of the world population travels internationally but the number of Asian, particularly Chinese, tourists is predicted to grow enormously as the region becomes more integrated with the global economy today. On the other hand, the scale of world domestic tourism, exceeds world international tourism by a ratio of 10:1. In India, for every interna-tional tourist, there are 80 domestic tourists. In India, domestic tourism can form the basis of a viable and sustainable tourism industry. In terms of both policy formulation and investment consumer trends in tourism are gradually changing and require an appropriate response. Current market trends indicate that long haul travel will grow faster than intra-regional travel. A growth of 24 per cent is expected by 2020. Opening up opportunities for neighbouring country tourism, people with less time for leisure are likely to take more frequent but shorter trips nearer home. In remote and less well-known places as against luxurious five-star vacations, leading to an interest in rural and ethnic tourism, the experienced traveler wants authentic, off-the-beaten-track vacations. The increase in the number of people with lots of money but little leisure time has resulted in a growing emphasis on rest and relaxation, and wellness and health holidays. The elderly population in key tourism generating markets has shown a preference for cultural tourism against sun-and-sand vacations. There is notable and increasing interest in spiritualism. The demand for eco-tourism and nature-based

holidays is expected to double and even triple in the next 20 years. Sports and adventure holidays continue to be popular with the young. Provided the country can avail of the opportunities offered to maximise its natural advantages in these areasThe interest in cultural tourism, spiritualism, wellness holidays, eco-tourism and rural tourism would tend to favour India. The development of new tourism products and destinations during the Tenth Plan must be based on market research and demand, keeping the source markets and the age groups of the tourists in mind. The Government must develop new source markets nearer home and make India a safer destination for women tourists and family holidays at the same time. Although Europe and America still remain the worlds foremost tourism destinations commanding 77 per cent of the global market The World Tourism Organization forecast indicates an increasing tourism preference towards East Asia, the Pacific, West Asia and South Asia. East Asia/Pacific achieved the highest rate of growth of 14.5 percent in tourism and travel in 2000 followed by West Asia and South Asia. The outlook for the growth of tourism in the region is promising with this gradual shift in focus. In Asia, China has emerged as a leading tourist destination and is poised to become the worlds top tourist destination by 2020. The WTTC has identified India as one of the worlds foremost tourist growth centres in the coming decade. India is expected to achieve the fastest rate of growth of the total amount of economic activity likely to be generated by travel and tourism, at 9.7 per cent over the next 10 years, after Turkey. Also, the largest employment creation after China is expected to take place in India over the same period. The growth in visitor exports or spending by international tourists, is likely to be the fastest in India at 14.3 per cent per annum over the next decade. The WTTC forecast for India is promising, subject to key policy issues that affect the growth of the tourism on the whole. It must provide exclusive world-class tourism products and destinations to compete successfully for a larger share of the Asian tourism market if India is to realise its enormous potential in tourism. Today, outbound tourism from India far exceeds visitor traffic to the country partly because will have to be broadened in the Tenth Plan through the development of competitive destinations that match international standards in terms of price and quality and also satisfy the international traveller. Indias international arrival figures have not been able to keep pace with neighbouring countries and have been exceeded by Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai and the Maldives. Indias share of the world market has remained virtually stagnant at 0.38 per cent, while domestic tourism has grown at a phenomenal rate and India now accounts for 4.6 per cent share of domestic tourism worldwide since 1995. India has shown relative buoyancy because of the interest shown by visitors in traditional handicraft items and particularly in diamonds In terms of tourism receipts. The Tenth Plan visualises a mutually supportive role for tourism and handicrafts by encouraging haats and shilpgrams and recognising shopping as an integral part of the tourism experience to promote the Made in India brand.

Which is its largest source market, followed by the United States, Sri Lanka, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia and Singapore, India receives the largest number of overseas tourists from the United Kingdom. Of the tourists coming to India, 27.5 per cent are in the age group there is a lack of world-class destinations within the country and partly because the domestic tourism policy has been largely directed towards those in the lower end of the spending spectrum. As he gets better value for money the high spender from India prefers to visit neighbouring countries. The scope and reach of domestic tourism of 35-44 years, 23.4 per cent in the age group of 25-35 years and 20.8 per cent in the age group of 45-54 years. Women constitute only 30.5 per cent of Indias total international arrivals. Repeat visitors account for 44.9 per cent of the overseas visitors. A substantial number of these may be non-resident Indians, as hotel reservations do not correspond. The average length of stay of foreign tourists in the country in 1998 was 31.2 days. Domestic tourism, on the other hand, is largely pilgrimage-oriented and requires improvement in travel facilities and pilgrim destinations. Tourism in India has tended to be regarded as an elitist activity conducted primarily for the purpose of earning foreign exchange. Its vast potential as an engine of growth and employment generater has remained largely untapped. Although, with 25 million jobs, India ranks second in terms of number of persons employed in travel and tourism, yet the contribution of the sector as a percentage share of all employment is amongst the lowest in the world. The Tenth Plan objective is to integrate tourism with the socio-economic objectives of the Plan by creating 3.6 million jobs a year through the promotion of domestic and international tourism and to enhance Indias share of international arrivals from 0.38 per cent to at least 0.62 per cent by 2007. The department of tourism needs to make greater efforts to co-ordinate and integrate the policies of central ministries that have an impact on the development of tourism and to mobilise state governments and the private sector to develop unique and competitive tourism products and destinations, being the nodal agency for the development of tourism in the country. Crucial decisions affecting tourism are taken by other ministries viz. the Ministries of Finance, Home, Civil Aviation, Surface Transport, Environment and Forests, Urban Development, Rural Development, Ocean Develop-ment etc. The Department of Tourism has tended to concentrate largely on its role as the promoter of international tourism and generator of foreign exchange earnings while paying relatively less attention to inter-sectoral policy co-ordination and the all-important development of tourism infrastructure and product quality. In the Tenth Plan, the Department will redefine and expand its role and work towards intersectoral convergence and policy integration to remove the barriers to the growth of tourism. There are several factors that are respon-sible for the inadequate growth of the tourism sector in India. These are barriers related to approach, barriers that discourage private investment, factors that affect competitiveness and factors that affect the longterm sustainability of tourism. The effective and early removal of these barriers during the Tenth Plan is an essential determinant for the success of the New Tourism Policy. The need for a national consensus on the role and level of tourism deve-

lopment in the country has been voiced repeatedly but a concerted effort to achieve a consensus has not been made. Tourism should not be limited by state or regional boundaries if distortions in policies are to be avoided. It is important that a consensus among all states is evolved through the National Development Council (NDC) and the barriers to the growth of tourism removed. Tourism has been denied the priority it deserves over successive Plan periods because its potential as an engine of economic growth has not been appreciated. This is visible in the low allocation of resources. Allocation to tourism has averaged 0.16 per cent of the total Plan outlay from the Third Plan to the Ninth Plan. It is likely to receive an allocation of 0.72 per cent in the Tenth Plan. India is one of the lowest spenders on approach-telated barriers according to the WTTC. There is absence of consensus on role of tourism, lack of priority to tourism on account of unappreciated potential, relatively low levels of investment, lack of interest on the part of the state governments the primary players, and an unprofessional ad hoc approach. India's neighbouring competitors and China invest far more. Malaysia (5.1 per cent), Nepal (5 per cent), Indonesia (8.4 per cent), Maldives (15.7 per cent), China (3.8 per cent). The growing domestic and international demand, which is set to boom, reinforces the need for higher investment. While leading to an increase in the outflow of high-spending domestic tourists from the country, failure to measure up to additional investment demand for domestic tourism is likely to lead to the overexploitation of existing facilities, discouraging foreign visitors. India is more conveniently accessible by air and cannot be easily reached by rail or road, being a long haul destination. A restrictive air transport policy has a very deleterious effect on tourist traffic. There are insufficient connections to most tourism destinations. The situation could be eased if the large number of regional airports could open up as international airports. The existing international and national airports also require improvement. The price of aviation turbine fuel needs to be lowered to make air transport competitive and affordable. It is cheaper to travel by air to neighbouring countries from India than to travel to certain parts of India itself today. What would greatly aid the development of tourism is a more liberal aviation bilaterals regime and a new aviation policy to benefit the economy of the country as a whole rather than the national carriers alone. Central and state governments need to evolve a taxation regime. Most State Governments give scant importance to tourism even though they virtually control the tourism product located within their boundaries. They are responsible, inter alia, for local infrastructure, transport systems, sanitation and hygiene, leisure and recreation, law and order, the upkeep of local monuments and the general wellbeing of the tourist. Their support and participation is essential for tourism to succeed and spread its benefits among the host population. Their lack of interest has resulted in an unprofessional ad hoc approach that acts as a deterrent to the growth of tourism. If India is to avail of the opportunity that the currently favourable market trends have

to offer the approach of the state governments needs to be focused, highly professional and result-oriented. The private sector plays a vital role in the growth and development of tourism apart from the State Governments. The results achieved have fallen short of expectations although the Central Government and certain state governments have, from time to time, announced incentives to involve the private sector in tourism development. It is important to realise that the travel and tourism sector is adversely affected by the lack of synergy in inter-sectoral policiesTo provide a conducive environment for private sector investment. The growth of the sector requires well-integrated and coordinated policies and stability in approach. Contradictions and arbitrary changes in policy send confused signals to the investor. The New Tourism Policy is unlikely to succeed unless infirmities in policy are expeditiously removed well before the end of the Tenth Plan period. Tourism in India has been going through alot of struggle. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) has made efforts to improve and promote tourism in India, but this is not possible without help from others. The Government has to help as well.