Eco tourism is not considered as just one of the fancy, in-trend terms in tourism industry anymore. In last few decades, it has become more as a symbol of change in tourist approach with more focus on sustaining the natural and cultural diversity internationally for all tourist attractions.
The sector has seen a humongous growth as per the statistics shared by World Tourism Organisation and witnesses a number of travel related service providers consciously participating in the process. This, in turn, not only boosts the local economy of the place but the revenue generated also encourages the government to get onboard with funding conservation projects, training programs in the area.
As a responsible tourist, you should strive towards creating as fewer disturbances in the natural life-cycle as possible. Apart from raising sensitivity about it among locals and supporting international human rights, tourists can contribute in a larger way to eco tourism by following basic rules some of which are:
Follow a no-litter policy as far as all the non-degradable things are concerned.
Respect local's privacy while clicking photographs and ask for prior permission.
At all times, maintain the sanctity of the place you're travelling to, be it a religious site or any cultural attraction.
Also, use electricity efficiently whenever possible.
Invest and support in the local community during your travel. Be it eating out, groceries and accomodation, it boosts their economy and your feel good factor.
At all times, try and use water as efficiently as possible. Even if you have easy access to it. Another practice would be to use a safe source of water to refill your bottle than buying new sealed plastic bottles every time you need water.
India is one of the first countries to realize the effectiveness of eco tourism and incorporate it in our tourism industry. Owing to the rich geographical diversity it boasts of, maintaining a strong sense of eco tourism becomes even more crucial.
