The term eco-tourism refers to eco-friendly nature
based tourism for nature lovers with enduring passion to admire and
enjoy life at its natural best. Different from Mass tourism and luxury
tourism, Ecotourism is promoted to conserve nature for the welfare of
living beings. It is not about watching nature and deriving pleasure
from it, rather it is feeling nature, caring for it and spreading mass
awareness. The Tourism Department of Orissa Government has given a new
dimension to the tourism sector by promoting ecotourism.
Situated on the eastern coast of the country, Orissa is rich in
minerals. Gifted with a bountiful wealth of nature, certain definite
measures have been taken for the benefits of local people.
One of the major initiatives taken by Orissa tourism under the eco
tourism drive is the conversion of Simplipal and Bhitar Kanika Sanctuary
into a National Park. The locals of the region have been made aware of
the benefits of this phenomenon. New packages have been launched by the
tourism department to lure the nature lovers who will be then encouraged
to protect nature. Reception and interpretation centers will be opened
up at the entry points of the National Parks and Sanctuaries. Apart from
trained tourist guides, the tourists would be offered clean drinking
water, good transport network, facility for night stay and quality food
under this drive. Local people of the particular ecotourism destination
would also be involved in these aspects.
The major ecotourism destinations to be developed under this project
are Bhitarkanika Sanctuary, Simplipal National Park, Chandaka-Damapara
Sanctuary, Chilika Sanctuary and the Koraput hills.
