The Hindu Business Line : Eco-tourism makes a mark at KTM

Houseboats on display at the Kerala Travel Mart 2004 in Kochi on Friday. Over 150 sellers from South India and nearly 900 buyers from countries as varied as Britain, China and Sri Lanka are participating in the fair. - K.K. Mustafah

Kochi , Oct. 1

A NEW breed of eco-tourism operators has come up in the State as an alternative option to the conventional mass tourism thanks to the efforts by the Forest Department in providing enjoyment of wildlife.

Kerala Travel Mart 2004 had a few such operators hogging the limelight along with the major players in the industry. Nature tourism, confined to Thekkady, has now spread to Peechi Wildlife Sanctuary, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Chimmony Wild Life Sanctuary, Silent Valley National Park and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Idukki district is home to several species of birds found in South India and attracts nature lovers from all over the world from August to May.

Chimmony is famous for its diversity of birds, butterflies and animals and Chinnar is famous for its wildlife.

Silent Valley, the pristine stretch of rainforests in Palakkad, is home to several endangered species such as lion-tailed macaques.

In all these protected areas, it is the eco-development committees consisting of the local populace that co-ordinate all the activities.

The local communities run and own the programmes promoted jointly by the Forest Department in association with private operators.

Nature and wildlife tourism as opposed to mass tourism is intended as a sustainable activity for the tribals and local people dependent on forest produce for a living.

These eco-tourism projects beginning from Tiger Trail at Periyar has ensured the rehabilitation of the poachers.

Each visitor is guided by trained local tribals and Forest Department staff, thereby ensuring security for the trekkers.

A part of the revenue raised from tourism activity in the region is vested with the eco-development committees.