While co-relating tourism and environment ; conservation is to be understood as the preservation of some level of biodiversity that is essential to the functioning of the ecosystem and the survival of the mankind. We have also to acknowledge, with some degree of confidence, the fact that extinction of a few varieties of life in nature and the consequent loss of biodiversity is not at the centre of the problem.
Environmentalists want environmental systems and the diversity of species conserved. But their call is reinforced by the many others who have become disillusioned with the course of development. All are threatened by the decay of global life support systems. Historically people in industrialized countries have not perceived the importance of environmental conservation the same way as the people in developing countries have done. North Americans, due to their cultural history have to glorify nature to decry its defilement and to propose “back to nature” type solution. As a consequence of their colonial history, third world people have tended to be much more concerned with the social origins and human consequences of environmental degradation. Northern (Developed countries) environmentalists were shocked in 1972 by the positions taken by the south (Developing countries) at the UN conference on the human environment in Stockholm.
Tourism can help us in the process of conservation of our resources. In recent time mass tourism has been welcomed in a savior to solve the economic problems of a region. It would also help in the conservation of resources; increase demand for tourism from developed countries is expected to bring in foreign exchange. It is also hoped to increase direct foreign investments in the infrastructure like hotels, restaurants, shopping complexes and transport facilities. Thus we see tourism is emerging into a manpower intensive activity, which has a capacity to generate employment in both categories skilled and unskilled. It can provide employment even in less developed areas through tourism attracting activities. But it is possible only through proper management as well as participation of local people. The following aspects need to be kept in consideration.
a) Sense of Belonging: Generally local people are not taken into confidence while formulating any plan or deciding on polices relating to tourism. This has a sense of alienation pervading the local climate on tourism. If the Local are involved in the management process, it will surely develop in the sense of attachment and the results will be faithful. We know that wildlife reserves have enough potential for procreating income from tourism. But so far the benefits from it have not reached the local people in an adequate way. If an equitable proportion of the income derived from tourism were retained b the local management committee’s people may be better motivated to value the wildlife of their areas and their habitat and not involve in depredation e.g overgrazing, wood cutting or illegal hunting. Such shames have been successfully implemented in the luanga valley of Zambia. Not only do the resident villages participate in wildlife management, considerable revenue generated through wildlife tourism is retained by the local communities. Serious and far reaching results have been a dramatic drop in preaching. The villager’s attitudes towards wildlife conservation have become more positive.
b) Regulatory measures: Regulatory measures in tourism development are one of the more important aspects in achieving conservation of resources. Haphazard and reckless uses of resources have always had negative results. Therefore, it is imperative for planners to evolve some regulatory measures in the initialization of resources. In this context Bermuda, a north American country, stands out as a good example of total environmental control. It has not only maintained ecological balance but has also promoted tourism industry considerable which is evident from the fact that what in 1960’s appeared as a small scale industry has today growth into a main industry. It provides about 45% of Bermuda’s GNP. Not only do the authorities there attach much importance to the development, maintenance and operation of tourist attraction, but they also take steps to preserve the environment and its local characteristics as of interest to tourists. Rigid planning codes keep new buildings consistent with the islands unique architectural style. No family may own more than one car and the speed limit remains at 20 miles an hour. As a result of a systematic planning without destroying the natural and social environment it has managed to distribute the material benefits of tourism through its society.
c) Self Management: The tourism industry is a typical oriented industry which can attain higher productivity and efficiency through re unification of workers and employers which is generally known as self management by co workers. Government can help establish self managed organization or jointly managed ones. Such organizations have built in bonus system in which the bonus depends on performance and on the other hand tourists can expect a much better service. Once they are warmly treated like family members, they would like to come back or would recommend the facility to other visitors. In this way it will increase their income substantially. Such facilities do not require huge infrastructure and prove conservation friendly also. Under the new system unemployment or low wages may also no longer exist workers cultivate a sense, a motivation to balance the relationship between man and nature. In this way people would no longer allow their locality to be destroyed. They would realize that protection of resources is of prime importance to them simply because it is in their own interest to protect the place where they live and raise their children. Under the system of possession they are indeed in a position to exercise their power of possession to protection. Such protections generally lead to healthy drinking and bathing water, clean air and beautiful beaches along with peaceful habitat, which are fundamental attraction to tourists. In this connection we can site the Japanese Min-Shuku System.
In traditional rural societies, socioeconomic decisions were based on deep insight into the complex interaction between social economic and demographic factors. People were managing resources efficiently and rationally in close cooperation with each other since they had gained their experiences over generations. Now time has come again to involve local people in formulating any tourism related activities. Thus there is need to broaden the areas of cooperation and compatibility in the spheres of tourism and natural resource management.
(The authors regularly contribute for the edit page of “Kashmir Horizon”. Their views are personal)
