Karnataka ecotourism policy : exploring efficacy through a comparative study of Saavanadurga and Skandagiri

Abstract

Ecotourism as a mechanism to minimise the ill effects of irresponsible tourism, and simultaneously promote environmentally friendly conservation practices, has been around for decades now. Despite this, the existing policies on the subject leave far too much to be desired, with scope for green washing causing more damage to the environment than several conventional tourism practices. It is in this context that the study attempts to analyse Karnataka’s Ecotourism policy and its efficacy. It begins by unpacking the key takeaways from the National Strategy and Roadmap for Sustainable Tourism, and the Ecotourism policies of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. It thereafter conducts a comparative analysis between the aforementioned policies to identify sections of importance, and to provide the Karnataka Ecotourism policy with a template to follow for revamping and refining the aspects that have scope for improvement. It then analyses the implementation of Karnataka’s policy in the locations of Saavanadurga and Skandagiri through primary research in order to ascertain site specific interventions that could help improve the efficacy of the policy. The research concludes by providing some context specific recommendations to strengthen Karnataka’s Ecotourism policy.