What is Ecotourism?
Eco-tourism is derived from two words - 'Ecosystem' & 'Tourism'. Together it is made Eco-tourism. To understand Eco-tourism we have to understand our Ecosystem first.

Rose ringed parakeet feeding in tree Ecosystem
Ecosystem is the system in which we live - the system which include the earth, the water, the sky and of course the living and the non-living objects in all these systems. It is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.

But, there is no such specific and particular spatial unit or scale to measure an Ecosystem. Thus, the term "ecosystem" does not, necessarily, agree to the terms "biome" or "ecological zone", but can refer to any functioning unit at any scale. It could, for example, be a grain of soil, a pond, a forest, the sea, the river, a biome or the entire biosphere.

And, tourism means - 'the practice of traveling for pleasure.' Thus, a tourism which contains a visit to an Ecosystem is known as Eco- tourism.

But, that is not all. Eco-tourism is not only travelling to such Ecosystems, but also conserving them. Basically Eco-tourism means -

"Tourism involving travel to areas of natural or ecological interest, typically under the guidance of a naturalist, for the purpose of observing wildlife and learning about the environment and at the same time focus on wildlife and promotion of understanding and conservation of the environment."

This is a conscientious form of tourism and tourism development, which encourages going back to natural products in every aspect of life and help preserve nature. It is also the key to sustainable ecological development.

We & Our Environment
The race for becoming the most advanced and most developed state in the world, has led man to destruct the natural resource in our stock and our biosphere. Today, most of the underground and above the ground resources are on the verge of finish, resulting in abrupt climate, natural disaster and more. Now, man is facing two very extreme dangerous conditions - 'Global Warming' & 'Greenhouse Effects', both of which will lead to the total destruction of the Planet Earth. It is now high time, we should (the entire Human Community) start our bit of job to save our Earth from complete destruction. It is now every man's duty to do as much possible to save our Planet Earth.

Today, there are "Green Laws" of conservation, which are making people aware of how man and the environment can live beneficially for more time to come and Eco-tourism is one way to maximise the environmental and social benefits of tourism, not forgetting the economic developments.

Everyone is a stakeholder in the process and we clearly need to avoid our past shortcomings and negative impact. In India too the movement is gathering momentum with more & more travel and travel related organisation's are addressing the needs of the eco-tourists and promoting eco-tourism in the country.

Eco Tourism in India
Eco Tourism in India Ecotourism is entirely a new approach in tourism. Ecotourism is a preserving travel to natural areas to appreciate the cultural and natural history of the environment, taking care not to disturb the integrity of the ecosystem, while creating economic opportunities that make conservation and protection of natural resources advantageous to the local people.

In short, ecotourism can be categorised as tourism programme that is - "Nature based, ecologically sustainable, where education and interpretation is a major constituent and where local people are benefited."

All this together can be called ecotourism. If a travel does not satisfy any one of these constituents, then it is not called a real ecotourism venture.

The Concern for Ecotourism
Since ages, nature worship and the conservation ethics have been an inseparable part of Indian thought and traditions. Traces go back to ancient civilisations of India, when people used to nurture the philosophy of the oneness of life. The Indian tradition has always taught that, humankind is a part of nature and one should look upon all creation with the eyes of a love and respect.

It is tragic that since last few decades, the mad quest for the material end and economical progress in India and abroad has become identical with the exploitation of nature in all its appearances. Today, the entire world is facing a deep crisis and is in the danger of being doomed. The rich forest areas and biological diversities have been relentlessly divested to erect concrete walls. The continuous denuding of forest reserves has led to Global Warming and Greenhouse Effects. Fortunately, this has led to some realisation, and now the world has awakened for new beginnings about human responsibility towards nature.

Ecotourism in India
India, the land of varied geography offers several tourist destinations that not just de-stress but also rejuvenate you. There are several ways to enjoy Mother Nature in most pristine way. The few places like the Himalayan Region, Kerala, the northeast India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Lakshdweep islands are some of the places where you can enjoy the treasured wealth of the Mother Nature. Thenmala in Kerala is the first planned ecotourism destination in India created to cater to the Eco-tourists and nature lovers.

The Himalayas Ecotourism
The India topography boasts an abundant source of flora & fauna. India has numerous rare and endangered species in its surroundings. The declaration of several wildlife areas and national parks has encouraged the growth of the wildlife resource, which reduced due to the wildlife hunt by several kings in the past. Today, India has many wildlife sanctuaries and protection laws. Currently, there are about 80 national parks and 441 sanctuaries in India, which works for the protection and conservation of wildlife resource in India.

There are numerous Botanical and Zoological Gardens in India, which are working towards the enhancement of the Ecosystem. Poaching has stopped to large extent. There are severe punishments for poachers, hunters and illegal traders of animals and trees. Tree plantations are taking place in several places. There are several animal & plant rights organisation, which fight for the rights of the animals and plants. Numerous organisations and NGOs are coming forward to provide environmental education to the common people at the grass root level.