Integrated Tourism Planning in Protected Area of Sundarban National Park, India

Tourism in protected areas in Indian Sundarban has the potential to provide economic development as well as sources of the funding for maintaining the environmental values of the national park. But that require a great deal of tourism management in core and buffer zone of protected areas. It is well known that there are a number of environmental effects arising from tourism that are degrading the natural values of the protected area resulting in lower amenity value for tourists. This paper deals with present scenario of mass tourism impact on Sundarban National Park of West Bengal (India), which is one of the UNESCO heritage site. The problems associated with tourism are exacerbated by the lack of recognition given to the impacts resulting from tourists visiting the area and the lack of control placed on their behaviour within the park. There is a great need for adoption of appropriate management activities through awareness and education of local communities, regulatory bodies and tourists in and around the National park area.